The Mind Trust
Encyclopedia
The Mind Trust is a non-profit organization based in Indianapolis
whose mission is to “dramatically improve public education for underserved students by empowering education entrepreneurs to develop or expand transformative education initiatives.”
, the former Mayor of Indianapolis, and David Harris, Mayor Peterson’s former charter schools director. Bart Peterson is now chair of The Mind Trust’s Board of Directors2 and David Harris is the President and CEO. The Mind Trust is an outgrowth of the Mayor Peterson’s charter schools initiative. In 2001, the Mayor of Indianapolis became the nation’s only mayor with the authority to charter schools. In July 2006, the initiative won Harvard University
’s Innovations in American Government Award.
The summer 2007 issue of Education Next, a publication of the Hoover Institution
described The Mind Trust’s formation in an article by David Skinner
:
The Education Entrepreneur Fellowship offers promising education entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and launch their break-the-mold education ventures. Fellows receive two years of support ($90,000 per year in salary, full benefits, a $20,000 stipend, etc.) The Mind Trust has selected six Fellows since its inception. Fellows and their programs include Dr. Michael Bitz and Youth Music Exchange, Dr. Celine Coggins and Teach Plus, Ms. Abigail Falik and Global Citizen Year, Earl Martin Phalen and Summer Advantage USA
, Stephanie Saroki de Garcia and Seton Education Partners, and Jesse Hahnel and FosterEd. John Ketzenberger, the business columnist for the Indianapolis Star, wrote about the Fellowship in a column on May 20, 2008:
The Mind Trust has used the Venture Fund to bring Teach For America
, The New Teacher Project
, College Summit Diploma Plus
, and Stand for Children
to Indianapolis. The Mind Trust has invested over $5 million in the organizations they have recruited through the Venture Fund.
The Charter School Incubator is the newest initiative of The Mind Trust. In 2012 the Incubator will award three to four $1,000,000 start-up grants to leadership teams who intend to launch networks of charter schools in Indianapolis. The deadline for the first application round is February 17, 2012, and awards will be made by June of 2012. The editorial staff of the Indianapolis Business Journal
wrote about the Incubator in a column on October 15, 2011:
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
whose mission is to “dramatically improve public education for underserved students by empowering education entrepreneurs to develop or expand transformative education initiatives.”
History
The Mind Trust was founded in 2006 by Bart PetersonBart Peterson
Barton "Bart" R. Peterson is the former mayor of the U.S city of Indianapolis, Indiana. A Democrat first elected in 1999, he was defeated in 2007 in a bid for a third term in what was widely viewed as a huge upset.A lifelong Indianapolis resident, Peterson graduated from North Central High School...
, the former Mayor of Indianapolis, and David Harris, Mayor Peterson’s former charter schools director. Bart Peterson is now chair of The Mind Trust’s Board of Directors2 and David Harris is the President and CEO. The Mind Trust is an outgrowth of the Mayor Peterson’s charter schools initiative. In 2001, the Mayor of Indianapolis became the nation’s only mayor with the authority to charter schools. In July 2006, the initiative won Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
’s Innovations in American Government Award.
The summer 2007 issue of Education Next, a publication of the Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
described The Mind Trust’s formation in an article by David Skinner
David Skinner (journalist)
David Skinner is the editor of , which is published by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Previously, he was an assistant managing editor at The Weekly Standard, for which he frequently wrote....
:
“In January, David Harris left the mayor’s office to work on another side of the charter school problem: ‘stimulating supply,’ as he puts it. If Indianapolis is going to continue being a leader in school innovation, it must, Harris reasons, become the place to develop new ideas. So he has built a nonprofit—IPS superintendent White, among others, sits on the board—to fund highly paid fellowships for education entrepreneurs. It is called [The] Mind Trust, and along with trying to find the next Michael Feinberg (a co-founder of KIPPKipp-People:*Annika Kipp , German radio and television presenter*George Washington Kipp , U.S. politician*Karl-Heinz Kipp , German entrepreneur*Kipp Lennon , American musician*Lyman Kipp , U.S...
or the next Wendy KoppWendy KoppWendy Sue Kopp is the CEO and Founder of Teach For America , the national teaching corps and the CEO of Teach For All.-Background:...
(founder of Teach For AmericaTeach For AmericaTeach For America is an American non-profit organization that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States...
, Harris will be trying to draw the cream of education reform organizations to establish a presence in Indianapolis.”
Programs
To achieve its mission, The Mind Trust has three strategies: (1) the Education Entrepreneur Fellowship that serves as an incubator for transformative education ventures; (2) a Venture Fund to recruit to Indianapolis the nation’s most successful entrepreneurial education initiatives; and (3) a Charter School Incubator that awards $1,000,000 in funding as well as support and training to leadership teams who intend to start networks of charter schools in Indianapolis.The Education Entrepreneur Fellowship offers promising education entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and launch their break-the-mold education ventures. Fellows receive two years of support ($90,000 per year in salary, full benefits, a $20,000 stipend, etc.) The Mind Trust has selected six Fellows since its inception. Fellows and their programs include Dr. Michael Bitz and Youth Music Exchange, Dr. Celine Coggins and Teach Plus, Ms. Abigail Falik and Global Citizen Year, Earl Martin Phalen and Summer Advantage USA
Summer Advantage USA
Summer Advantage USA is a national non-profit organization providing elementary and middle school students living in low–performing school districts with research-based summer learning programs focused on academic gains.-Overview & history:...
, Stephanie Saroki de Garcia and Seton Education Partners, and Jesse Hahnel and FosterEd. John Ketzenberger, the business columnist for the Indianapolis Star, wrote about the Fellowship in a column on May 20, 2008:
“Indianapolis is on the vanguard of the education reform movement. Really. A big reason is The Mind Trust, a local nonprofit, and its Education Entrepreneur Fellowship.”
The Mind Trust has used the Venture Fund to bring Teach For America
Teach For America
Teach For America is an American non-profit organization that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States...
, The New Teacher Project
The New Teacher Project
The New Teacher Project works to ensure that poor and minority students get equal access to effective teachers. It helps urban school districts and states recruit and train new teachers, staff challenged schools, design evaluation systems, and retain teachers who have demonstrated the ability to...
, College Summit Diploma Plus
Diploma Plus
Diploma Plus is an American non-profit organization whose mission is to improve graduation rates and post-secondary options for over-age and under-credited urban youth...
, and Stand for Children
Stand for Children
Stand for Children is an American organization that is an independent and non-partisan advocate for American children's education. Founded in 1996 following the largest rally for children in American history, the non-profit helps organize and mobilize citizen activists who care about children to...
to Indianapolis. The Mind Trust has invested over $5 million in the organizations they have recruited through the Venture Fund.
The Charter School Incubator is the newest initiative of The Mind Trust. In 2012 the Incubator will award three to four $1,000,000 start-up grants to leadership teams who intend to launch networks of charter schools in Indianapolis. The deadline for the first application round is February 17, 2012, and awards will be made by June of 2012. The editorial staff of the Indianapolis Business Journal
Indianapolis Business Journal
Indianapolis Business Journal is a weekly newspaper published in Indianapolis which reports on Central Indiana business. It is the leading publication of IBJ Media. Its economic columnists include Morton Marcus and Michael J. Hicks.- External links :*...
wrote about the Incubator in a column on October 15, 2011:
“If a meaningful turnaround in public education is going to happen here, it’s going to come from the fresh ideas and innovative thinking the [Charter School Incubator] grants are trying to leverage. Getting the desired results won’t be easy, but the odds improve when groups such as The Mind Trust make their bold moves.”