Education Leadership Summit: Leave No Child Behind

Program Description

Summit Topics Include:

• Accountability
  How do we hold students, teachers and schools academically accountable? Take a closer look at the new legal requirements for student testing and school accountability standards for the results of these tests. Do varied state methods for achieving these similar ends, failing schools being subject to sanctions and closures and debates about the emphasis on testing, undermine the new legislation?

• Character Education
  Recent world events have made clear the importance of reexamining our societal values and promoting high moral character. What is the best way to provide these values to students? Are character education classes the key or should these values be taught by the models that teachers provide?

• The Teacher Shortage
  One-third of teachers will leave the profession within five years, and the shortage will grow worse as the cry for smaller classes grows louder. Can improvements in the quality of teaching and the quantity of teachers be achieved by not only raising the standards, but the rewards, of the profession?

• Minority Achievement Gap
  The majority of African American fourth graders cannot read at grade level, revealing sizable failures in public education. Will more government accountability or increasing the numbers of minority teachers help to narrow the minority achievement gap and prevent its devastating effects on the nation’s future?

• Global Education
  With the tragedy of September 11 in mind, the Summit addresses and debates global issues in education, including teaching about Islamic faith and culture, and establishing a renewed emphasis on the subjects like geography.