Dale DeCesare is a senior associate at APA.  He brings more than fourteen years experience in helping analyze and communicate complex public policy information.  An attorney and former writer with the Education Commission of the States, DeCesare has authored numerous education policy publications and served as a speechwriter for several state governors.  He has conducted and led a variety of policy studies and projects involving urban education, teacher retention in hard to staff schools, and schools that close achievement gaps for at-risk students.  He has recently completed work in Colorado and Louisiana examining the types of programs, practices, and working conditions that can improve teacher retention and academic success in schools with large at-risk student populations.  DeCesare has a bachelor's degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law, and is a member of the Colorado Bar.