Matt Shaver
Matt coordinates EdAllies’ advocacy efforts, serving as a point person for policymakers, partners, and the community. He is passionate about developing diverse coalitions of stakeholders to put traditionally underserved students at the center of policy decisions.
Matt brings his experience as an elementary and middle school teacher to the forefront of policy discussions and knows firsthand how policy decisions can impact students and families. Matt has been a teacher in both district and charter schools in Massachusetts and Minnesota. He began his career at Edward Brooke Charter Schools in Boston, and since returning home, has taught at the Harvest Network of Schools, Northeast College Prep, and Minneapolis Public Schools.
Matt also has policy and program experience outside of the classroom. He was a Policy Fellow with the Center for Policy Design, an Advocacy Fellow with Educators for Excellence, and served on a national panel of experts on district reopening plans with the Center for Reinventing Public Education. He has worked as a policy researcher for TNTP and curriculum developer for National Farmers Union, InquirED, and the Texas Education Agency.
Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Concordia College; a certificate in education finance from Georgetown University; and is working on his master’s degree in urban education from Metro State University. He lives in south Minneapolis with his educator spouse Kristin, one-year-old son Wesley, and old lab Charlie.
What do you hope to see change in education during your lifetime?
Minnesotans need to accept the reality that our system of education has generationally denied students of color a quality education and a path to a life of their choosing. My hope is that all stakeholders can agree about the “fierce urgency of now” when it comes to educating all kids. All kids have the potential to do great things and are deserving of being treated and taught as such. We have to get to a place in our state where students are being taught to read using evidence-based instruction and curricula. I hope to see schools closing the achievement gap and the state legislature closing the resource gap so that students and educators have the resources concentrated where they are needed the most. I would like to help build a bridge between the various factions and stakeholders in education so that adults, regardless of politics, are working in concert on behalf of kids.