Family members, Cheryl Brown and Silvia Mendez of both landmark lawsuits were among the panelists on day 1 to discuss equity in education. Others on the panel included Civil Rights Lawyer, Eva Patterson, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) President and General Counsel, Tom Saenz, President Elect of CAAASA, Dr. Judy White, Executive Director of California Association of Latino Superintendents & Administrators (CALSA) Dr. David Gomez, and retired Judge Gary E. Ransom. The moderator for this panel session was General Counsel, Deputy Chief of Staff for Speaker John Perez, Fredericka McGee, and the keynote speaker was President and CEO of The California Endowment, Dr. Robert K. Ross, M.D.
The day also included workshops and discussions regarding Common Core and Local Control Funding Formula/Local Control Accountability Plan (LCFF/LCAP), and keynote speakers were CA. State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, President CA. State Board of Ed., Dr. Michael Kirst, Superintendent, Santa Cruz Office of Education, Michael Watkins, and Director of Association of CA. School Administrators (ACSA), Wes Smith. This session was moderated by President of CAAASA, Dr. Pamela Short-Powell. This was followed by a Special Legislative Town Hall Hearing at the State Capital conducted by Assembly member Dr. Shirley Weber.
Day 2 included a youth summit where conference attendees were entertained and highlighted why public education should ramp up its support for the arts in education. Keynote speakers for this day were Deborah Delisle, Asst. Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Ed. U.S. Dept. of Ed., and David Johns, Exec. Dir, White House Initiative on Ed. Excellence for African Americans. Workshops and panel sessions consumed the day - but the evening entertainment by musician Mighty Mo Rodgers; and DJ Shane, had conference attendees up on their feet enjoying a much deserved good time.
Closing Day 3 focused on the impact of Parental Engagement on Student Achievement. The keynote speaker was Otha Thornton, National PTA President. One panelist (Dr. George McKenna, former Superintendent) on the closing day said that equity sometimes is not the same as adequacy (sufficient) to help underserved youth. The day ended with the swearing in of CAAASA’s incoming President Dr. Judy White, and the keynote speaker was Jill Habig, Special Assistant Attorney General in the Executive Office of California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris.
Other workshops, seminars, panelist, and presenters for the conference included:
Legislative Seminar:
· Senator Holly Mitchell, Chair, CA. Legislative Black Caucus
· Senator Richard Lara, Chair, CA. Legislative Latino Caucus
· Assemblymember Reginald Jones-Sawyer
· Assemblymember Cheryl Brown
· Dr. Arturo Delgado, Superintendent, L.A. County Office of Education
Dr. Eric Andrew, Superintendent, Campbell Union School District
Pamela E. Gibbs, J.D., Dir. Governmental Relations, L.A. County Office of Education (Moderator)
Workshops:
· Chronic Absenteeism – David Kopperud, CDE Consultant
· Technology and Common Core – Dr. Gilberto Conchas, Professor UC Irvine
· STEM and Common Core – Dr. Kenneth Wesson, Neuroscience Researcher
· Youth Empowerment – Youth discuss what supports or undermines resiliency
· Cultural Competency – Dr. Noma LeMoine, CEO Ed. Consulting Consortium
· Exploring Unconscious Bias-Reena Doyle and Gail Watts, Human Rights Consultants, CTA
Panels/Panelists:
· Bridging the Digital Divide – Assemblymember Steven Bradford
· Mary Stutts, Vice President of External Affairs, Comcast
· Asia Powell, Director of External Affairs, Verizon
· Sunne Wright-McPeak, Executive Dir. Calif. Emerging Technology Fund
· Dr. Daryl Adams, Superintendent, Coachella Valley Unified School District
· Improving graduation rates for boys and men of color:
· Ronald Walker, Coalition of Schools Educating boys of color
· Ruben Lizardo, Senior Director of BMOC and Workforce Initiative
· Joseph Bishop, Dir. of Policy, Nat’l Opportunity to Learn Campaign
· Larry John Irving, CEO, Brothers Empowered to Teach
· Will Ector, Superintendent, Berryessa Union School District
· Parent Engagement: Paul Richman, Executive Director, CA. State PTA
· Dr. Arun Ramanathan, Executive Director, Ed Trust-West
· Otha Thornton, National PTA President
· Rick Mockler, CA. Head Start
· Collen A.R. You, President, CA. State PTA
· Paul Gothold, Superintendent, Lynwood Unified School District
· Dr. Shirely Thornton, Trustee, Sausalido Marin City School Board
· Adonai Mack, Legislative Advocate, ACSA
· Jose Gonzalez, Superintendent, Planada School District
· Seth Bramble, Legislative Advocate, CTA
· Moderator, Darin Brawley, Superintendent, Compton Unified School District
Speakers:
· Robert K. Ross, M.D., President/CEO, The California Endowment*
· Tom Torlakson, CA. State Superintendent of Public Instruction*
· Dr. Michael Kirst, President California State Board of Education*
· Michael Watkins, Superintendent, Santa Cruz Office of Education*
· Wes Smith, Executive Director, ACSA*
· Deborah Delisle, Asst. Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Ed. U.S. Dept. of Ed.*
· David Johns, Exec. Dir, White House Initiative on Ed. Excellence for African Americans*
· Otha Thornton, National PTA President*
· Dr. Ramona Bishop, Superintendent, Vallejo City School District
· Dr. Donald Evans, Superintendent, Berkely Unified School District
· Dr. Adrien Palazuelos, Associate Superintendent, Natomas Unified School District
· Dr. Anthony Samad, Professor, East Los Angeles College
· Steven Bradford, CA. Assemblymember
· *Keynote Speakers
Special Thanks To:
· CA. Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA)
· CA. Department of Education (CDE)
· Association of CA. School Administrators (ACSA)
· CA. Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA)
· CA. State Parent Teacher Association (CAPTA)
· CA. Head Start Association (CHSA)
· CA. County Superintendents Educational Service Association (CCSESA)
· CA. School Board Association (CSBA)
· CA. Educational Technology Professionals Association (CETPA)
· Center for Leadership, Equity, and Research (CLEAR)
· CA. Teachers Association (CTA)
· Dr. Charlie Mae Knight, Ed. Pioneer, Founder of CAAASA and former Superintendent
· Kathy Hurley, Vice President, Education Alliance, Pearson Foundation ($100K Supporter)
· Michael Dennis, CAAASA Conference State Chair
· Dwight Bonds, Executive Director of CAAASA
· Andrea Bennett, Executive Director, CETPA
· Stan Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools
· Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Rudd, and Romo, Law Firm
· Fagen,Freeman, Fulfrost, Law Firm
· Gloria Allen, President, CA. Coalition of Black School Board Members
· Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt/CA-Go Math
· K12 Insight
· Comcast
· I Can Learn
· myOn
· ACT Aspire
· Generation Ready
· Advance Path
· California Consulting
· The Titan Group
· Legal Shield
· Revolution K12
· Let’s Go Learn
· Quackenworth
· School Tech Supply
· AXA Equitable
· Oakland Performing School of the Arts
· CA. School for the Blind Jazz Ensemble
· Sacramento Sheraton Grand Hotel
· Sacramento Convention Center
This list is not conclusive of all who provided support to (or attended) the CAAASA Statewide 2014 Professional Development Summit. If someone was omitted by error please contact [email protected]
The three day event was an awesome showing of education professionals and supporters from around the state and country. Our mission of course is to take the information learned and work together to create better educational opportunities for the youth throughout California.
Great job to the CAAASA Planning Committee and everyone who was involved in making this great event a success!