Track Objective:

Why the evidence shows that we aren’t doing enough.

OUTCOME: Showcase the industry/government/education partnerships that are doing the best at aligning skills with jobs.

 

Track Sessions:


 

Session 304:
Transformational Leadership and Classroom Resources: The Path to Digital Education

Thursday, June 28
10:45 am – 11:45 am

Room C3

Senator Rich Crandall, Arizona State Senate
Karen Rue, Superintendent, Northwest (Texas) Independent School District
Senator Florence Shapiro, (R-District 8), Texas State Senate
Jeff Turner, Superintendent, Coppell (Texas) Independent School District
Chris Coxon, Chief Program Officer, Educate Texas (moderator)

The growing access to digital learning materials is placing greater pressure on the infrastructure to support the curriculum, professional development, and how schools bring these resources into their systems.  This panel will explore policy issues related to the funding of digital education with a focus on performance metrics.


  

Session 404:
A Regional Look at STEM Economic Challenges

Thursday, June 28
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Room C3

Mary Brumbach, PhD, Executive District Director of Strategic Funding, Dallas County Community College District
Woody L. Hunt, Chairman and CEO, Hunt Companies, Inc.; Chairman, Hunt Family Foundation
Mark David Milliron, PhD, Chancellor, WGU Texas
Diana Natalicio, PhD, President, The University of Texas at El Paso
John Ellis Price, PhD, President, University of North Texas at Dallas
Steve Smith, Interim Vice President of Instruction, El Paso Community Colleges
Eric Reeves, CEO, Innovate+Educate Texas (moderator) 

As the largest donor and regulator, a state’s policy role is central in laying out educational goals for its workforce and public institutions.  Upgrades in knowledge and skills are urgently needed to compete globally, with failure having serious economic consequences for both states and its citizens.  With demographics changing rapidly, U.S. competitiveness, the pipeline, and policies must be addressed with new, more aggressive expectations and policies—incrementalism is not a solution—to ensure increased capacity to deliver instruction, invest in public resources, and prioritize funding.  This session will discuss strategic partnerships to move policy forward in the states.


 

Session 504:
BUSINESS IS FROM VENUS, EDUCATION IS FROM MARS:
Leadership, Innovation and Collaboration in State Workforce Development

Thursday, June 28
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Room C3

Jan Bray, Executive Director, Association of Career & Technical Education
Cabinet Secretary Celina Bussey, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
Andrea Glispie, Senior Regional Field Director, Central National Skills Coalition
Jennifer McNelly, President, The Manufacturing Institute
Ron Painter, CEO, National Association of Workforce Boards
Ann Beheler, PhD, Principal Investigator, Convergence Technology Center, Collin County College (moderator)
Jamai Blivin, President and CEO, Innovate + Educate (moderator)

A workforce development approach at the state level to address industry skills needs is critical in meeting the demands of a global economy.  Workforce and education do not seem to talk to one another, however, and often speak different languages.  Finger-pointing continues to occur, with some experts arguing that STEM is just a “one off” from more fundamental workforce and education issues.  With more than 90 percent of jobs requiring STEM to be successful, what are the best ways to align all stakeholders in recognizing that STEM should be at the forefront of everyone’s education?   This session will further understanding in narrowing the STEM language barrier and closing the skills gap at both state and federal levels.  With industry as the key driver in advancing STEM and jobs, panelists will also consider how states should collaborate with education and industry to advance workforce STEM education, jobs, and economic expansion.


 

Session 604:
THE K-16 PIPELINE:
Education to Employability

Friday, June 29
9:45 am – 10:45 am

Room C3

Andres Alcantar, Chairman, Texas Workforce Commission
Dane Linn, Executive Director of State Strategy, College Board 
 Mimi Lufkin, Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity
Joel Vargas, Vice President, High School Through College, Jobs for the Future (moderator) 

This session will examine the K-16 pipeline and how educators and employers can better support STEM careers.  What are the gaps, and how can we realize and merge existing measurements to generate STEM education and career trajectories that work?  With this data, how can we determine the best ways to build a successful pipeline of innovation?  What policies are the best drivers to move students from education to employability?