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Education Task Force: Public Forums

The Renewing Our Schools, Securing Our Future Task Force held a series of public forums in six cities throughout the United States to examine successful strategies, initiatives and approaches to addressing inequities and ensuring that our public education system responds to the demands of the new century.

Community Schools: Working Together to Address the Needs of All Children
Portland, Oregon - August 27, 2004: This forum focused on community schools and highlighted Oregon’s Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) Initiative.

Early Childhood Education: An Investment in Our Future
Columbus, Ohio - September 9, 2004: Discussion at the second forum surrounded the importance of early childhood education programs and introduced several of Ohio’s initiatives that focus on young children.

Workforce Development: Ensuring Students Have the Tools to Succeed
Albuquerque, New Mexico - September 28, 2004: This forum addressed the importance of post-secondary education and training in the development of a prepared workforce.

Postsecondary Education: Ensuring Access for All
St. Louis, Missouri - October 20, 2004: This panel highlighted the challenges of making post-secondary education more accessible at a time when earning a college diploma or post-secondary vocational credential is increasingly important.

A High-Quality Teacher for Every Classroom: Hiring, Supporting, Retaining and Assigning Them Equitably
Phoenix, Arizona - November 19, 2004: This forum tackled the challenge of training, recruiting, supporting and retaining teachers to ensure that every classroom is led by a high-quality instructor.

Redesigning Schools for the 21st Century: Promising Innovations
New York, New York - December 10, 2004: The last forum centered on innovative efforts to redesign middle schools and high schools so that students and highlighted emerging models, such as middle colleges, small high schools, and charter schools.