Mayor's Office of Children and Youth

Nashville Education Summit

Leaders in education reform across the country came together in Nashville on Aug. 14, 2009 for a day-long discussion on how significant improvement is being made in some of the nation’s most challenging urban schools. Mayor Karl Dean hosted this unprecedented event on the campus of Vanderbilt University to engage the local community and set the stage for Nashville to become the next major city to embrace aggressive education reform. The Nashville Education Summit was attended by representatives from nonprofits, the faith-based community, parents, neighborhood leaders, business leaders and elected officials. U.S. Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education Jim Shelton, who serves under Secretary Arne Duncan, delivered the keynote address. Other speakers included Michelle Rhee, chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools, and Dennis Walcott, deputy mayor of New York City.

Part 1: Welcoming Remarks by former Sen. Bill Frist

Opening Remarks by Mayor Karl Dean: Current Status of Metro Nashville Public Schools

Part 2: Superintendents Discussion – Eliminating the Racial and Ethnic Achievement Gap in Public Education by Working to Create an Effective School for Every Child

Moderator:
Dan Katzir, Managing Director, The Broad Foundation

Panelists:

  • Paul Pastorek, State Superintendent of Education for the State of Louisiana
  • Michelle Rhee, Chancellor, District of Columbia Public Schools
  • Dennis Walcott, Deputy Mayor of Education, New York City

Part 3: Panel Discussion – Educational Options

Moderator:
Kevin Hall, CEO, Charter School Growth Fund

Panelists:

  • Richard Barth, CEO of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP)
  • Matt Chandler, CEO of New Schools for New Orleans
  • Elliot Washor, Co-founder of Big Picture Learning

Part 3: Panel Discussion – Human Capital

Moderator:
Frances McLaughlin, COO, Education Pioneers

Panelists:

  • Jon Schnur, CEO of New Leaders for New Schools
  • Victoria VanCleef, Vice President of The New Teacher Project
  • Elisa Villanuera Beard, COO of Teach for America

Part 4: The Opportunity: Jim Shelton, Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education

Introduction and brief remarks by Gov. Phil Bredesen
Q&A with audience afterward moderated by Sen. Frist

Part 5: Panel Discussion – Expanded Learning Time

Moderator:
Courtney Philips, Assistant Director of Policy, The Broad Foundation

Panelists:

  • Chris Gabrieli, Chairman, National Center on Time and Learning
  • Eric Schwarz, President and CEO, Citizen Schools
  • Tim Webb, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education

Part 6: Closing Remarks by Mayor Dean