Feedback on the Forum in written evaluations was overwhelmingly positive. We asked the attendees:

"Help us report to our funders! What is the value to you in general of EdSource's Annual Forums on California Education Policy? How do you benefit from attending? Why are they important?"

Their responses are below.

 

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Best single opportunity to get briefed on school finance and state budget effects on schools, brings together diverse stakeholders to get non-partisan information from the most prestigious and informed education leaders in the state.

• A good variety of important topics from "experts" in the field.
• A lot of information, allowing us to continue advocating for our children. I take this back to my school, my community.
• A view of the movers and shakers of what might be in our future. Budget issues are always a good topic.
• Accurate information.
• All stakeholders need to have the information that EdSource provides. This is a great opportunity to get a wealth of information on one day by becoming more knowledgeable and to share that information with the members of our teaching association.
• Always good to hear about education issues from experts and people closely involved with education policy. It's good for a big group representing different facets to hear information about education.
• An important event to provide up-to-date information on policy issues in the state.
• As a parent who needs information that is reliable I value these local conferences. It enables me to report the information I learn back to the parents at my school.
• As one of the leaders of my organization, it is vital that I have accurate understanding of current issues and challenges. This forum is absolutely the best and most cost effective way for me to gain this understanding. EdSource is to be commended for their ongoing, outstanding work on these forums!
• Best single opportunity to get briefed on school finance and state budget effects on schools, brings together diverse stakeholders to get non-partisan information from the most prestigious and informed education leaders in the state.
• Bringing accurate and current information to the schools and parents.
• Brings focus to issues, messaging from credible resources that are normally distant.
• Clearer picture/facts on key issues, awareness and education, LWV-US is beginning a study of the role of the federal government in education - what I heard may contribute to that.
• Current information for schools.
• Developing mental model of how to communicate this information with district personnel, we need consistent common language to be strategic in gaining support.
• EdSource has provided information that gives us an idea of how the education system is doing and can improve. I benefit by receiving accurate data/information.
• EdSource is invaluable as an independent resource for clear, responsible presentation (written and verbal) of Education Policy. Thank you! And thank you, Trish, for your past and future efforts!
• EdSource's Forum was essential to my decision to step up from a narrow focus to a systemic perspective on how to improve California education.
• Enjoy learning from those involved in big picture policy issues. Very important for voters to be informed about education funding. Fourth district and California PTA gets great speakers for Sacramento Safari, etc. You should look at their list of past speakers for future forums.
• Essential for insights and updates.
• Excellent forum for bringing variety of education issues to forefront and providing means for people from different groups who are all concerned/involved in making changes to meet together to be challenged to help facilitate changes.
• Eye opening on new tech! Informative on Common Core.
• First time attending. Inspirational and rejuvenating after a very difficult year with 9 out of my 22 teachers getting RIFed.
• First time here, but will definitely come again.
• Gaining knowledge - networking, being current - learning about impact and implications.
• Getting perspective on major policy issues.
• Gives vision, relevance, and awareness of where "the future of education in California" is. It was awesome to personally hear from going! The intelligent, dedicated people that are leading the educational movement/progress.

EdSource is invaluable as an independent resource for clear, responsible presentation (written and verbal) of Education Policy. Thank you!

• Good to know issues.
• Good update on recent happenings.
• Good update on what is happening in education both in finance and administration.
• Good way to bring various players together. Important to get the budget details and CCS details out that are not easy for people outside of the agencies to access. But it affects superintendents, university administrators, etc. This is a way to get that information to all of them.
• Great place to convene great minds. Maybe more network/social time would be good. Great information, great people.
• Great presenters, informational, networking, opportunity to collaborate.
• Great source of information in concentrated form. Exposure to new ideas and/or programs.
• Great! Networking, super information, taking the educational pulse, informs program decision making.
• Help in my writing, help in my CSULB teaching and supervising (of student teachers), help in explaining to "the public" what works in education and doesn't.
• Helps me be a better spokesperson/advocate, material always presented in understandable format.
• Helps me continue to grow and educate community members and myself.
• Helps understand what our schools are facing - global perspective, budget numbers become realistic - I can explain and educate others.
• I always report back to my League of Women Voters - we're conducting a nationwide study on "The Federal Role in Education" - after this year of study, we'll adopt a LWV position so we can advocate. Your information is so valuable.
• I am very appreciative of their support to make this forum possible. The benefit of attending is to become more knowledgeable about issues impacting education since I am in educational publishing.
• I appreciate the intelligent conversation/research articles/vision EdSource provides year after year.
• I benefit by learning what changes may take place at the classroom level. I am interested in having Core State Standards and how it will change what I teach. I also want to know about testing and student accountability as well as teacher, school, etc. level.
• I benefit in learning state-of-the-state information, networking, strategies for change.
• I learned a lot about the common core standards and what the first stages of implementation will look like.
• I look forward to this forum and encourage others to attend because I learn so much. I can only attend when the forum is in southern California.
• I look forward to this forum every year. I believe this is the best overall information I receive all year. I attend many events and lobby regularly in Sacramento. I feel this forum and the documents EdSource produces gives me the "meat" I need to talk intelligently to legislators. I wish there were still two meetings a year. It's getting more difficult to attend every year with the costs of having to get to Northern California on off years.
• I take info back to local stakeholders - LWV, PTA, Chambers. This conference allows me to report the latest data, good networking, other interesting attendees.
• I take the information and share it with many parents. The clear explanations make it easier to get the important points across.
• I think EdSource serves as both a source for data but also for the new opportunities (as today's program showed).
• I think it's critical to get the big picture to combat our narrow focus.
• I think it's important for current players in the education scene to get together, have the same information, get information that's not too biased.
• I think the greatest value is the perspective. We receive information at the local level from our district and CTA. We get information from the media. It's good to have a source such as this to help sort through it all.

