ANNOUNCEMENT: Leading the Nation: A Texas Retrospective on Educational Reform, February 9, 2011, Austin Hilton Downtown

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Happy New Year! I invite you to attend a Wednesday, February 9, 2011 statewide educational conference and legislative awards ceremony. The conference is titled, “Leading the Nation: A Texas Retrospective on Education Reform.” It takes place from 9 AM to 4:00 PM at the Austin Hilton Downtown in Austin, Texas, including a networking hour from 3-4:00PM.

Confirmed speakers in a morning panel titled, "Reflections on Ten Years of 'Texas-style' Accountability, including myself, are as follows:

Albert Kauffman, Associate Professor of Law, St. Mary’s School of Law, San Antonio, Texas
Linda McNeil, Professor, Department of Education, Rice University, Houston, Texas
Richard Valencia, Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin
Angela Valenzuela, Director, Texas Center for Education Policy

Our confirmed luncheon keynote will be delivered by:

The Honorable Paul Sadler, Former Chair, Committee on Public Education, Texas House of Representatives

Confirmed speakers in an afternoon panel titled "Contemporary Issues in Education Reform in Texas" are as follows:

The Honorable Senator Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Education Committee, Texas Senate
The Honorable Representative Rob Eissler, Chair, Committee on Public Education, Texas House
The Honorable Representative Paul Sadler, Former Chair, Committee on Public Education, Texas House

Since its inception in 2005, the Texas Center for Education Policy at the University of Texas at Austin has been an active, authoritative voice in the Texas State Legislature. The Center utilizes research to advocate for high-quality education for all, in particular, historically disadvantaged students in Texas public schools. A significant achievement involves a revision to the Texas Education Code that removes high-stakes tests as the primary bases for decisions pertaining to grade promotion and retention, positively affecting over 300,000 third-grade children in Texas public schools this year. Such decisions will now be based on such factors as grades, attendance, classroom performance, teacher assessment, parent input, and test performance.

Continuing efforts include convening groups for the discussion of policy, writing policy and research briefs, conducting original research, providing recommendations and advising on proposed education legislation and policy at local, state, national, and international levels.

TCEP also plays a major leadership role nationally as the national home for the National Latin@ Education Research and Policy Project (NLERAP), a community-based, university-connected, grow-your-own, teacher preparation education pipeline project for high school youth in the following six states: Texas, Arizona, California, Wisconsin, Illinois, and New York. NLERAP promotes parental and community participation in school governance, develops leadership and political awareness among youth, promotes systemic change, and improves academic achievement.

We will charge a nominal $30.00 conference fee and a light breakfast and plated lunch will be provided. Seating is limited so call or e-mail now to reserve one. My assistant, Teresa Espino "Texas Center for Education Policy (TCEP)" , will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Our telephone number is (512) 471-7055. Thank you for your consideration and see you soon!

Angela
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Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for School Partnerships
Division of Diversity and Community Engagement
Director of the Texas Center for Education Policy
SZB 528L 1 University Station, D8000
Austin, Texas 78712-0379