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2004 National Education Conference Highlights
May 05, 2004
May 4-6, 2004
Washington, D.C.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 5
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Improving Student Achievement: Reforms That Work
Moderated by Foundation Chairman Lowell Milken
Education is often called "the great equalizer." It has the power—if provided, and received, as part of a rigorous experience—to enable a secure future for every child. Unfortunately, as a nation, we have not achieved this goal despite countless reforms tried over the past 40 years. Why haven't these reforms worked? Will the recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ("No Child Left Behind") yield different results? What will it take for us to move the system forward with improved student achievement for every child in America?
- John A. Boehner (R-8th, OH), Chair, House Education and Workforce Committee
- Frank Brogan, President, Florida Atlantic University
- Kevin P. Chavous, Council Member (Ward 7), District of Columbia
- Eugene Hickok, U.S. Under Secretary of Education
- Mary Landrieu (D-LA), U.S. Senator
- Ted Sanders, President, Education Commission of the States
11:45 – 1:30 p.m.
Luncheon Presentation: "The State" Of Education
- The Honorable Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota
- The Honorable Mark R. Warner, Governor of Virginia
1:45 – 3:30 p.m.
How States Are Addressing Teacher Quality Issues
The federal No Child Left Behind law mandates a "highly qualified" teacher in every classroom in America. From alternative certification options to signing bonuses, hiring incentive programs are being tried across the U.S. What more can state and federal policy makers do to meet this challenge?
- Jim Horne, Florida Commissioner of Education
- Lisa Graham Keegan, Chief Executive Officer, Education Leaders Council
- Ray Simon, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education
- Janice Poda, Senior Director, Division of Teacher Quality, South Carolina Department of Education
- Cheri Yecke, Minnesota Commissioner of Education
7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Milken National Educator Awards Gala
Opening with a welcome address by U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, the evening will culminate with the presentation of $25,000 Milken National Educator Awards to 100 of America’s finest educators from 47 states plus the District of Columbia. Teacher Magazine calls this black-tie affair the "Oscars of Teaching," an event where outstanding teachers, principals and specialists are showcased and honored in true Hollywood fashion.
THURSDAY, MAY 6
8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
What It Takes To Make Performance Pay Work
Many performance pay plans for K-12 teachers have been tried throughout the U.S., but most have not survived. Budgetary constraints and lack of teacher support have been difficult to overcome for schools and districts trying to implement these programs. Is performance pay a viable tactic to attract and develop higher quality teachers? What would it take for pay-for-performance to be successfully implemented in the future?
- Frederick M. Hess, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
- Brad Jupp, team leader, Denver Classroom Teachers Association
- Alan Krueger, Bendheim Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Princeton University
- John Schacter, SPP Enterprises Educational Consulting
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
No Child Left Behind
As schools, districts and states wrestle with the implementation deadlines of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, supporters and critics alike are making their voices heard. Proponents argue that this law is the nation's first real attempt at closing student achievement gaps. Detractors feel that too much testing and inflexibility combined with too little funding outweigh the potential benefits.
This session will tackle the pros and cons of this landmark legislation from the perspectives of those trying to implement the reform and those who are investigating its ramifications.
- Richard Ingersoll, Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania
- Ken James, Director, Arkansas Department of Education
- Jay Mathews, education columnist, Washington Post
- Nina Rees, U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Education
- Susan Tave Zelman, Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction
12:15 – 1:45 p.m.
Luncheon Presentation: Education: The Economic Cornerstone Of Communities
- Carlos Garcia, Superintendent, Clark County School District, Las Vegas
- Michael Milken, Chairman, The Milken Institute
- Dr. Frank Till, Superintendent, Broward County Public Schools, Fort Lauderdale