Graduate School
Brandeis

Undergraduate School
Brown University

Mentor
Larry DiCara, Nixon Peabody, LLP and Rappaport Institute Advisory Board Member

Agency
Massachusetts Executive Office of Education

Supervisor
JD LaRock, Policy Director

Description of Fellowship
Sarah Phillips spent the summer working at the Executive Office of Education. During the first week of her fellowship, she was able to influence public policy, successfully recommending that the Secretary of Education amend a proposed amendment to the University of Massachusetts’ quasi-endowment policy. With an early victory under her belt, Sarah spent the bulk of her fellowship writing a report on the Readiness Schools legislation. Part of Governor Patrick’s education reform package, this legislation will close persistent achievement gaps by jump starting long-overdue efforts to turn around low- performing schools as well as creating two new types of innovative in- district public schools. Sarah also wrote a series of memos that will help shape the Commonwealth’s application to several federal grant programs funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.