Network Story

Why a Network?

Students need champions.

Americans have long believed in the promise of education as the great equalizer. And for just as long, advocates—including students, parents, Civil Rights leaders, educators, and business leaders—have served as champions working to make that promise a reality for every student, in every community. 

Champions need support.

Though progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to help millions of students access the educational opportunities, resources, and experiences they need to achieve a future without limits. Advocating for policy changes to improve education is exceptionally challenging work. The champions who pursue it need peers, resources, and support to sustain and strengthen their efforts for students.

That’s where we come in.

As a network designed by and for education advocates, the PIE Network builds connections, creates relationships, and facilitates collaboration among a diverse and dedicated group of education advocates championing change. Through a combination of PIE Network’s formal programming and professional learning, 1:1 support, and informal connections, Network leaders leverage the power of connection to people, know-how, and ideas to spark ongoing innovation and maximize efforts to improve education policies and practices so that every student can succeed.

Learn more about what unites us.

Our History

PIE Network was founded in 2006 by a small group of 12 state advocacy organizations and national partners based on a recognition that a nascent education reform movement would be stronger by leveraging connections and collaboration to take great work to scale. Today, the Network is a powerful collection of more than 150 local, state, and national education advocacy, and policy organizations in 34 states and D.C. who represent students, families, educators, business and civic leaders, researchers and policy experts who share a commitment to core values and policy pillars and are working to transform our education system so that every student can succeed. 

Meet Our Members

Our Impact

PIE Network members are actively engaged in their state legislative sessions, advocating at state capitols, city halls, or local board of education meetings, and influencing local, state, and federal policy. The PIE Network connects and convenes these champions across the country to strengthen, support, and catalyze each other’s efforts. Through the power of these connections, organizations strengthen, innovations spark, strategy sharpens, and the movement accelerates so that the greatest impact can be realized, and every student, in every community, has the educational opportunities and experiences necessary to achieve a future without limits.

Learn more about what we do.

Our Team

The PIE Network Board of Directors, team, and generous funders are keen listeners for common needs, emerging issues, and collective impact trending within and across states. They create the opportunities for connections that lead to collaboration and that spread good ideas, resources, and know-how to strengthen the movement.