So, there are things like Yale’s crew team, or the White House, or things of legend like the World Series. They have been around forever, they are icons of power and stability and the focus of the ambitions of millions. People hold these things up as models of the status quo. This is not a list about those kinds of icons. This is a list about transforming education.

These are the people who I follow, and who sometimes follow me on Twitter. They give me insights, they challenge what I think, and they sometimes really disagree with me. But such is democracy in the twittersphere.

So, I give you the Edurati Twitterati, the 21 Most Important Ever Twitterers In the World, for you to link to. Expand your education reform conversation and build up some new talking points. This is the first list, and another list will come out later that is more exhaustive.

@tvanderark is a consumer of Cuban food, and Newsweek named him once the country’s “Most Influential BabyBoomer.” Yes, no kidding. Go to him for ideas on ed reform, practical alternative pathways to education and thought leadership on tech innovation that boosts student learning. He’s been a superintendent and an investor in private equity. He’s seen a lot.

@ToughLoveforX is a retired printer who likes to talk about fixing high schools.

@VanessaSCassieused to be a high school teacher and is now a consultant.

@21stprincipalbemoans the lost of liberal arts in education and has some pretty pointed views on testing, curriculum and whether schools are being brought into the 21st Century

@AEIeducation is the hub for great writers and analysts for education improvements and policywonks.

@Joe_Bower fuels discussion with a very strong anti-capitalist bent, but that’s fine. Has interesting ideas about changing the education model away from standardized testing and grading. Also, he’s in Canada, which makes his commentary about United States ed reform delightful, interesting, and puzzling.

@ChadRatliff Director of Instruction and innovation porojects in Virginia and calls himself a “relentless seeker of a better way.”

@readtoday has some great views on bringing equity to African-Americans in education, and having it start with focus on reading and literacy.

@Parentella activates the parents in the struggle for education reform and is an active member in discussions about entrepreneurship and innovation in school function.

@Pammoran can be quite poetic at times, and is working to bring 21st century skills into education and develop community learning for all types of life-long learners.

@alexanderrusso is a long time blogger in this space, and self-proclaimed “don’t do nice” when it comes to blogging.

@teachingwthsoul has a great stream of tweets and a thing about passion that I don’t understand, but well worth connecting to her.

@jclassnotebook allegedly left a journalism career to help a high school teach journalism. Wonder if she likes my idea of having schools as communication centers for a community vis a vis hyperlocal media?

@n8ngrimm is compiling resources online for teachers, and you can talk to him about your needs.

@KennethLibby either agrees with me or disagrees with me about entrepreneurship in classrooms, but offers clear-headed commentary and links to good content.

@tonnet pretty much covers all the majors: translation, physics, online, tech, teaching, students. Follow him if you want to get a trenches look at how educators can improve the world of teaching.

@irascol is all about universal design and innovation with a strong liberal bias that has pitched against the likes of the governor of New Jersey. Link to him if you want salt with your sugar.

@Conncan is the best state advocacy group for education reform, and just launched a new initiative for ed reform called 50Can. Follow for updates on state applications for RTTT and for breaking analysis on tools for change.

@Mebutke is the CEO of @Conncan’s first expansion state, Rhode Island. Searching for that education reform higher ground, she says.

@deborahgist cannot be left out of this list, as she’s the Rhode Island Commissioner of Education whose eyes are on transformative change in state public education.