PRE-CONFERENCE PROGRAMS

Tuesday, October 26

Grantmakers seeking significant and sustainable ways to improve education recognize that they can achieve greater impact by coordinating and collaborating with other funders. We invite you to deepen your own networking and learning by joining us on Tuesday for an in-depth exploration of the key funding areas that are the focus of GFE’s funder networks. Our gathering begins with an address by Molly Munger, co-founder and director of Advancement Project, an "action tank" for civil rights and social justice. Immediately following Munger’s presentation, each of the three funder networks sponsors its own program related to education policy efforts in its focus area. Related sessions and site visits throughout the conference will build on the perspectives shared at these kick-off convenings.

Network Convenings

Beginning at 2:00 PM

Building Public Will and Influencing Policy to Strengthen and Sustain Out-of-School Opportunities for Children and Youth

Even as out-of-school time (OST) programs are hard hit by state and local budget crises, funders need to be forward thinking about building long-term support for OST, particularly since public debates about education reform have not fully explored the potential of expanded learning opportunities to drive the successful learning, engagement and social development of young people. How can the OST field increase public support, build key alliances and influence policy to better position itself for the future? Why is this an important issue for grantmakers, and what roles could and should they play? Join the OST funder network as we explore current federal and state level OST policy issues, surface a diverse range of perspectives, and share successful advocacy and public-will building grantmaking strategies.

Organizing and ESEA Reauthorization: Youth and Parent Engagement Strategies

One lasting lesson of No Child Left Behind is that federal education policy has profound effects on neighborhoods, districts and states. With ESEA reauthorization underway, it is especially critical to remember that—unlike policymakers, teachers unions and other stakeholders—parents and youth, especially those from low-income communities, are typically left out of critical policy debates. But grantmakers can play a critical role in ensuring these key constituencies are heard. Join the Working Group on Education Organizing as we frame and focus the strategies and methodologies that grantmakers can use to elevate these voices to achieve successful policy reform at the local, state and national levels.

The Fierce Urgency of Policy Reform

The contending forces of ESEA reauthorization, midterm elections and the continued recession make 2010 an exceptionally dynamic year for education policy reform, underscoring the need for funders to be both responsive and proactive in their engagement with policy, from the local to the national level. Join the Education Policy Working Group for a policy-focused dialogue that examines how education grantmakers have framed, focused and achieved policy reform in their communities, states and nationally, and how to develop public policy grantmaking strategies.

 

Town Hall

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Students of Color in Search of a Future: Wanting to Learn, Hoping to Succeed

Anchor your conference experience in a real school, with real students, learning from those who know firsthand just how critical disparities in educational equity and excellence are. Join us for a town hall at Warren Easton, the oldest public school in New Orleans, with a long history of serving working-class students and English Language Learners, which was rebuilt after the levee breaks as Warren Easton Senior High Charter School. Our gathering will begin with a screening of Beyond the Bricks, a documentary that examines one of the most troubling and persistent problems in American education: the consistently low outcomes for black males. After the film, a panel of local families will share their experiences in New Orleans public schools, providing insights to amplify our collective commitment to transforming American education.