Every Child Counts: A Symposium Dedicated to Ending the Achievement Gap

Thursday, October 25

Welcome and Opening Remarks

• NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi
• State Education Commissioner Richard Mills
• Keynote Address: Donna Brazile

Scenes from the Symposium

• Photos: Thursday evening | Donna Brazile

 

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Friday, October 26

Plenary Session

• Kati Haycock, the Education Trust: "Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps: Lessons from Schools on the Performance Frontier"

Panel Discussion

• "What Can We Do Within the School Community to Raise Student Achievement?"
• Ronald Ferguson, Harvard University
• David Shaffer, Business Council of New York State
• Johanna Duncan-Poitier, New York State Education Department
• Manuel Rivera, Deputy Secretary for Education
• Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers

Lunch Speaker

• Pedro Noguera, New York University: "Placing Equity at the Center of School Reform"

Program Sessions

• Effective Early Childhood Education
• Equity and Equality-Education Finance
• Looking To the Future: Preparing Our Teacher and Leadership Corps
• Raising Achievement for English Language Learners
• Teacher Quality, Recruitment and Retention
• The Union's Role
• Career and Technical Education
• The Role of Remediation In Closing the Achievement Gap
• Public School Facilities: Providing Environments That Sustain Learning
• Parent and Family Engagement - Why It Matters and How to Encourage More of It
  

Plenary Session

• James Crawford, president, Institute for Language and Education Policy. "No Child Left Behind: A Diminished Vision of Civil Rights"

Scenes from the Symposium

• Photos: Friday sessions

 

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Saturday, October 27

Plenary Session

• Richard Rothstein, research associate, Economic Policy Institute and professor. Teachers College, Columbia University. "Understanding What Schools Can and Cannot Do"

Panel Discussion

• "Making a Better Connection Between the School and Community: The community's role in raising achievement"
• Norm Fruchter, director, Community Involvement Program, Annenberg Institute for School Reform
• Karen Scharff, executive director, Citizen Action
• Debbie Benson, acting executive director, NYS Children and Family Services
• Gene Rodriguez, Capital District Worker Center
• Maria DeWald, president of the state Congress of Parents and Teachers
• Rev. Dr. Edward B. Smart, pastor of Israel A.M.E. Church, Albany

Open Forum

• Convention Wrap-Up with NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi

Scenes from the Symposium

• Photos: Saturday sessions