NewSchools Summit 2010 Session Overview and Video: Closing Achievement Gaps: The Civil Rights Issue of the Next Decade

July 30, 2010

Session Description:

This intergenerational conversation highlighted connections and differences between the civil rights and education reform movements, and explored insights that the civil rights movement provides for tackling what many consider today’s most important social justice issue: closing the achievement gaps that persist in public education. Entrepreneurs were inspired to redouble their actions in addressing the inequities in education that remain unresolved and to take aggressive action to push the movement toward accomplishing even more ambitious goals.

Speakers:

  • Byron Auguste, Worldwide Managing Partner, Social Sector, McKinsey & Company (moderator) 
  • Mike Feinberg, Co-Founder, KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Foundation and Superintendent, KIPP Houston
  • Howard Fuller, Founder and Director, Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University
  • Kati Haycock, President, The Education Trust
  • Rebeca Nieves Huffman, Vice President, The Fund for Authorizing Excellence, National Association of Charter School Authorizers
  • Remington Wiley, Student, Spelman College and Corps Member, Teach For America (Class of 2010)

Part 1: In this video, NewSchools Partner Deborah McGriff introduces the topic and speakers for Summit 2010’s final session. Moderator Byron Auguste asks panelists to describe the goals of the education reform movement and to articulate exactly what success would look like.

Part 2: In this video, moderator Byron Auguste asks panelists whether education reformers should focus on doing the work on the ground to close the achievement gap or be working harder to change attitudes and help explain the problems children from low-income communities face today. Next, Howard Fuller, Rebeca Nieves Huffman, and Kati Haycock weigh in on the one legislative change they’d like to see happen to move their work forward.

Part 3: In this video, moderator Byron Auguste asks panelists to discuss the creativity and scope of the education reform movement’s strategies and to highlight what’s missing. Fuller tells the audience “[movements] survive on passion.” Huffman and Feinberg discuss opposition to education reform.

Part 4: In this video, Wiley talks about the role young Americans should play in the fight for education equality. Haycock discusses what’s being done at the local level. Fuller tells the audience: “We’ve got to confront people who are standing in the way of saving our children.”

Part 5: In this video, moderator Byron Auguste asks panelists to discuss issues of diversity in the education reform movement. Next, panelists offer suggestions for actions to bring about an end to the achievement gap. McGriff concludes the session by asking audience members to stand up if they’re ready to end education inequality.

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