Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute

December 13-15, 2017 | Miami Beach, FL

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) hosted governors’ education policy advisors in Miami Beach, Florida. The institute focused on growing the knowledge base on key educational issues, building capacity on skills that are critical for their role and providing opportunities to network and learning from each other and NGA staff.

Agenda

Presentations

December 13, 2017

Opening Plenary Session
Speaker:

  • Andreas Schleicher, director, Directorate of Education and Skills, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

December 14, 2017

Welcome, Introductions and Opening Activity
Speaker:

The Rising Role of Social Emotional Learning
Moderator:

  • Aaliyah Samuel, Ed.D., director, Education Division, NGA Center

Speakers:

  • Governor John Engler, commission co-chair, National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, Aspen Institute; former governor of Michigan (1991-2003)
  • Linda Dusenbury, Ph.D., senior research scientist, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
  • Andre M. Perry, rubenstein fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, Brookings Institution
  • Walter Gilliam, Ph.D., director, Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy; professor of child psychiatry and psychology, Yale University Child Study Center

ESSA Update
Moderator:

  • Stephen Parker, legislative director, Education & Workforce Committee, Office of Government Relations, NGA

Speakers:

  • Adam Ezring, director of policy, Collaborative for Student Success
  • Lauren Burdette, managing director of education policy, Office of the Governor, Illinois

Hot Topics
Speakers:

  • Mandy Sorge, policy analyst, Education Division, NGA Center
  • Jeannie Allen, innovative projects and assessment administrator, Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education
  • Stephen Parker, legislative director, Education & Workforce Committee, Office of Government Relations, NGA

Expanding High-Quality Educational Options for All Students
Speaker:

  • Linda Darling-Hammond, president, Learning Policy Institute

GEPA Veterans: Voices from the Forefront
Moderator:

  • Aaliyah Samuel, Ed.D., director, Education Division, NGA Center

Speakers:

  • Liz Donohue, director of policy, Office of the Governor, Connecticut
  • Dietra Trent, Ph.D., secretary of education, Office of the Governor, Virginia
  • Siri Smillie, policy advisor for education, Office of the Governor, Montana

Dinner, Drinks and Ed Talk with Sydney Chaffee
Speaker:

  • Sydney Chaffee, 2017 National Teacher of the Year

December 15, 2017

Welcome and Review
Speaker:

  • Aaliyah Samuel, Ed.D., director, Education Division, NGA Center

Morning Plenary Session
Speakers:

  • Governor Jack Markell, former governor of Delaware (2009-2017)
  • Aaliyah Samuel, Ed.D., director, Education Division, NGA Center

Financing Early Care and Education
Moderator:

  • Beth Caron, Ed.D., program director, Education Division, NGA Center

Speakers:

  • Brittany Birken, executive director, Florida Children’s Services Council
  • RaShelle Davis, education policy advisor, Office of the Governor, Washington

Creating a Cohesive Human Capital System
Moderator:

  • Seth Gerson, program director, Education Division, NGA Center

Speakers:

  • Holly Coy, deputy secretary of education, Office of the Governor, Virginia
  • Bryan Hassel, Ph.D., co-director of public impact/opportunity culture initiative, American Institutes for Research Center on Great Teachers and Leaders

Closing Remarks and Next Steps
Speakers:

  • Scott Palmer, managing partner and co-founder, EdCounsel
  • Aaliyah Samuel, Ed.D., director, Education Division, NGA Center