Schedule

Registration

Opening Lunch: Next Steps to Advancing Standards & Assessments for College- and Career-Readiness

The nation's education system is adopting more rigorous and relevant college and career readiness standards and assessments, and is looking to publishers and developers to help address evolving needs. Among the leaders in this reform effort is Achieve, a bipartisan, non-profit organization that helps states raise academic standards, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability systems. Among its efforts, Achieve is leading both PARCC and the Next Generation Science Standards. Achieve's long-time leader Mike Cohen will provide an update on these major national efforts, and explore with SIIA members the impact, opportunities and challenges for their products and services.

Introduced By: Susan Adelmann, VP Strategic Partnerships, Follett School & Library Group

Keynote:

Mike Cohen , President, Achieve

State Policy Leadership in the Shift to Digital Learning

States are driving much of the education agenda around technology integration, blended learning and competency-based learning. This panel of influential education advocates will look at the key drivers and policy trends, identify some of the most significant state reforms, and help attendees better understand the policy climate for advancing student technology access and digital learning.

Moderator: David Stevenson, Wireless Generation, Part of Amplify

Panelists:

John Bailey, Executive Director, Digital Learning Now!, Foundation for Excellence in Education

Neill Kimrey, Director, Digital Teaching and Learning, Academic Services and Instructional Support, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Joe Williams, Executive Director, Democrats for Education Reform

Outlook for State and Federal Education Funding

In both positive and challenging ways, the fiscal climate and federal/state budgets have profound impact on education investments in technology and related digital learning reforms. Leading federal and state education budget experts will update SIIA members on the latest news around the federal sequestor and annual appropriations, identify which states are increasing funding and investing in technology, and help predict the size and shape of education budgets in 2013-14 and beyond. 

Panelists:

Joel Packer, Executive Director, Committee for Education Funding

Ryan Reyna, Program Director, Education Division, Center for Best Practices, National Governors Association

The Unbundling of Higher Education

Technology is helping change the format of learning, but its form remains largely unchanged due in part to entrenched regulations around student aid, credit hours and accreditation. Education, technology and policy entrepreneurs are pushing to break the mold to provide students the flexibility for modular courses, credit for prior learning, and assembling credentials from multiple institutions. Two leaders of this effort will help SIIA members understand the vision for higher education, the regulatory challenges and reforms, and the opportunities for technology and digital learning.

Moderator: Mitch Weisburgh, Academic Business Advisors

Panelists:

Hal Plotkin, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Under Secretary, United States Department of Education

Amy Sherman, Associate VP for Policy and Strategic Alliances, The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

Breakfast

Shifting to Student-Centered, Mastery-Based Education: Technology and Policy Implications

The Education Achievement Authority of Michigan is leading Detroit and other schools through a redesign to a student-centered, mastery-based model that leverages technology and digital learning. Visionary leader Mary Esselman will outline the model and the use of technology, describe the key challenges and opportunities, and discuss how these innovations mix with various federal and state education policies/regulations from seat-time to accountability testing to funding. The use of data and technology will set the background for the following session on data innovation and student privacy.

Keynote:

Mary Esselman, Deputy Chancellor, Instructional Support & Educational Accountability, Education Achievement Authority of Michigan

Balancing Big Data: Navigating Between Innovation and Student Privacy

For this session, we are looking at the issues (opportunities and tensions) at the intersection of big data and policy/regulation. We are working to leverage data across silos, to blend formal and informal learning, to use learning analytics to drive smarter learning interventions such as software and instruction. At the same time, there are (perceived) barriers from FERPA and COPPA, from data governance policies, and from proprietary and technical issues. This expert panel will help SIIA members identify the issues and navigate through this challenging landscape to improve their educational products and services.

Moderator: Christopher Lohse, Pearson K-12 Solutions

Panelists:

Richard Culatta, Deputy Director, Office of Educational Technology, US Department of Education

Mary Esselman, Deputy Chancellor, Instructional Support & Educational Accountability, Education Achievement Authority of Michigan

Philip Piety, Learning Scientist for Educational Systems & Faculty Affiliate, Johns Hopkins School of Education

Steve Winnick, Partner, Education Counsel LLC, an affiliate of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP

SIIA Member Policy Roundtable Discussion of Key Education Issues

Step inside the safe circle of your fellow SIIA member industry executives for Birds-of-a-Feather discussions about the key policy and regulatory issues facing your company. We'll identify industry challenges and policy positions, and help SIIA set its 2013 advocacy agenda.

