This issue marks a time of transition for the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) and our journal, Education Finance and Policy (EFP). First, on 30 June, Amy Ellen Schwartz completed a five-year term as Editor of EFP. Under Amy's leadership, EFP has continued to flourish as an essential source of research and scholarship in our field. That success is evident in the quality of each issue and in the rising impact factor that now places EFP among the top education journals, making our journal competitive with many journals in public policy, economics, and public finance. The continued strength of the journal is partly attributable to the hard work Amy did behind the scenes. She moved manuscript management to Editorial Express, making it possible to improve communications and reduce time to decision. She worked with MIT Press to institute online posting of accepted papers, making new research available as quickly as possible.
We also need to thank those who worked on EFP's editorial team during Amy's leadership. Eric Brunner, Stephanie Cellini, Joshua Cowen, Susanna Loeb, Andrew McEachin, Randall Reback, and Katharine Strunk served as Associate Editors. Lisa Jelks continued as Managing Editor, and Katrina Fiacchi did exemplary work as the journal's Editorial Assistant.
We are very fortunate that the incoming editors, Stephanie Cellini and Randall Reback, and the new editorial team can take advantage of the excellent foundation that Amy has built. Please join me in thanking Amy for her years of dedicated service to EFP and to our field.
This issue also is the first issue for AEFP's new Executive Director, Lydia Ross, who is taking on the leadership role that Angela Hull so capably filled. Angie's contributions to the organization and the journal are innumerable. She helped shepherd both through periods of growth and worked hard to maintain AEFP as a friendly and welcoming organization even as we doubled in size. Angie and Robert Goertz, our Treasurer, have moved AEFP into a position of fiscal strength, strength that has enabled the organization to increase its support for the journal. And like Amy, Angie has rationalized the operation of the organization and our conference, steps which will redound to our benefit for years to come.
We know that Lydia Ross will ably fill Angie's very big shoes. Please join me in thanking Angie for her significant contributions to AEFP, EFP, and our field.
Tom Downes
President, American Education Finance Association