Our History

Video History | Narrative | Timeline

Video History

Reserve for video capture scheduled for September 2023 of Ron providing an oral history.

Narrative

Reserve for narrative that is script of Ron’s video.

Timeline

  • 1998: Ron Cowell creates The Education Policy and Leadership Center after serving 24 years in the PA House of Representatives where he served as Education Committee Chair and member of the State Board of Education for twelve years. Original funding to create the Center comes from Foundations.
  • 1999: The first Education Policy Fellowship Program begins the initial year long learning experience.
  • September 2002: EPLC publishes the Pennsylvania School Finance Primer
  • August 2004: EPLC begins publishing the “EPLC Education Notebook” a weekly roundup of education policy news in PA. The Notebook continues through July 2012.
  • December 2005: EPLC publishes The Current Condition of Higher Education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  • October 2011: EPLC hosts its first of seven annual Arts and Education Symposium at the State Museum of Pennsylvania
  • March 2012: EPLC publishes Creating Pennsylvania’s Future through the Arts and Education
  • February 2013: EPLC and the Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) begin a partnership for “Focus on Education” which is a monthly program on education issues in Pennsylvania.
  • February 2016: EPLC publishes High School Career and Technical Education: Serving Pennsylvania’s Student and Workforce Needs
  • 2019: Amy Morton joins Ron Cowell in coordinating the EPFP
  • March 2020: The EPFP 2019-2020 cohort is suspended briefly to develop a transition from in-person to virtual learning sessions as a result of the COVID pandemic.
  • September 2021: EPLC, in conjunction with Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Massachusetts policy fellowship leaders, launch the first cohort of the Advanced Education Policy Leadership Program. Five PA EPFP alumni are invited to participate.
  • October 2021: Some in-person sessions return to the EPFP calendar as the pandemic wanes, but the regular sessions remain virtual as more participants and speakers find the format accommodating to their schedules.
  • December 2022: Ron Cowell moves from Executive Director to Founder and Senior Fellow after 24 years of leading EPLC.
  • January 2023: Amy Morton begins serving as EPLC’s Executive Director.