Established in 2005 with a grant from the Sylvan/Laureate Foundation Inc., the Center for Education Policy and Leadership of the Riley Institute at Furman works to promote discussion, analysis, and understanding of important issues in the field of education policy.

The Center's first major project is a grassroots-level research project on public education in South Carolina. Underwritten by a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the project was undertaken in order to study public education in the South Carolina and to determine strategies for developing world-class schools for the 21st century. The goal is to make a difference in education by working to inform the public of issues and problems in critical areas and by bringing together the stakeholders in education in order to effect change. Please click here to learn more about this project.

The Center for Education Policy and Leadership is a part of the The Riley Institute at Furman. The Institute is a non-partisan organization affiliated with the Department of Political Science at Furman University. Named for former Governor of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Education Richard Riley, the institute engages students in the arenas of politics, public policy and public leadership through collaborative research, study abroad opportunities and internships.