Early March Education Week posted an article titled Districts’ Boys- Only Programs Prompt  Legal Questions. This article talks about the plans for an all boys public high school, which is  part of a $20 million initiative to help improve the “achievement and graduation rates among black and Hispanic boys”. The Debate over this initiative is: single sex education, under Title IX is not allowed,unless providing the same quality for the opposite sex.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/03/04/districts-boys-only-programs-prompt-legal-questions.html?qs=Districts’+Boys-Only+Programs+Prompt+Legal+Questions#

Policy Institute: Aspen Institute

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspen_Institute

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/about/mission

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/content/upload/Scholarships_Campaign-Aspen_Institute.pdf

Location based in Washington D.C.

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/about

(there are many locations around the world)

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners. (Aspen Institute)

Source of Funding for the Institute

According to the Aspen Institute website, the Institute has a Society of Fellows who are “…an engaged community of the Institute who both actively participate in our educational and policy studies events and provide important financial support to help sustain our mission to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues (http://www.aspeninstitute.org/society-fellows).” This Society holds events exclusively for their members and there are five different membership levels, each containing multiple benefits. They are also funded by Trustee Leadership Funds. Other sources of funding for the institute are Aspen Community Donations. Donors have the option of contributing $500 to $2499 as Aspen Community Friends or of contributing $150 to $499 as Aspen Community Subscribers. The Institute also accepts donations of any amount via an online form or checks sent in by mail (https://www.aspeninstitute.org/support/give-aspen-community-programs). The Aspen Institute Annual Fund is an additional way in which they receive funding for their programs (http://www.aspeninstitute.org/support/annual-fund). “Planned Giving” is also utilized by donors to the institute. With this form of lifetime giving through a bequest or a will or a trust, individuals and families “may secure a charitable estate-tax deduction for the value of the gift.” The Institute goes on to say that, “Best of all, you will know that your generosity will support the Aspen Institute for years to come.”

Sponsors

The Aspen Institute is largely funded by foundations such as the Carnegie Corporation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Gates Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, and the Ford Foundation, by seminar fees, and by individual donations.

Individual donors: http://www.scribd.com/doc/238660614/2014-Overview-and-2013-Annual-Report

Scope of Interest (alaisha)

This organization’s scope of actions include leadership programs, policy programs, publications, and seminars centered around fostering positive social change in multiple communities. The Institute also participates in global training, skill-sharing, and research.

Left vs Right / Non-partisan

Non-Partisan

Tax Exempt Status

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/about/transparency

The Aspen Institute is exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, income from certain activities not directly related to the Institute’s tax-exempt purpose is subject to taxation as unrelated business income. Each year, the Aspen Institute files Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. (Aspen Institute)

Click to access Aspen-Institute-2013-12-Tax-Form-990-Public-Disclosure.pdf

PAC Status

There is no political action committee for the aspen institute

Primary Focus

The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways:

Seminars, which help participants reflect on what they think makes a good society, thereby deepening knowledge, broadening perspectives and enhancing their capacity to solve the problems leaders face.

Young-leader fellowships around the globe, which bring a selected class of proven leaders together for an intense multi-year program and commitment. The fellows become better leaders and apply their skills to significant challenges.

Policy programs, which serve as nonpartisan forums for analysis, consensus building, and problem solving on a wide variety of issues.

Public conferences and events, which provide a commons for people to share ideas.

Recent Publications and Activity

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications

The Aspen Institute utilizes four (4) different ways of publishing articles for the programs they have. They use social media (The Aspen Idea Blog), journal (Aspenia – international affairs from AI Italia), magazine (AI Magazine), and their website. These publications are also available for purchase through Google.

Most Recent Publications:

The Aspen Idea Blog

Feb. 20, 2015

“What we’re reading 2/20: A Weekly List of Our Program Directors Must-see Media”

Aspenia

Jan. 2015

Issue n.66

“Capital & its Discontents”

AI Magazine

The Aspen Idea Winter 2014/2015

Online

Feb. 5, 2015

A Network of Development Entrepreneurs (Program)

“Entrepreneurship * Acceleration Questions from the Field – Feb. 2015”