Statewide Education Summit
March 23, 2006

The third annual Statewide Education Summit provided a forum for key education stakeholders to discuss and debate the most pressing issues facing our schools and to motivate one another with the sharing ideas. 

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the sponsors who made the Summit possible:  Washington Mutual (premier sponsor), Houston Endowment, Inc., Texas High School Project, Verizon and Texas Instruments.

Those participating in the Summit included 650+ attendees from major businesses, policymakers, teacher and educator associations, school district superintendents, principals, teachers, higher education, education service centers, school board members, public policy groups, workforce development boards, chambers of commerce, the State Board of Education, the Texas Education Agency, Parent Teacher Association, Texas Workforce Commission, high school students, statewide agencies and organizations  and the Governor’s Business Council.

Dr. Rod Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education, gave the morning keynote address. Commissioner Shirley Neeley, Texas Education Agency, and Commissioner Raymund Paredes, Higher Education, gave remarks on the “State of Public Schools in Texas.” Tom Craddick, Speaker, Texas House of Representatives was the afternoon keynote speaker.

A legislative panel addressing school finance reform included Senator Florence Shapiro (Senate Education Committee chair), Senator Royce West (Senate Education Committee co-chair) and Representative Rob Eissler (House Education Committee member).

Governor Rick Perry was the keynote speaker for the luncheon.

Sessions included School Finance Reform, High Quality High Schools, High School Improvement Strategies, Teacher Preparation Programs and Education Reform Dialogue: HB2 & Beyond.