In 1995, representatives from business-supported, public policy centers in six southeastern states met in Columbia, SC, to discuss the feasibility of creating a network focused on school reform. The concept struck a responsive chord and, since then, the network has grown and solidified
Impetus was provided by a school/business partnership initiative begun in the early nineties by the federally funded educational laboratory for the Southeast, SERVE, which contracted the Public School Forum of NC to coordinate the initiative.
For the last two years, the National Business Roundtable has used the Columbia Group as a sounding board for and a vehicle to advance national issues.
The Atlanta-based BellSouth Foundation, which focuses its activities on education, also added support to the network. With the financial support of both SERVE and the BellSouth Foundation, the Columbia Group convenes regularly.