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2005 National Education Conference
April 12, 2005
HONORS, DEVELOPS TOP EDUCATORS
*U.S. EDUCATION SECRETARY MARGARET SPELLINGS TO KEYNOTE*
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 12, 2005) – The Milken Family Foundation will hold its 16th annual Milken National Education Conference, The Challenges of School Reform: Implementation, Impact and Sustainability, April 26-28 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. During the conference, recipients of the 2004 Milken National Educator Awards from across America will receive $25,000 each for their outstanding dedication to teaching, hear a keynote address presented by U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, and join elected officials, policy leaders and other education experts to explore ways to attract, develop, motivate and retain high-quality teachers.
"Outstanding teachers are the architects of our nation's future, helping to shape the way students learn, understand, and prepare for lives of fulfillment," said Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder Lowell Milken. "Each year, we provide a forum joining together our nation's top educators and policymakers to find solutions to our most pressing educational challenges. By bringing government officials, exemplary educators, business and community leaders together, we are working to strengthen the nation's teaching force so that all children have access to a quality education."
Respected as one of the premier seminars in K-12 education, this three-day conference consists of intensive workshops, panel discussions and professional development opportunities.
Highlights of this year's conference include:
- The Keynote Speech by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings;
- Remarks by Congressman Ralph Regula (R-OH), Chairman, Appropriations Subcommittee on Education;
- An update on education policy by U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA);
- A presentation on bold education reform incorporating performance pay by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty;
- A panel exploring prominent education reforms and their impact on making quality education accessible to and sustainable for all children, chaired by Lowell Milken;
Panelists: Ray Simon, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education; Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA); Tom Payzant, Superintendent, Boston Public Schools; Anthony Amato, Superintendent, New Orleans Public Schools; Paul Vallas, Chief Executive Officer, School District of Philadelphia; and Jennifer Marshall, Director of Domestic Policy Studies for The Heritage Foundation
- A dialogue exploring the challenges of meeting the No Child Left Behind Act's goals, moderated by Dr. Lewis Solmon, Executive Vice President of Education for the Milken Family Foundation and Director of its Teacher Advancement Program (TAP);
Panelists: Nina Rees, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education; David Driscoll, Commissioner of Education, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and Andrew Rotherham, Director, 21st Century Schools Project, Progressive Policy Institute; Antonia Cortese, Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers
- A data-driven analysis of the effectiveness of performance pay for teachers in connection with professional development opportunities, moderated by Kristan Van Hook, Vice President of Public Policy for the Milken Family Foundation;
Panelists: Dr. Ken James, Director of Education, State of Arkansas; Cecil Picard, State Superintendent, State of Louisiana; Alice Seagren, Commissioner of Education, State of Minnesota; Lewis Solmon; Dr. Tamara Schiff, Vice President of Education for the Milken Family Foundation and Associate Director of its Teacher Advancement Program; and J. Todd White, National Director of Training, TAP
- A discussion about the impacts of effective early childhood education, chaired by Stephen Goldsmith, Daniel Paul Professor of Government and Director, Innovations in American Government Program, Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard University;
Panelists: Libby Doggett, Executive Director, Pre-K Now; Dr. Sharon Lynn Kagan, Associate Dean for Policy, Teachers College, Columbia University; Dennis Vicars, Executive Director and CEO, Professional Association for Childhood Education Alternative Payment Program; Dr. Ron Haskins, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution; and Elanna Yalow, President and COO, Knowledge Learning Corporation
- An interactive debate about reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and its role in improving K-12 education, moderated by J. Ted Sanders, Executive Chairman of the Cardean Learning Group and former President of the Education Commission of the States
Panelists: Sally Stroup, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education; Dr. Susan Tave Zelman, State Superintendent, State of Ohio; Dr. Guilbert Hentschke, Professor, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California; and Ben Wildavsky, Education Editor for U.S. News and World Report
On Wednesday, April 27 at the National Building Museum, some of the nation's top teachers, principals and specialists from across the country will be presented with $25,000 Milken National Educator Awards. Dubbed the "Oscars of Teaching" by Teacher Magazine, this black-tie gala honors some of America's finest K-12 educators and celebrates their achievements in true Hollywood fashion.
The Milken National Educator Awards is designed to recognize excellence in elementary and secondary schools and inspire talented young people to become teachers. Established in 1985 by education pioneer Lowell Milken, it is the largest teacher recognition program in the U.S. More than $50 million in awards has been presented to nearly 2,100 educators in 47 states, plus the District of Columbia.
For more information about the 2005 Milken National Education Conference and the Milken National Educator Awards, please visit http://www.mff.org or contact the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4775.