STATE, NATIONAL BUSINESS LEADERS TO HEADLINE STATEWIDE EDUCATION SUMMIT

Public education improvement, innovation, is goal of largest Texas education conference

AUSTIN, Texas (Feb. 9, 2007) — Texas and nationally recognized business leaders are scheduled to speak Feb. 16 in Austin at the state’s largest one-day education conference to give their view of the state of education and what Texans can do to improve our schools and better prepare students for future success.

The Statewide Education Summit will be held 9 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Feb. 16 in Austin at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at 208 Barton Springs Road. All Summit events are open to the media. The Summit is held annually by the Texas Education Reform Foundation.

“Business leaders and policymakers are just as interested as educators in the education of our state’s children,” said Vidal G. Martinez, chairman of the Texas Education Reform Foundation. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders and contributors to the economy. The Statewide Education Summit is an opportunity for representatives from these different areas to come together to share ideas and discuss the most pressing issues facing our education system.”

During the Summit, Ross Perot, chairman emeritus, Perot Systems Corp., will be presented with the Champion of Education Award by TPERF (2:35 p.m.).

Summit keynote speakers will include:

* The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Senator (11:30 a.m.)
* Ross Perot, chairman emeritus, Perot Systems Corp. (11:50 a.m.)
* The Honorable John Cornyn, U.S. Senator (3:55 p.m.)

Panel discussions will include:

• “Enhancing Education Through Technology” (12:50 p.m.) – Michael Dell, chairman and CEO, Dell Inc.
• “Connecting Education to Workforce Needs” (1:35 p.m.) – Patrick Gaston, president, Verizon Foundation; Ronald G. Girotto, president and CEO, The Methodist Hospital System; John T. Montford, senior vice president, AT&T; Jeff Mosley, president and CEO, Greater Houston Partnership; and Philip J. Ritter, senior vice president, Texas Instruments.
• “Reinventing Education for the 21st Century” (9:10 a.m.) – Rod Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education; John Fitzpatrick, executive director, Texas High School Project; Stephen R. Hensley, president, Texas A&M – Texarkana; and F. Larry Sullivan, superintendent, Texarkana ISD.
• “No Child Left Behind Act: Our Schools and Our Future” (3:30 p.m.) – Ray Simon, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education.

For a complete listing of speakers and panels, visit www.tperfonline.org.