Dr. Eric Parker, executive director of Model Laboratory School, is one of only 15 educators nationwide selected to participate in the 2017 Global Education Policy Fellowship Program (GEPFP).
Participants are chosen based on their demonstrated experience and expertise in the areas of international education policy and research. The program provides senior-level leaders with an interest in global education policy an opportunity to study education policy by investigating education development challenges in economically developed and developing counties.
Parker and other fellows will:
· become aware of the approaches that other countries are taking to ensure their education systems are preparing young people for a globally competitive economy.
· develop a perspective of the United States’ efforts to ensure its schools are globally competitive.
· observe first hand and engage with policymakers shaping school reform efforts abroad.
· build networking relationships with influential policymakers abroad, as well as grow a network of professionals working in the global education policy arena.
Parker’s GEPFP experience will begin in August and consist of monthly online seminars focused on providing context and deep understanding of global policies and issues, an international study tour, a capstone multi-day Washington Policy Seminar, and an optional policy analysis on some facet of a select nation’s education policy initiative and its implications on the United States and/or the organization that sponsors the GEPFP experience. The international study tour visits this year will take place in China in October.
Parker was named to the Model Lab post in June 2016. He brought to Model 17 years of experience in K-12 education, the last 13 in school and district administration. For the previous year, Parker had served as executive director for K-12 leadership and continuous improvement for Montgomery (Alabama) Public Schools, where he led school improvement and support initiatives and directly supervised 12 elementary schools, six middle schools, three high schools and seven alternative centers and programs.
Previously, Parker had served as principal of Shiloh High School and Shiloh Middle School with Gwinnett County (Georgia) Schools and as principal of Therrell High School of Health Sciences and Research in Atlanta, Georgia.
Prior to assuming administrative roles, he taught and coached for four years in Georgia public schools.
Established more than a century ago on the Eastern Kentucky University campus, Model Laboratory School educates approximately 720 students from pre-K through 12th grade while providing field experiences for EKU students and demonstrating evidence-based strategies. It is the Commonwealth’s only remaining laboratory school.