Director of the Education Policy Center, Independence Institute
Schedule a Speaking Engagement With Pam Benigno
Since 1997, Pam Benigno has been the director of the influential Education Policy Center at the Independence Institute, Colorado’s free market think tank. She directs projects, writes, and speaks about K-12 education, including school choice and school accountability issues. Her work frequently accomplishes real-world results.
Mrs. Benigno provides a counterbalance to the education establishment. A tireless advocate for public and private school choice, she works with education organizations, policymakers, and community leaders to expand school choice opportunities. She has served on various committees, including the State Board of Education’s implementation advisory committee for Colorado’s 2003 school voucher program (later struck down by the court).
More recently, Pam served on the Douglas County Public School District’s School Choice Task Force, resulting in the first school district to adopt its own voucher program. To empower parents, she directed the development of a unique, user-friendly website that educates English- and Spanish-speakers about the many educational options Colorado offers (www.schoolchoiceforkids.org).
Mrs. Benigno has authored and co-authored numerous reports and opinion-editorials that can be found at education.i2i.org. Cited in the Wall Street Journal and other publications, one of her reports exposed Colorado school districts that failed to properly notify parents of their educational options under No Child Left Behind. She briefs legislators, speaks to groups, and provides guest commentary on local radio and television broadcasts. A former public school teacher and homeschooling mother, she first became involved in school reform efforts in 1985.
