Encouraging choice in the meantime

While waiting to hear how our own Tennessee Legislature will vote on our current education choices in Tennessee I'm preparing to be in Memphis next week to host a panel on homeschooling for the US Department of Education's Innovations in Education Summit.

May 15: (Thursday)Memphis: US DOE Regional Summit on Innovations in Education featuring a panel discussion with TnHomeEd Founder Kay Brooks, author of "So-Why Do You Homeschool?" and Nashville area homeschooler Mimi Davis and Betty Schmidt mother of a special needs child.

The U.S. Department of Education's Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the Office of Innovation and Improvement will conduct regional summits to highlight educational innovations. The summits will showcase educational options at the local level and seek to empower community leaders and parents with information, ideas, and successful models that can be replicated elsewhere.

Registration is free and includes lunch.

• 9:00: Welcome & the National School Choice Environment
• 9:30: Expanding Parental Options to choose Private Schools--Choice Programs in the States (to include panelist Eric K. Hilgendorf, Director of Charter Schools & Choice, TN Department Of Education)
  
• 10:45 Charter Schools in Action
• 12:00 luncheon with keynote speaker Mary McDonald, Super. of Schools, Diocese of Memphis
• 1:15 Expanding Parental Options to Choose Private Schools, moderated by Karla Dial, Managing Editor of School Reform News.
  
• 2:15 Private School Choice in Action, moderated by Drew Johnson, President of the TN Center for Policy Research
  
• 3:30: Choice in Action - Homeschooling, moderated by Kay Brooks, Founder, TnHomeEd.com
  

Thursday, May 15, 2008
9:00am - 5:00pm (Registration begins at 8:30am)

Hilton Memphis Hotel
939 Ridge Lake Boulevard
Memphis, TN 38120
(901) 684-6664

Agenda
Registration Form

If you can attend, make sure you come up and introduce yourself. Our panel begins at 3:30 p.m.