Break

The Role of Technology in Federal Education Policies & Programs

The Obama Administration has advanced many education policies and programs that are helping reshape our education system, from RTTT to School Improvement Grants to NCLB waivers. Senior U.S. Department of Education official Michael Yudin has long championed the role of technology and digital learning, doing so now as the acting head of the federal Office of Special Education. He will provide an update on the Department's agenda and the implications and opportunities for technology and digital learning, including in both IDEA Special Education and Title I. 

Introduced By: Susan Adelmann, VP Strategic Partnerships, Follett School & Library Group

Keynote:

Michael Yudin, Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education

Technology Readiness for Common Core State Standards and Online Assessments

Perhaps no factor is more significant today in our education system than the adoption of Common Core State Standards and the implementation of PARCC and SBAC online assessments. We'll be joined by key national, state and local leaders for an update on these initiatives, and a discussion for what stakeholders must do to get our students, educators, curriculum and technology infrastructure ready for 2014-2015 implementation.

Moderator:

Douglas Levin, Executive Director, State Educational Technology Directors Association

Panelists:

Tony Alpert, COO, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)

Wes Bruce, Chief Assessment Officer, Indiana Department of Education

Betsy Goeltz, Principal, Pocatello (ID) Public Schools

NCLB Waivers: Technology Impact & Opportunities

After more than five years of failed attempts to legislatively reauthorize the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (including Title I), U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan has put in place an extensive process for state education agencies to receive waivers from key NCLB rules around teacher quality, adequate yearly progress, and school improvement, among others. Our panelists are deeply grounded in this effort in their work to counsel and represent states, and will share the implications for technology, spending and teachers.

Moderator: Bob Moore, RJM Strategies, LLC

Panelists:

Lillian Pace, Senior Director of National Policy, KnowledgeWorks

Larry Paska, Coordinator, Technology Policy, New York State Education Department

Peter Zamora, Director of Federal Relations, Council of Chief State School Officers

Education Policy, Pundits & Predictions

This panel will conclude the day's full agenda with commentary on many of the key, current education policy debates and policies that shape the education system and its use of technology. Lightening round discussions will address CCSS, NCLB Waivers and Reauthorization, RTTT, education budgets, state-level trends and policymaker views of technology and digital learning. Speakers bring years of insider experience and a sharp wit to keep us all grounded

Moderator: Mark Schneiderman, SIIA

Panelists:

Vic Klatt, Principal, Penn Hill Group

Michele McNeil, Assistant Editor, Education Week

Andrew Rotherham, Co-Founder and Partner, Bellwether Education Partners

Reception with Education Leaders

Networking reception held in conjunction with CoSN-ISTE-SETDA Advocacy Day, featuring local, state and national education leaders.

Sponsored by: Follett Software Company

Capitol Hill Updates & Advocacy Briefings

106 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Education technology leaders and advocates will gather on Capitol Hill to hear from federal policy makers on key education legislation and technology programs, and for issues updates in preparation for afternoon advocacy visits. Issues will include ESEA/NCLB, E-Rate and Federal Appropriations. 

8:00   Breakfast
8:45   Welcome
8:50   Issue Updates
9:30   The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel

10:00  Congressional Staff Panel
- Brad Thomas, Senior Education Policy Advisor, House Committee on Education & the Workforce
- Michael Gamel-McCormick, Senior K-12 Education Policy Advisor, Chairman Tom Harkin, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

10:45  Break
11:00 The Honorable George Miller
11:30 Advocacy Training

Keynote:

George Miller, Ranking Member, Education & the Workforce Committee, U.S. House of Representatives

Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

Lunch on Your Own

Congressional Advocacy Visits

Appointments will be pre-arranged for interested SIIA members to visit with Congressional offices to advocate for federal investments in technology and online learning, including related to NCLB, appropriations and the E-Rate. SIIA members will be teamed with education leaders from the memberships of partner organizations CoSN, ISTE and SETDA.