Join the State Capitals Campaign in Denver, Colorado

The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, in collaboration with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is pleased to invite you to join us at the next stop of the College Completion Agenda: State Capitals Campaign on March 31, 2011 in Denver, Colorado.

The State Capitals Campaign is a yearlong, multi-state campaign to mobilize the nation to significantly increase the proportion of Americans who hold a postsecondary degree by 2025. The State Capitals Campaign is a call to action that brings together policymakers, educators and community and business leaders with the common goal of improving college completion rates, especially among low-income and minority students, and returning the United States to its place as the global leader in educational attainment.

Nationally recognized as a leader in education reform, the state of Colorado was selected as the second stop in a nationwide tour for its landmark educator effectiveness legislation and for creating a framework to build a fair and effective educator evaluation system that is nationally recognized by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and modeled by states nationwide.

The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, NCSL and WICHE will host an interactive conversation that highlights some of the biggest challenges facing our education system and that echoes the Higher Education Commission's recent recommendations in the Colorado Strategic Higher Education plan noting college completion as one of the key levers of success.

Remarks

• Henry Sobanet, Director, Office of State Planning and Budgeting
• Governor Gaston Caperton, President, The College Board
• Governor Roy Romer, Former Governor of Colorado, Former Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, and Senior Advisor, The College Board

Moderated Panel Discussion

• David Longanecker, President, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (moderator)
• Linda Barker, Director of Teaching and Learning, Colorado Education Association
• Jill Barkin, Vice President of Chase Bank, Colorado Succeeds
• Julie Davis Bell, Education Program Director, National Conference of State Legislatures
• Tom Boasberg, Superintendent, Denver Public Schools
• Paul Lingenfelter, President, State Higher Education Executive Officers
• Nancy McCallin, President, Colorado Community College System
• Diana Sirko, Deputy Commissioner of Learning and Results, Colorado Department of Education
• Nancy Todd, Representative, State of Colorado

The State Capitals Campaign celebrates the successful and innovative policies and programs within each state that align with the 10 recommendations in the College Completion Agenda Progress Report and State Policy Guide, developed in collaboration with NCSL.

To RSVP for this free event, please contact Cbcompletionagenda@collegeboard.org with your name, title and affiliation by March 28, 2011.