Thursday, December 1, 2005
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Plenary Session I: Four Years After No Child Left Behind ... Is the Law Helping or Hurting States' Efforts to Close the Achievement Gap?

A panel of leading education policy experts, legislators and state school chiefs will assess the status of the No Child Left Behind law four years after its passage. Panelists will look at NCLB's effect on public education and the law's unintended consequences for students and schools.

Presenters:

• Patty Sullivan, Director, Center on Education Policy
• Jack O'Connell, Superintendent, California Department of Education
• Dr. Stephen Paine, Superintendent, West Virginia Department of Education
• Senator Stephen Saland, New York State Senate (Moderator)

Plenary Session II: NCLB's Impact on States

NCLB's passage signaled dramatic changes in responsibility among federal, state and local governments. In this session, panelists will discuss the impact of this shift on states and school districts as they attempt to address the law's new costs and requirements, as well as its impact on existing state policies to raise student achievement.

Presenters:

• Dr. Gary Orfield, Director, Harvard Civil Rights Project
• Dr. Bob Palaich, Vice President, Augenblick, Palaich and Associates, Inc.
• Representative Margaret Dayton, Utah House of Representatives
• Senator John Vratil, Kansas State Senate (Moderator)

Plenary Session III: The Outlook for NCLB Congressional Reauthorization & Federal Education Policy

Next year Congress will begin preparing for reauthorization of one of the nation's most significant federal education laws. In this session, congressional staff and education advocates will provide an update on current steps in Congress to try to amend NCLB. Panelists will also brief participants on the outlook and timeline for congressional reauthorization.

Presenters:

• David Shreve, Senior Committee Director, National Conference of State Legislatures
• NCSL Task Force Members
• Scott Young, Senior Policy Advisor, CQE (Moderator)

NCLB Policy Workshops

Legislators will have an opportunity to participate in workshops designed to address key state NCLB challenges in more detail in a smaller and interactive group setting.

The breakout sessions will focus on NCLB and:

• Challenges Facing Urban & Rural Schools
  Facilitator: Dr. Stephen Paine, Superintendent, West Virginia Department of Education
• Implications for Students with Disabilities or Limited English Proficiency
• School Choice and Supplemental Services Provisions
  Facilitator: Charles Eubanks, Director of Special Projects, Pinellas County, Florida
• Rethinking Adequate Yearly Progress: Judging School Performance and Student Achievement
  Facilitator: Dr. Gary Orfield, Harvard Civil Rights Project

Friday, December 2, 2005
8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Plenary Session IV: Public Opinion on NCLB & Public Education

In the four years since NCLB's passage, public attitudes on education and NCLB have changed considerably. In this session, several of the nation's top public opinion pollsters on both sides of the political aisle will share the results of extensive public opinion research on these issues. Led by the pollsters for both President Bush and former presidential candidate John Kerry, the session is sure to add immeasurably to the discussion about the state of our nation's schools.

Presenters:

• Mark Mellman, President and CEO, The Mellman Group
• Dr. Jan van Lohuizen, President, Voter Consumer Research, Inc.
• John Hein, Executive Director, CQE (Moderator)

Plenary Session V: Fulfilling the Goals of NCLB: Creating a Quality Public Schools Agenda

In this session a panel of leading policy experts will discuss key school improvement elements that form the basis for quality public schools like teacher quality, early childhood education, safe and modern schools, parental involvement, and standards and accountability.

This discussion will help provide a starting point for a broader afternoon working session led by legislators which will explore state lawmakers' viewpoints on the appropriate role of the federal and state governments in ensuring quality public schools.

Presenters:

• Richard Rothstein, Sachs Lecturer, Columbia Teachers College/Economic Policy Institute
• Dr. John H. Jackson, Esq., Chief Policy Officer, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• Lillian Sparks, Esq., Executive Director, National Indian Education Association
• Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, New York State Assembly, and President, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (Moderator)

Legislator Workshop on Creating a Quality Public Schools Agenda

The previous discussion will provide a starting point for the legislator workshop which will explore state lawmakers' viewpoints on the respective roles of the federal and state governments in ensuring quality public schools. Facilitated by state legislators, the workshops will explore in more detail the key investments in students and public schools discussed earlier in the day.

Saturday, December 3, 2005
8:00 A.M. to 11:30 P.M.

Plenary Session VI: Leading the Nation in Building Quality Public Schools: States as Laboratories of Innovation

Few could dispute the notion that states have long been the leaders in education innovation and reform. Building on the discussions and proposals considered in the previous day's working groups, this session will bring together legislators and representatives of state policy think tanks and foundations to address successful state policies that are working to narrow the achievement gap and raise student achievement.

Presenters:

• Linda Darling Hammond, Professor of Education, Stanford University
• Kathy Christie, Vice President, Information Management and ECS Clearinghouse, Education Commission of the States
• Stella Edwards, Legislative Chair, Virginia Parent Teacher Association

Plenary Session VII: Legislators' Report on Building a Blueprint for Quality Public Schools

In keeping with the summit's emphasis on state leaders on the cutting edge of innovation and change, state legislators will report back to other participants on the results of the previous day's breakout sessions. The presentations will provide an opportunity for legislators to participate in a broader discussion and offer their insights and recommendations on the questions posed. The session will also help to identify common themes around which to build consensus.

Next Steps: Opportunities for Collaboration in 2006 Legislative Sessions & Beyond

The closing session will summarize the discussions of the last three days and highlight ways that Communities for Quality Education might continue to work hand-in-hand with state legislators to advance a quality public schools agenda.