Moving Public Education Forward
Public Education Forward (PEF) is a nonprofit organization based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, working to create stronger schools and more opportunities for students and educators. We partner with schools, businesses, and community organizations to help students prepare for college and careers, develop exceptional teachers, and introduce innovative approaches to teaching and learning. For more than 35 years, our work has focused on helping public education move forward.
Launching Students, Preparing Teachers, Developing Innovators.
Our Programs
Our mission comes to life through programs that support students at every stage of their educational journey, prepare and empower teachers, and bring new opportunities for learning into schools. Explore the programs that make this work possible.
Launching Students
Helping students take their next step with confidence.
From navigating college applications to completing a degree, we help students and adult learners access the guidance, resources, and support they need to succeed.
Camp College helps high school students navigate the college admissions process through campus experiences, mentorship, and guidance on applications, scholarships, and financial aid.
Gateway Scholars provides personalized mentorship to help students transition from high school to college, navigate challenges, and stay on track toward earning their degree.
Pathways Forward helps adults who have completed some college but haven’t earned a degree return to school through individualized guidance, financial navigation, and support with re-enrollment.
Preparing Teachers
Supporting great teachers from the beginning and throughout their careers.
We believe teachers deserve meaningful preparation, ongoing support, and opportunities to grow. Our programs help aspiring educators enter the classroom ready to teach and give experienced teachers opportunities to deepen their practice.
Teacher Residency offers an immersive, year-long pathway into teaching. Residents gain hands-on classroom experience alongside experienced mentor teachers while working toward their teaching license, with an optional master’s degree pathway.
Fund for Teachers provides grants that allow educators to design their own professional learning experiences, pursue their interests, and bring new knowledge and inspiration back into their classrooms.
Developing Innovators
Bringing creativity, technology, and new possibilities into education.
We work with educators and schools to make learning more engaging, hands-on, and connected to the world around us. Through innovative learning spaces, professional development, and collaboration, we help bring forward-thinking ideas into classrooms.
Volkswagen eLabs bring hands-on learning and digital fabrication technology into public schools, giving students opportunities to design, build, create, and solve real-world problems.
STEM Fellows is a year-long professional learning experience that helps educators strengthen their teaching through problem-based learning, inquiry, technology integration, and leadership development.
AI Innovation Fellows brings Hamilton County Schools teachers and instructional coaches together to explore responsible, practical uses of artificial intelligence in classrooms, test new approaches, and share what they learn.