Mayor Taveras, Governor Lincoln Chafee and
the White House Initiative
on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
are pleased to host a unique one-day forum

"Transforming Education
Outcomes for Hispanics"

Alger Hall at Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence RI
January 25, 2012
7:30AM-5:30PM
{Get maps to the College here}

Click here for the Agenda

FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT
EDUCATIONPROV@PROVIDENCERI.COM
or (401) 421-2489 ext 727

Introduction from Mayor Taveras

One year ago, Latino community leaders came together, very excited after having participated in a summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (White House Initiative), titled "A Call to Action." As a result, before I took office as Mayor, I began a very exciting conversation with these leaders and Governor Lincoln Chafee's incoming administration about bringing the White House Initiative to Providence to hold a "Call to Action" Summit.

The White House Initiative is the Obama Administration's signature effort to improve K-12 education outcomes for Hispanics and increase the number of Latinos who go to college. As someone who went from Head Start to Harvard through Providence's public schools, I know that the White House Initiative is a valuable partner in my administration's work to provide every child in Providence with a first-class education.

Today I am very excited to announce that the White House Initiative has selected Providence as the ninth city in the country it is engaging in a Hispanic Action Summit. The White House Initiative is eager to begin work in Providence, where my administration is making strides to improve public education in a school district that is 62 percent Latino.

In selecting Providence, the White House Initiative told us they were excited by our vision for raising the bar on public education contained in our recently released Educate Providence report, and by Governor Chafee's commitment to move forward in the state efforts to transform education in Rhode Island and attain high levels of student achievement. The White House Initiative wants to incorporate this vision and commitment into their national work to improve education outcomes for all Hispanics.

It is my pleasure to serve as host, along with Governor Chafee, next month as the White House Initiative's Executive Director, José Rico, visits Providence for an important, daylong forum, "Transforming Educational Outcomes for Hispanics." The summit will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Rhode Island College.

The Jan. 25 forum is the first step in our engagement with the White House Initiative. In the coming months, as we move forward with local efforts to engage parents in their children's education and make sure all children are reading on grade level by third grade, we will work with the Initiative on a local community action plan that will enable Providence to pursue federal funding and share ideas with the Initiative's national network of education reformers.

The White House Initiative's selection of Providence is an important milestone in our work to make Providence's schools the best in America. This is a big moment, and I look forward to joining Governor Chafee and White House Initiative Executive Director José Rico for the Jan. 25 "Transforming Educational Outcomes for Hispanics" forum at Rhode Island College.

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Agenda
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Rhode Island College Alger Hall, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue
7:30AM-5:30PM

Welcoming Remarks
The Honorable Lincoln Chafee, Governor of Rhode Island
The Honorable Angel Taveras, Mayor of Providence
Nancy Carriuolo, president of Rhode Island College

Opening Session
José Rico, executive director
White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics Issue Highlights

Eduardo Ochoa, assistant secretary
Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education

Brenda Dann-Messier, assistant secretary
Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education

Elizabeth Grant, senior policy advisor
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education

Gabriel Sandoval, senior advisor
White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

Miriam Calderón, senior advisor
Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Overview of Open Space Process
José Rico, executive director
White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

Open Space Sessions (Partial List)
Educate Providence Report: Improving Education Through Cross-sector Collaboration
White House Initiative and the Mayor's Educate Providence Report: Implications for Latinos
The Role of Latino Leaders in Promoting and Sustaining Educational Change
The Role of State, Federal and City Partnerships in Hispanic Education Excellence

Lunch

Open Space Sessions Continue

Closing Plenary
The Implications for School Districts, Cities and States in the South-coast Region