A P-20 council is a collaborative body consisting of representatives from government, the business community, and public education from pre-kindergarten to graduate schools. Its purpose is to increase communication among the different bodies represented in order to develop collaborative efforts toward remedying holes in the state’s school-to-workforce pipeline. Alabama is one of eight state that does not have such a council. Below are several links and publications that discuss P-20 councils in-depth.
Links
- Alabama Commission on Higher Education’s PK-20 Initiative – This site provides information about the Alabama Commission on Higher Education’s initiative to institute a PK-20 council. It includes reports on PK-20 councils as well as research highlighting Alabama’s need for such councils.
- Education Commission of the St ates’ High School Database: P-16/P-20 Councils – This site makes a case for the need of P-16/P-20 Councils and provides research conducted on several states’ councils.
- The P-20 Blog – This blog by Jennifer Dounay Zinth, a staff member of the Education Commission of the States, discusses topics related to P-20 councils and includes recent news related to P-20 councils across the country.
- ECS Selected State Policies: P-16 – This includes summaries of state policies regarding P-16/P-20 councils enacted since 2000.
- ECS Education Policy Issue Site: P-16 or P-20 – This site provides an overview of P-16 or P-20 systems.
Research on P-20 Councils
- “States, Schools, and Colleges: Policies to Improve Student Readiness for College and Strengthen Coordination Between Schools and Colleges” – The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. This report discusses the divide between K-12 and higher education and conducts case studies on P-20 and P-16 councils from three states.
- “Colorado’s P-20 Education Coordinating Council: 2007-2010” – Dr. Janet Lopez. This report discusses the impact of Colorado’s P-20 council on its education system from 2007-2010. It concludes that the Council created a culture of cooperation among members of the P-20 continuum, helping it work together to improve Colorado’s education system.
