• UPDATE OCT. 19: Due to overwhelming response, registration is now closed. We have reached maximum capacity. Visit endingthegap.com for online reports from the conference beginning Thursday evening, October 25.

Hundreds have signed up for NYSUT's "Every Child Counts," a groundbreaking symposium Oct. 25-27 featuring state and national education and policy experts. Look for three days of lively and frank discussion on how to end the achievement gap in New York and ensure educational equity for all students.

"As we work to improve our schools, we want to partner with parents, elected officials, business owners and other community leaders to break the cycle of poverty and address the social factors that contribute to the achievement gap," said NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi. "This symposium is for people who want to be a part of the solution."

There's still time to sign up for the symposium, which will feature a variety of informative and inspirational speakers at the Desmond Hotel in Albany.

Opening keynote speaker will be Donna Brazile, political strategist, activist and a regular commentator on CNN. Other speakers and panelists include:

• Education Trust Director Kati Haycock
• Ronald Ferguson of Harvard University
• Manuel Rivera, deputy secretary for Education for New York state
• David Shaffer of the Business Council of New York State
• Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers
• James Crawford, president of the Institute for Language and Education Policy
• Richard Rothstein of Columbia University and
• Pedro Noguera of New York University's Steinhardt School of Education.

The symposium will include program sessions that offer deeper discussion on specialized topics such as Career and Technical Education, language proficiency, teacher recruitment and retention and ways to improve high school graduation rates.

For more information or to register online, visit http://www.endingthegap.com/. Seating is limited, so register soon.