Broadens my own knowledge base, which I also share with our local legislative team. It’s important because knowledge is power and it helps us be better advocates for kids.

• I think this forum provides those involved in education an opportunity for dispersing information and connecting components of all areas of education. By receiving pertinent and current information, we're better able to inform and share what we've learned with others.
• I was a school board member for 31 years and a high school teacher for 21 years. Everything EdSource researches has applied to me in some way. Annual Forum always has outstanding experts and latest topics. I always purchase EdSource resource cards and many other publications.
• I would like to see California act, plan, explore data on website.
• Impressed by the diversity of topics and the wide range of audience members.
• Information on current happenings in education in California.
• Information regarding current topics.
• Interesting to hear Education issues. Presentations appear to be targeted for educators and not policy makers.
• It helps me keep well informed of the current policies and where we stand. I have been coming to these forums for years and always leave having a better understanding of educational issues.
• It is critically important that we understand how schools are funded. In my professional life, I am an immigration attorney and so I see every day how employers look for individuals with skill sets no matter where they are from.
• It provides informed common content for discussion. True networking with a broad base/diverse group of stakeholders.
• It was very helpful for me as both a teacher and as a board member of my local union. I feel it informed me on budget, current trends, and what role we must play to shape education in the state of California.
• It's a great idea to have this forum and I would like to keep attending.
• It's a great way to hear what's going on in the state. 1st and 3rd sessions were outstanding. The 2nd one seemed like a waste of time. It is aggravating to hear the Top Down approach to new standards. We should be focused on HOW to help kids and how to do it in this difficult budget situation.
• It's extremely valuable to discuss and learn about California public education with a variety of stakeholders.
• Keep up with budget changes and issues, ideas to keep thinking ahead.
• Keeping abreast of current issues in education.
• Keeping current on education issues, with the top leadership in the state providing the information, opportunities to dialogue with people from around California.
• Latest info out of CDE and SPI and the ability to ask them questions directly.
• Learn about cutting edge technologies and teaching strategies, get to hear top educators and budget officials first hand, network with others.
• Love to focus mainly on new innovations in teaching and learning.
• Loved budget overview and innovative techniques.
• Mid forum I was already tweeting my groups because the information was that fresh and informative. Don't know where we would go for this in-depth up to date facts specifically about
• More knowledgeable regarding issues facing California and the nation.
• My first forum, well run, good speakers, well worth it.
• Necessary to understand future impact in state of k-12 education. As school liaisons for USMC, we prepare our families and higher level commands of reason for declines in k-12, in hopes of providing realistic picture about what schools in California will be like for incoming families.
• No longer in PTA, but very active in LWV voter-service and education, I appreciate all the information received.
• Nonpartisan information.
• Only statewide conference on k-12 with range of salient topics.
• Outstanding program to bring multi-levels together towards the same goal.

Excellent forum for brining variety of education issues to the forefront and providing means for people from different groups who are all concerned/involved in making changes to meet together.

