Is the Fourth Estate influencing the debate over teacher evaluations? Should media publish data, by name, on the estimated value that teachers add to student test scores? What questions should reporters ask about value-added measures and other issues in reforming teacher evaluation?

Moderator: Emily Richmond, public editor, Education Writers Association

Panelists:                                                       

• Diana Epstein, senior education policy analyst, Center for American Progress
• Jaime Sarrio, education reporter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• Doug Smith, database editor, Los Angeles Times

What are the thorniest issues states are facing in developing and putting in place new approaches? How are they striking the balance between state leadership and local flexibility? How much are state policies being influenced by federal carrots and sticks?

Moderator: John Luczak, the Joyce Foundation

Panelists:

• Emily Barton, acting director of educator evaluation, Tennessee Department of Education
• Lisa Foehr, director of educator quality and certification, Rhode Island Department of Education 
• Rayne Martin, director, Office of Innovation, Louisiana Department of Education
• Audrey Soglin, executive director, Illinois Education Association

What is the evaluation process typically like for a classroom teacher? How do teachers think the process could best be changed so that the results would actually help them improve? Do teachers think emerging approaches to evaluation are useful and fair?

Moderator: Sara Stoelinga, senior director, Urban Education Institute, University of Chicago

Panelists:

• Stephanie Black, former classroom teacher in Washington, D.C.
• Alice Johnson Cain, national policy director, Teach Plus
• Jean Clements, president, Hillsborough (Fla.) Classroom Teachers Association
• Jeanette Marrone, charter school teacher with Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, Los Angeles
• Sydney Morris, co-founder, Educators 4 Excellence

What lessons can be learned from initiatives around the country to revamp the way teacher performance is assessed? What role is federal policy playing in driving change? How are partnerships among districts, unions, and reformers playing out?

Moderator: Stephanie Banchero, National Education Reporter, Wall Street Journal

Panelists:

• Peter Cunningham, assistant secretary for communications and outreach, U.S. Department of Education
• Tim Daly, president, New Teacher Project
• Sandi Jacobs, vice president, National Council on Teacher Quality 
• Scott Thompson, director of teacher effectiveness strategy, District of Columbia Public Schools
• Rob Weil, director of field programs, American Federation of Teachers

From EWA's Nov. 4-5, 2011 conference for higher education reporters.

From EWA's Nov. 4-5 Higher Education Conference at UCLA.

Heather Vogell on the AJC Cheating Investigation

06/21/11

Presiding: Richard Colvin, Education Sector

It’s hard enough to get high school dropouts to return to school. But how do you get them into college? And even more important, get them to complete college? The American Council on Education’s Nicole Chestang discusses a major overhaul of the General Educational Development program run by the GED Testing Service. Laurel Dukehart, president of the Gateway to College National Network, describes her organization’s work to get dropouts successfully through college. And Diego James Navarro explains how his Academy for College Excellence is getting underprepared students in and out of college.

Evaluating a College Education: What Are Students Learning? – Pontalba Room

Presiding: Kevin Corcoran, Lumina Foundation for Education

The new book Academically Adrift contends that college students aren’t learning much, at least in their first two years. One of the authors, Richard Arum, describes his conclusions and makes recommendations on how to solve the problem. Charles Blaich of the Center for Inquiry at Wabash College discusses his research on how to tell what students are learning. Joe May, president of the Louisiana Technical and Community College System and a member of the National Accountability Committee for Community Colleges, will explain efforts by his college and others to provide students and parents with data on how much students learn.