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Educators Across the Nation to Convene in DC to Discuss Pressing Issues in Education: College Readiness and Completion, Cost of College and Financial Aid, Common Core Standards

Featured Speakers to Include: Michelle Rhee, D.C. Schools Chancellor; Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Nancy Zimpher, Chancellor of the State University of New York

10/19/2010

NEW YORK — Beginning Oct. 27, the College Board will host a three-day conference to discuss the most pressing education issues facing students, teachers and administrators today. Attended by educators from all over the country and at every level of the profession — including those from public and private secondary schools, colleges, universities and nonprofits — Forum 2010, which addresses Education Leadership, will be held at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

As the annual meeting of the College Board, the Forum has become known as a preeminent gathering that brings all education professionals together for an opportunity to engage in the vital conversations necessary to help improve the U.S. education system. With a focus on how education can, itself, promote transforming changes, Forum 2010 will emphasize ways in which strong leadership within education is affecting relevant policy, college readiness, advocacy, college admission and financial aid.

In addition to more than 110 sessions and workshops offering valuable professional development, internationally renowned speakers are scheduled to address attendees. Plenary speakers and special events include the following:

  • Nancy Zimpher, chancellor of the State University of New York, will address Forum 2010 attendees at the opening ceremony. Zimpher, who has led SUNY to national prestige in research and development investment, will present "Educational Leadership in Tough Economic Times." (Wednesday, Oct. 27, 4:45 —5:45 p.m.)
  • Led by independent policy analyst Sandy Baum, the Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid press conference will offer attendees the most recent data available in trends in college pricing and student aid. This highly anticipated briefing will also be offered via a live webcast, allowing those in attendance and those joining online to participate in a 20-minute Q&A session. (Thursday, Oct. 28, 10:30—11:30 a.m.)
  • Moderated by Meet the Press'sDavid Gregory, "Vision 2020: College Completion and the American Future" will convene scholars and policy experts for a panel that will address solutions to help transform American education — once first in the world, now ranked 12th among 36 developed nations. Featuring D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee; University of Maryland, Baltimore President Freeman Hrabowski; and College Board President Gaston Caperton. (Thursday, Oct. 28, 11:45 a.m.—1:15 p.m.)
  • The U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will address attendees. (Friday, Oct. 29, 7:45—8:15 a.m.)
  • Celebrate students and educators from the 2010 Inspiration Award-winning schools at the Inspiration Awards Luncheon. The awards recognize three exceptional high schools for helping underserved students achieve access to higher education. This year's winning schools are Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va.; Hogan Preparatory Academy in Kansas City, Mo.; and Medgar Evers College Preparatory School in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Friday, Oct. 29, 12:45—2:30 p.m.)

Additionally, sessions will examine relevant topics facing students and educators, including the following:

  • "Find the Funding: Expanding Rigor and College Readiness Through Powerful Funding Sources" (Wed., Oct. 27, 1:45—3 p.m.);
  • "Bridging the Divide: Opening Doors for Community College Students" (Wed., Oct. 27, 3:15—4:30 p.m.);
  • "Reaching the College Completion Goal: 55 Percent by 2025" (Wed., Oct. 27, 3:15—4:30 p.m.);
  • "Getting Financial Aid to Hard-to-Reach Populations" (Thurs., Oct. 28, 8:45—10 a.m.);
  • "Documenting Student Outcomes: A Model for Improvement and Accountability" (Thurs., Oct. 28, 10:15—11:30 a.m.);
  • "Digital Scholars: College Preparation for 21st-Century Learners" (Thurs., Oct. 28, 1:30—2:45 p.m.);
  • "Diagnosing College Readiness in High School" (Thurs., Oct. 28, 1:30—2:45 p.m.);
  • "Improving African American Achievement in Mathematics" (Thurs., Oct. 28, 3—4:15 p.m.);
  • "Mired in Mediocrity: Debunking Fallacies in Education" (Thurs., Oct. 28, 4:30—5:45 p.m.);
  • "New Levels of Selectivity in College Admission and the Challenges They Bring" (Thurs., Oct. 28, 4:30—5:45 p.m.);
  • "Federal Student Aid Reform: What Really Matters to Students and Parents?" (Fri., Oct. 29, 11:15 a.m.—12:30 p.m.);
  • "Charter Schools: Successes, Challenges and the Future" (Fri., Oct. 29, 11:15 a.m.—12:30 p.m.);
  • "Global Goals in Tight Times: A High-Quality Chinese Language Program on a Budget" (Fri., Oct. 29, 2:45 —4 p.m.); and
  • "Common Core State Standards and Assessments: A Progress Report" (Fri., Oct. 29, 2:45—4 p.m.).

Additionally, the College Board Middle States Regional Forum will be held at the same location Oct. 26—27, allowing educators from the mid-Atlantic region to convene immediately before the Forum. Attendees will hear from Rajiv Vinnakota, cofounder and managing director of the SEED Foundation, which is featured in the highly acclaimed film, Waiting for "Superman" and Deborah Jewell-Sherman, senior lecturer on education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. In-depth workshops and panel discussions will provide participants with information relevant to their areas of expertise and their region.

For information about registration and details about speakers and scheduled conference events, visit http://forum.collegeboard.org/. Those interested in the Middle States Regional Forum should visit http://www.host-collegeboard.com/09_regional_forum/ms/.

The College Board

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college readiness, college admission, guidance, assessment, financial aid and enrollment. Among its widely recognized programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), SpringBoard® and ACCUPLACER®. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities and concerns.

Contact

Jennifer Topiel, The College Board, 212-713-8052, communications@collegeboard.org