Networks & Collaborative Partnerships
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Partnership for Education & Equity Right (PEER)
Funder: Education Law Center (current)
Project Time Period: 2018 - Present
Project Category: Advocacy/Education Equity/Formative Evaluation/Evaluation and Performance Measurement Capacity Building
About PEER: PEER is a national network of organizers, advocates, lawyers, and community leaders focused on reinvestment in public education. PEER partners work on the ground to advance innovative solutions for equity and education rights, and combating the ongoing divestment of public education. Established in 2016, the PEER network encompasses education coalitions spanning nine states (IL, NC, VA, MI, NM, MD, TN, PA, and GA) and Puerto Rico.
The Work: The Partnership for Equity and Education Rights (PEER) has been a long-time and valued partner of MAI over the years. In 2018, MAI conducted a process evaluation of PEER that focused on understanding the PEER network as a whole, the members’ perceptions of the network meetings, and the individual network organizations’ skills and capacities as it related to promoting education equity in their states. This approach resulted in formative feedback that helped inform the development of the PEER network and its strategy. In 2021, we worked with PEER leadership to administer, analyze, and make meaning of a Network-wide survey that explored the value state partners receive from participating in PEER, the outcomes they have achieved, and their perceptions of the growth and sustainability of their state coalition or campaign. In addition to the survey, we conducted a literature review on successful coalition building and coalition durability/longevity. The goal of the literature review was to better understand the factors that bolster and detract from coalition success and durability. Following our work on the Network survey and literature review, MAI collaborated with one of the PEER state partners, the Michigan Education Justice Coalition (MEJC) to support them in documenting their Theory of Change and aligning their evaluation strategy with it (Measurement Plan). We're delighted to be able to extend our partnership with PEER into the future, building on our shared goals and commitment to collaboration.