Sunday,

February 24, 2008

6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

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Ralph Bunche Elementary

Stagg Street Elementary

Hill Middle School

KIPP San Francisco Bay Academy

Abraham Lincoln High School

Dispelling the Myth Awards Ceremony and Dinner

This year, our conference begins with the celebratory Dispelling the Myth Awards Dinner. Award winners include a renowned policymaker in Sacramento and five exceptional high-performing schools from throughout California serving mostly students of color and low-income youth. We want to shine a bright spotlight on the hard work being done in our schools, districts and statehouse, and learn from the experiences and strategies which these dedicated leaders bring to their work everyday.

Winners: Ralph Bunche Elementary; Stagg Street Elementary; Hill Middle School; KIPP SF Bay Academy; Abraham Lincoln High School

Monday,

February 25, 2008

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

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Part I
Part II
Part III

Closing California’s Achievement and Opportunity Gaps: Our Mission is Possible. The Time is Now.

From the statehouse to the schoolhouse, California is confronting the achievement and opportunity gaps hobbling our Latino, African-American and low-income students. And State policymakers are beginning to make some courageous policy choices that will help improve schools. That’s great news. But we’ve got a long way to go to make sure the rhetoric becomes a reality, and to build the civic and political will to do what it really takes, especially in these tough budget times. In her opening address, Education Trust—West Executive Director Russlynn Ali will review the latest data about student achievement in California, pre-kindergarten through college and beyond. She’ll discuss the challenges ahead—and most importantly, ways to overcome them. She’ll lay a roadmap for sustainable change by digging deep and unpacking the strategies that yield results for students. And she’ll share stories from around the state to help attendees think through the range of important roles they can play in accelerating the pace of change efforts.

Presenter:

Russlynn Ali, Executive Director, The Education Trust—West          

Monday,

February 25, 2008 

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

College and Work Ready for all our Students: A

Conversation with California Superintendents

Closing Opportunity Gaps

There is a crisis in California high schools. Too few of our students are graduating from high school ready for college or meaningful careers. High school graduation and college-going rates are scandalously low. This coupled with the reality that the knowledge and skills needed for the 21st century economy require that we teach all students to higher levels, leads to a sense of urgency to reform our high schools. We have gathered five California superintendents who made high school reform center stage in their district’s strategic plans. These district leaders and their deputies will discuss the rationale, goals and challenges of their reform efforts. The superintendents will respond to guiding questions, to each other and to the audience in a forum that would provide all participants with access into the tools, structures and practices of successful district design and implementation of an “A - G” college ready experience for all of their high school students.

Facilitator: Linda Murray, Superintendent-in-Residence, The Education Trust—West

Panelists: Don Iglesias, Superintendent, San Jose Unified School District; John Glaser, Superintendent, Napa Valley Unified School District; Elena Toscano, Deputy Superintendent, Napa Valley Unified School District; Vincent Matthews, State Administrator/Trustee, Oakland Unified School District; Brad Stam, Chief Academic Office, Oakland Unified, School District;

Jeff Chancer, Deputy Superintendent, Ventura Unified School District; Edward Velasquez, Superintendent, Montebello Unified School District; Janet Torncello, Deputy Superintendent, Montebello Unified School District

Monday,    

February 25,2008

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

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Speaking for Ourselves:

One Community’s Fight for Educational Equity

The message is clear: To meet the challenges of the 21st Century economy, all students must graduate our schools ready for college, career and civic participation. Unfortunately, still too many high schools don’t offer students the basic building blocks they need: a challenging, college-preparatory curriculum in high school. This problem has been particularly acute in the nation’s second-largest school district, Los Angeles Unified, where only 15 percent of Latino and 20 percent of African-American ninth graders graduated from high school having mastered the state’s college-prep curriculum. But now, thanks to relentless and pioneering work by parents, community advocates and students, the A-G college-prep curriculum will be a graduation requirement for all students in the Los Angeles school system by 2016. Our speakers—the activists and students themselves—who were deeply involved in the effort to transform the Los Angeles policy, will share lessons on creating a climate for change. They will tell you about their continuing work to organize and engage students and parents, discuss what students are feeling on the ground about school reform, and demonstrate the role neighborhood communities have in organizing for a quality education.

Presenters: Alberto Retana, Director of Organizing; And the Students Involved in the Movement, The Community Coalition

Monday,   

February 26,2008

9:15 AM – 10:00 AM

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Making Courageous Choices in Tough Times

Education Trust President Kati Haycock will set the stage for your work back home. She will share the latest data on progress from states across the nation and highlight strategies that are working elsewhere. She’ll also talk about what is getting in the way of serious action to confront—and eliminate—the opportunity gaps that continue to limit the futures of so many children in California, and summon us to action on those issues.

Presenter: Kati Haycock, President, The Education Trust