Thursday,

November 3, 2005

8:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Community Advocates Meeting: Don’t Turn Back the Clock!

The No Child Left Behind Act has proved to be a powerful tool in the hands of parents and community activists working to close achievement gaps. With Congress scheduled to update the law in about two years, it’s critical that the voices of stakeholders are heard in the debate. Come and learn about NCLB-related policy changes from experts in Washington.  Share your data and experiences on the law’s effect on teaching and learning. Learn how other community groups are using the law to leverage change in their schools, districts, and states. This session is designed to reinforce the need to hold fast and stay the course on gap-closing efforts and to help elevate the concerns of the grassroots advocates across the country who care deeply about improving educational opportunities for children of color and young people from low-income families. You will leave the session energized for the work ahead and armed with tools to help you transform your schools and inform the debate surrounding education policy.

Presenters:

Zattura Sims-El, Community Liaison, Education Trust, Washington, DC

Ross Wiener, Policy Director, Education Trust, Washington, DC

Thursday,

November 3 2005

8:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Latino Achievement: The Promise of NCLB

The rapid growth of the Latino population in districts large and small, urban and rural, requires that educators be prepared to take steps to close the gaps in achievement between Latino students and their peers. This session provides the latest national demographic and achievement data for Latino students and then turns to experts for advice on how to reverse stagnant achievement trends. Our experts represent the broad community engaged in improving education for Latino students. You will hear from: a community organizer who has used No Child Left Behind to rally parents to push for improvements in schooling; a principal of a rural Latino school who will discuss how he has used accountability to turn his school from one of the worst in the state to one focused on achievement for every child; and a school district official who has helped a Latino school district become one of the top ranked districts in the state.

Presenters:

Linda Rodriguez, Area Superintendent, Aldine Independent School District, Houston, TX

Eduardo Angulo, Chairman, The Salem-Keizer Coalition, Salem, OR

Richard Esparza, Principal, Granger High School, Granger, WA

Raul Gonzalez, Legislative Director, National Council of La Raza, Washington, DC

Delia Pompa, Vice President for Education Programs, National Council of La Raza, Washington, DC;

Hector Sanchez, Policy and Community Liaison, Education Trust, Washington, DC

Thursday,

November 4, 2005

8:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Download PowerPoint Presentation

Developing a Literacy Curriculum for ALL Students

The Education Trust recognizes that one of the most difficult challenges to academic success for all is the adolescent student who is behind, lacking the skills and knowledge to perform in a secondary curriculum. Over the last four years, the Education Trust staff, with assistance from teachers around the country, has developed a framework called Express for addressing the literacy needs of low performing students while also delivering a grade-appropriate curriculum for all students. What is Express? It is a set of guiding “keys” or principles that are integrated into the core subject areas to provide the intellectual and instructional environments for improving literacy competence. Express pays specific attention to the needs of the off-standard students, ensuring that they participate in grade-level content while repairing their skills. This session will present and explain the components of the framework and provide guidance on how to put the framework into practice.

Presenter:

Eleanor Dougherty, Senior Associate, Education Trust, Washington, DC

Thursday,

November 4, 2005

8:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Voices from the Field: School Counselors Working to Close the Gap

Thursday,

November 4, 2005

9:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Download PowerPoint Presentation

Talking About Gaps, Creating Change

This interactive workshop will focus on how school leaders, community groups, and other key players in the education community can communicate effectively about achievement gaps and work to close them. It also will delve into how to share your school’s story with the media. We will explore strategies and tools to help schools and districts talk clearly about achievement and gap-closing efforts with both internal and external audiences and examine the most compelling ways to present data. In addition, Education Trust staff will provide advice on getting your message to a larger audience.  For this hands-on session, participants will be asked to share news releases, newsletters and other ways they communicate with the public, along with media coverage of their schools’ achievement results.

Presenters:

Fredreka Schouten, Director of Public Outreach, Education Trust, Washington, DC

Nicolle Grayson, Communications Coordinator, Education Trust, Washington, DC

Daria Hall, Senior Policy Analyst, Education Trust, Washington, DC