Seminar on Reforming American High Schools
October 17-19, 2008
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Downtown St Louis
Application Deadline: Ended
This Seminar will provide an overview of the status and impact of the movement to reform American high schools. The Institute will recruit leading thinkers, evaluators, policy-makers and educators to provide journalists with a detailed report on how many high schools have been created, where they are, the form they take, the impact they've had on dropouts, changes in instruction and effects on instruction.
The Seminar also will examine the status of the efforts to revamp comprehensive high schools through such models as First Things First and Talent Development Model High Schools.
This will not be a "report card" on high school reform. Rather, it will be an attempt to engage leading journalists in a discussion of the progress that's been made and the work yet to be done.
High School Reform Seminar Binder
DRAFT AGENDA
Friday, October 17
| 12:30 pm |
Optional High School visit |
| 3:30 |
Coffee and Welcome |
| 4:00 |
Judging High U.S. High Schools: Critical Questions Journalist Must Ask
Judy Codding, America's Choice
|
| 4:30 |
Dropout Factories and Dismal Graduation Rates: Seeking Truth from Data
Robert Balfanz, John Hopkins University |
| 5:00 |
Making Sense of Graduation Statistics: Tips and Tools
Chris Swanson, EPE Research Center
|
| 5:30 |
Cocktails and Conversation |
| 5:15 |
Dinnerand Film Clips |
| 6:30 |
The Failed Promise of Reform: What Went Wrong?
Jeff Mirel, University of Michigan |
| 7:30 |
Panel Discussion: What will it take to fix high schools? |
| 8:30 |
Adjourn for the Evening |
|
|
Saturday, October 18
| 8:30 am |
Continental Breakfast |
| 9:00 |
Breaking Up: Lessons from the Small School Movement
John Q. Easton, Consortium on Chicago School Research
Douglas Ready, Teachers College
|
| 10:15 |
What's Next for Small High Schools: Reclaiming the Mission
Ronald Newwell, Gates-EdVision Project
Douglas Wood, National Academy for Excellent Teaching, Teachers College
|
| 11:15 |
Break |
| 11:30 |
Recognizing and Writing about Academic Rigor: Why it Matters
Camille Farrington, Consortium on Chicago School Research
Carol Jago, Santa Monica High School
Terese Rainwater, WICHE
|
| 12:45 |
Lunch:The Next Agenda for Fixing High Schools
Vicki Phillips, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
|
| 1:45 |
High School Confidential:
Great Stories and Ideas for Covering High Schools
Larry Abramson, National Public Radio
Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian
Tracy Jan, The Boston Globe |
| 2:45 |
Reporter Roundtables: Group Mentoring/Discussions |
| 4:30 |
Adjourn-Dinner and evening on your own |
Sunday, October 19
| 8:30 am |
BuffetBreakfast |
| 9:00 |
The Changing Face of Career and Technical Education
Gene Bottoms, Southern Regional Education Board
Arlene LaPlante, ConnectED
|
| 10:15 |
High School Science: Is the U.S. Left Behind?
Stephen Pruitt, Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Roth, LessonLab Research Institute |
| 11:30 |
Break |
| 11:45 |
Hope For High Schools
APanel of Principals Discuss Challenges of Reform and Change:
How is Success Measured?
Deirdre DeAngelis, New Dorp High
Elizabeth Colli, University High School
ElizabethKirby, Kenwood Academy
Michael Piscal ICEF Public Schools
Jeffrey Robinson, Baltimore Talent Development
Kacy Seals, Big Picture High School at Kottmeyer
|
| 12:45 |
Lunch and Discussion |
| 1:30 |
Evaluation |
| 1:45 |
Seminar Concludes |
|
|
October 2008 Seminar Agenda [pdf]
|
SEMINAR EXPERTS
Robert Balfanz
Associate Research Scientist, Johns Hopkins University, Center for Social Organization of Schools
Carol Jago
Author, "Come to Class: Lessons for High School Writers"
Jeffrey Mirel
David L. Angus Chair in Education, University of Michigan School of Education
Vicki Phillips
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Douglas David Ready
Teachers College, Columbia University
Douglas Wood
National Academy for Excellent Teaching
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