Getting From Facts to Policy

On October 19th, 2007 EdSource hosted a gathering of business and civic leaders, researchers, education professionals, community and reform advocates, and state officials to collect, in one place on one day, a number of research-based policy recommendations.

About the Convening
Convening Video
Policy Briefs (in Reform Proposals section)>

As an independent and impartial host, EdSource organized a California Education Policy Convening on October 19, 2007, in Sacramento to facilitate the presentation and sharing of education policy options based upon nonpartisan analysis, study, and research. These policy alternatives were offered by a broad and diverse range of top-level K–12 opinion leaders in California.

More than 300 people attended the day-long event, including business and civic leaders, researchers, education professionals, community and reform advocates, and state officials. Leading up to the Convening, EdSource received 47 six-page policy briefs—based on research and evidence—from about 50 education stakeholders and experts. These briefs raised issues that the individuals and organizations submitting them think are most important for improving student academic outcomes in California, and were presented in breakout sessions during the Convening. Each of the 47 policy briefs can be viewed and downloaded online from our Reform Proposals Section.

Background

In the mid-1990s, California began the hard work of setting rigorous K–12 academic content and student performance standards, then aligning the curriculum, the student assessments, and the school accountability system to the goal of meeting those standards. K–12 district and site leaders and educators have been working hard ever since to implement these standards-based reforms and there has been considerable progress. However, there have been no comparable state policy reforms to better align the school funding, governance, personnel and leadership, or data systems to the goal of improved student performance.

But a growing and comprehensive body of research, including the Getting Down to Facts portfolio of studies, has spurred much good thinking and discussion. The governor has declared 2008 the “Year of Education Reform” and many policymakers are motivated to develop comprehensive, meaningful, research-based education policy agendas that could take the state’s education system to another level in its ability to make significant gains in student achievement. Between the availability of good research—and a motivated, interested policymaking body in Sacramento— California has a window of opportunity this fall and spring for making bold headway on education reform.

EdSource was assisted in this event by Cross & Joftus, LLC. The event is a project of CIF of the San Francisco Foundation with funding from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, and The Stuart Foundation.

Convening Video

The links below provide access to video of the major sessions of the October 19th Education Policy Convening. To view a video webcast of the speakers' presentations, click the links to "Windows Media Player" (best for PCs) or "QuickTime" (best for Macs).

Keynote Address: K-12 Education and Its Vital Importance to California’s Future

Carl Guardino, CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group
View video in Windows Media Player
View video in QuickTime
Read speech transcript

Synthesis of Issues and Ideas

Mary Perry, Deputy Director, EdSource
Scott Joftus, President, Cross & Joftus, LLC.
View video in Windows Media Player
View video in QuickTime  This presentation also available as a written report

Plenary Session: Panel Reaction and Discussion

Moderator: Ken Hall, Executive in Residence, USC; Founder, School Services of California; Member of the Board, EdSource

Panelists: (from left to right as seated at the table)
Joe Nuñez, Associate Executive Director, CTA
Rick Miller, Deputy Superintendent, California Department of Education
Senator Gloria Romero, Senate Majority Leader
Scott Hill, Undersecretary, Office of the Secretary of Education
Loren Kaye, President, California Foundation for Commerce & Education
Rick Simpson, Deputy Chief of Staff, Speaker Fabian Nunez’s Office
Sue Burr, Executive Director, CCSESA; Member of the Board, EdSource



For more information, please see our Reform Proposals section, which includes all the policy briefs submitted to this event.