Dr. Kate Anderson Foley

Consultant for Special Programs

Kate Anderson Foley, PhD is an educational leader with over twenty-eight years’ experience leading public-school districts and states toward equitable and integrated services for all learners.  Her work has been grounded in social justice and breaking down the barriers for children who historically have been marginalized.  She has led organizational change utilizing a strategic framework that ensured guaranteed and rigorous learning leading to college and career readiness for all students.

Kate began her career as a special education teacher pioneering inclusive practices for students at risk and children with disabilities.  Her work focused on creating conditions that fostered high expectations of adults for students and innovation, which led to equitable opportunities for children.  Kate’s deep commitment creating nimble and responsive systems that were supportive of the whole child, led her into administration where she advocated for local, state, and federal reform.

As a senior leader at the state level, Kate’s vision of fulfilling the promise of the Individuals with Disabilities Act was nested within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  She was an expert contributor to the ESSA State Plan whereby the current deficit-based system was interrupted, and a preventative and agile system was created. This change addressed opportunity gaps for all children, inclusive of children with disabilities, English language learners, early childhood, and advanced learners so the floor of equity and excellence was raised for every child.  Her deep understanding of equity-based school funding contributed to the reform model for the State of Illinois.

Kate is the founder and CEO of the Education Policy and Practice Group and a special consultant with Global Learning and Leadership.