• Provides a common source of information from experts.
• Provides consolidated information on current affairs tailored to the audience, opportunity to learn about new models of education, what's on the horizon/in the pipeline/challenges.
• Provides excellent hard to find current information, good networking opportunity.
• Quick overview of critical urgent issues.
• Relevant topics, good resource people as presenters.
• Research-based information directly from key experts to inform our education policy work.
• Shape policy discussions, enhance presentations to community leaders, inform counsel that I offer to clients specifically when I help clients with media and internal communication issue I draw from EdSource facts to set context and provide national and state data/big picture, helps the firm define professional development for our clients.
• Sharing of ideas and spread them throughout all our organizations. Wonderful way to get a significant amount of information from the people who work it everyday.
• State of education in California, good slate of speakers.
• Take back ideas to community - hopefully foster forums and conversations for reform.
• Thank them for financial support to make forums possible. It was very informative as well as enlightening. Excellent forum.
• Thank you. The Forum helps me learn about the latest trends and developments in education. It is also a great opportunity to meet educators, administrators, and education organizers at the same time to initiate discussions and actions.
• The balanced approach presented by EdSource. Other organizations present very biased information - I rely on EdSource for a true picture without the rhetoric.
• The EdSource Forum brings together so many different people working to advocate for education. It provides a unique opportunity to share ideas and learn from others.
• The fiscal piece was extremely helpful and where the state is going is also helpful (Torlakson's presentation).
• The Forum allows a statewide discussion on educational issues by diverse representation of stakeholders. It is important that it not become too academic or full of "educationese" to attract all concerned citizens.
• The Forum helps educators stay up to date on topics currently affecting their profession. It is very important for everyone involved in education to know where the field is headed in the near future.
• The forum keeps me current on relevant education issues. As a community leader it is important that I have current, relevant effective ideas to present to many stakeholders I interact with. The information also helps me to advocate.
• The forum keeps me up to date on what is happening in California's education system. And opens my mind to new approaches and understanding.
• The high level of speakers is vital to being the most educated as possible on all topics. Panels and topics are always what is most important.
• The information is timely and relevant. It's good for us to be well informed about the fiscal problems so that we can talk to others and educate them and continue to support our plans for improving our state's educational system.
• The LWV is doing a national study on Federal Education. We gained a great deal of information for our study. I did learn a lot of up to date information.
• The opportunity to learn from recognized leaders in education. The challenge to think beyond the status quo of what we could be doing for kids in our schools. Forum is inspirational and great networking opportunity.
• There is much value to me to be able to attend the EdSource forum today. As a person responsible for EdTech in my district this is a great way to support those fledgling plans to prepare for the coming changes.
• There is no other opportunity to hear from those who are shaping our education policy in California. It is a fully packed day but without any wasted time.

I look forward to this Forum every year. I believe this is the best overall information I receive all year. I attend many events and lobby regularly in Sacramento. I feel this forum and the documents EdSource provides gives me the “meat” I need to talk intelligently to legislators.

• There is potential to use these forums to inform our work and practice. Perhaps use different grouping/break-out sessions to vary the type of presentations.
• This conference deals with a comprehensive look at public education which is different from other workshops that I attend. The notable expert speakers, presenters, and topics are very credible and the timeliness of the annual EdSource workshop information (in March) is very helpful to me as Supt. and in planning.
• This forum keeps us updated and informed so we can educate leaders in our community.
• This information is critical for leaders in education who have to have the best information possible, as early as possible.
• This is a professional development activity designed for key, decision-making leaders in education. EdSource provides us with the data and information we need to be visionary leaders.
• This is my first EdSource forum. I enjoyed the conference
• This is my first forum, I found it to be informative and valuable. I received important information that I will take back to my district.
• This is my first time and I will return time and time again. This forum is a "one stop shop" of information. Not sure there is another venue for this type of information. Really enjoyed this opportunity.
• This is my first time attending, however if I'm able to attend again, I would love to. The value I found in attending this forum was I heard a lot of information that could affect k-12 and also improve k-12 in the future. It's important to know this information in order to better serve my schools and the students.
• This is my first time attending. I have not identified the value at this point.
• This is the top forum on education funding and policy. As a (now retired) Poli Sci Professor I am very interested in state government.
• This was a very informative day and overview of education policy. Thanks.
• This was an outstanding forum - good speakers, new information from experts to better prepare me and to support me in my job. Information is powerful - great networking.
• Time to have reflection on limited number of key issues currently in education.
• Timely topics, great speakers to represent and address them.
• To get different and updated views.
• Unbiased information, research based, overall disappointed with content of forum, usually leave with thoughtful discussion topics, not this time, a political ending for information
• Unique crowd comprised of many stakeholders and innovators and policy makers in public education - nothing else quite like it. Interesting, timely information without political spin (generally) and based on verifiable information.
• Up to date information, from primary sources is invaluable. Love the chance to talk to other education people and network.
• Up-to-date/current information on the state budget and current discussions at the legislative level and the potential impact on k-12 education budgeting, finance, and planning. I benefit from taking back the latest information to my school district, they are important because knowledge is the powerforce for our planning and operations.
• Value is gaining better understanding of variety of education issues and also being exposed to new and innovative ideas. Broadens my own knowledge base, which I also share with our local legislative team. It's important because knowledge is power and it helps us be better advocates for kids.
• Very current data - well presented.
• Very important information to take back to military leaders at Camp Pendleton. Awareness of how budget cuts affect our school districts may bring about other fund options to help out military impacted schools in our area.
• Very informative but you need to include educators and teacher educators, not businessmen. If you value education and teachers, make them central to your presentations.

Mid-Forum I was already tweeting my groups because the information was that fresh and informative. Don’t know where [else] we would go for this in-depth up to date facts.

• Very useful.
• We must communicate needs and be informed to reach academic progress in our schools.
• We work on informing the public officials then advocating based on positions we develop via consensus for change. We utilize information provided in part by EdSource.
• Well worth it. Totally enjoy the opportunity to be a part of the front line information.
• What a great opportunity for all constituents who are passionate about education to assemble and learn about relevant topics in K-12 education from the top policymakers.
• Would love to have seen a teacher representative as part of the Forum.

 

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