City Education Policy Advisors to Meet in San Jose; Feb. 26-27 Meeting to Promote Mayoral Leadership in Education

2/26/2004

From: Mark Oullette, 202-626-3052, or John Pionke, 202-626-3051, both of the National League of Cities

News Advisory:

Mayoral education policy advisors from cities across the country will convene in San Jose on Feb. 26 and 27, as part of a dynamic effort to help mayors provide greater leadership and involvement in public education. The two-day conference of the Mayors' Education Policy Advisors Network (EPAN) is a collaboration between the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.

The advisors will meet to discuss a wide range of pressing policy issues in education with prominent experts, practitioners, and scholars. Some of the topics will include school governance, school finance, building community support for schools, alternative options for high schools, and improving education outcomes. Participants will also have a chance to share best practices in education from their cities and develop ideas about how mayors can become a greater force for educational improvement in urban America.

WHAT:

Meeting of mayoral education policy advisors, representing San Jose, San Francisco, Lansing, St. Petersburg, Kansas City, St. Louis, Louisville, Las Vegas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Portland, Cleveland, Charlotte, Seattle Columbus, Nashville, Providence, other cities.

WHERE:

The Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, 170 South Market Street

WHEN:

Thursday, Feb. 26 and Friday, Feb. 27

Speakers include: Michael W. Kirst, professor of Education, Stanford University; Kenneth Wong, professor of Public Policy and Education Vanderbilt University; and Jacob Adams, research associate professor, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle; Gregory Hodge, chief executive officer, California Tomorrow; and Kyle Miller, senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

PRESS BRIEFING: A press briefing with San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzalez and EPAN members will be held Friday, Feb. 27, 2004 at Downtown College Preparatory, 355 West San Fernando, San Jose, California 95110.

The conference is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Program support is provided by the Institute for Youth, Education, and Families at NLC.