U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will engage teachers across the country in a national town hall in a special edition of the department’s television program, Education News Parents Can Use, on October 20 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Live from Public Broadcasting System station WETA, he will take comments and questions from teachers in the studio audience and via telephone, email, and video.

Throughout the hour-long program, teachers will have a chance to offer the secretary their suggestions and their hopes about reforming education. The conversation will cover ways to improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; better methods for recruiting, preparing, and rewarding teachers; ideas for elevating the teaching profession; and much more.

Details about the special town hall for teachers on Education News, including directions for viewing the webcast of the program live, online, are at www.ed.gov/edtv.

The Kentucky Board of Education will meet Wednesday and Thursday, October 7 and 8,in the State Board Room on the first floor of the Capital Plaza Tower in Frankfort.

On Wednesday, the meeting will begin at 9 a.m. The board’s Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Committee will meet that afternoon. On Thursday, the board’s Management Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m., and the full board will meet upon the committee’s adjournment.

Agenda items include reports from the Christian County, Covington Independent, Jefferson County and Union County school districts on progress toward improved achievement in low-performing schools; presentation of the Dr. Samuel Robinson Award and the Dr. Johnnie Grissom Award; discussion of the interim student assessment process; and the 2010-2012 biennial budget.

The Perfect Trifecta: Great Principals, Great Teachers, Great Students.

The KAESP will provide conference attendees with practical and relevant sessions that provide school leaders with the knowledge, tools and resources to lead our schools to Proficiency!

Keynote Speaker: Todd Whitaker - What Great Principals Do Differently: 15 Things That Matter Most

THIS CONFERENCE IS FREE, and lunch will be provided!

Whether you are new to advocacy or an experienced voice, join us to learn strategies for affecting genuine change for children in your community and the Commonwealth as a whole!

Come to the conference to learn more about:

Priorities in the 2009-2010 Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children including sessions on:

Fair Opportunity for Every Child
Fair Deal for Working Parents
Safe and Healthy Families

Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol Training!

Advocacy 101
Advocacy 201
Learn more about mini grant opportunities for advocacy in your area!