Background

Andrew J. Rotherham is a co-founder and senior partner at Bellwether, a national nonprofit working to transform education so young people can achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and thriving communities. He is known for heterodoxy, empiricism, and student-focused pragmatism, working at the intersection of research, policy, news media, and practice. In addition to Bellwether, he founded or co-founded two other education organizations, served at the White House as special assistant to the president for domestic policy during the Clinton administration, and twice served on the Virginia Board of Education under governors from both political parties.  

A longtime independent voice in national education debates, Rotherham writes the blog and newsletter Eduwonk.com and has authored or edited four books on education policy along with 450-plus articles, papers, and book chapters. His research and media work have earned national awards, and his media experience includes TIME, where he was a national education columnist, and U.S. News & World Report, where he served as a contributing editor. 

Rotherham sits on the boards of The 74, an education news media outlet, and Classroom Champions, a nonprofit pairing Olympic, Paralympic, and professional athletes with mentor students in Canada and the United States. He was a founding board member of several influential education organizations including The PIE Network, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, The Mind Trust, and The 74. Rotherham is on advisory boards for organizations including the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, RAND, and the National Association of State Boards of Education’s EdTech Advisory Group on AI. He also serves as a commissioner on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Commission on the American Workforce and holds senior fellowships at the Progressive Policy Institute and The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development.  

Outside of his professional work, Rotherham raises tens of thousands of dollars annually for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is an EMT, and — along with his wife (a public high school English teacher) — hosts a concert series in a restored one-room schoolhouse. His family, including two college-aged daughters, lives in Virginia. 

Why I Do This Work

Individuals and society thrive when people have choice and self-determination in their lives. A more equitable and effective education system than we have today is integral to that opportunity and to a more inclusive America.

Focus Areas

Artificial Intelligence
Rapid Field Analysis
State and Federal Systems

Contact Information

andy@bellwether.org
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