> Policy Committee Session EDUCATION THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2006 10:15AM — 12:00PM SURREY Chair Senator CJ Prentiss (OH) 1st Vice Chair Representative Gregory Porter (IN) 2nd Vice Chair Representative Laura Hall (AL) NBCSL Policy Staff Deana McRae JURISDICTION The NBCSL Committee on Education analyzes federal, state and local education policies and programs and their impact on African American students’ access to quality education. The committee spearheads the Closing the Gaps Initiative, an unprecedented joint campaign between the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators. African American and Hispanic state legislators work together to ensure equitable funding for urban and rural schools, and the allocation of adequate resources to close the achievement gaps and high school graduation rates. TOPIC Building Blocks: Preventing Dropouts Years after Brown vs Board of Education and various other Civil Rights actions, we remain separate and unequal. Education impacts every arena of life. Most African American children remain far behind in education, thus will have an impact on their future jobs, housing opportunities and family life. In the wake of the increasing number of drop-outs and particularly African American males being left behind, our children need a foundation to build their education. The panelists will discuss methods to increase graduation rates, how intervention programs can turn around failing schools, and the importance of comprehensive education programs for teachers. PANELISTS Michelle Bodden Vice-President for Elementary School, United Federation of Teachers Joe Leonard, Jr., Ph.D. Executive Director & COO, Black Leadership Forum Michael Marks Executive Committee, National Education Association Vivian Lee, Ed.D. Higher Education School Counselor Specialist, National Office for School Counselor Advocacy Rosie Walker Coordinator, Upward Bound Program Earl Watkins, Ph.D. Superintendent, Jackson Public School District