On March 30, 2010, key US Department of Education (ED) officials and other national experts met with invited education leaders, policy makers, and stakeholders in a forum to  afford Appalachia, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast state education officials, local education agencies and community leaders an opportunity to engage top officials from ED in preparation for grant submissions and the implementation of ARRA funds, previously applied for or received.

Presentations from the conference are now available below. Click on the session description or the title of the publication to access the materials available.

Welcome & Opening Remarks
Linda Cavalluzzo, Managing Director, REL-Appalachia
Sharon Harsh, Director, Appalachia Comprehensive Center

 ARRA Overview presentation, includes:  

• The Big Picture: Thinking Strategically - Maura Policelli, Senior Advisor for External Affairs, ED
• Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) - Shivam Mallick-Shah, Director of Special Initiatives,
• Innovation & Improvement, ED School Technology - Jenelle Leonard, Director of School Support & Technology Program, ED Title 1
• School Improvement Grant Funds - Carlas McCauley, Education Specialist, School Improvement Fund, ED

 Teacher Incentive Fund presentation - April Lee, Team Leader, Teacher Incentive Fund, ED

Reform Priority 1 - Standards & Assessments
Carlos Martinez, Group Leader, Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, ED

 State Leadership on Standards, Assessments--Common Core Implications presentation - Rolf Blank, Director of Indicators & policy Research, CCSSO - Linda Wallinger, Virginia Department of Education

Reform Priority 2 - Effective leaders & Teachers
 Great Teachers and Great Leaders: The Direction and Challenges of ED's ESEA Proposal presentation - Brad Jupp, Senior Program Advisor in the Office of the Secretary, ED

 Effective Teachers & Leaders: Research and Strategies presentation - Lisa Johnson, Senior Research & Policy Associate, National Comprehensive Center on Teacher Quality

 Changing the Distribution of Effective Teachers: Lessons Learned from Tennessee presentation - Julie McCarger, Executive Director, Office of Federal Programs, Tennessee Department of Education

Reform Priority 3 - Data Systems
Tate Gould, Research Scientist, National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

 Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making presentation - Ellen Mandinach, Senior Project Director, REL-Appalachia

 Data Use: A School District's Perspective presentation - Stephen Knobloch, Director of Research, Loudoun County Public Schools, Virginia

Reform Priority 4 - Struggling Schools
Jason Raymond, Teaching Fellow, ED

 Struggling Schools: Thinking Strategically Across ARRA Funds - Nancy Protheroe, Member of CII Scientific Council, Center for Innovation & Improvement

 One SEA's Approach to Supporting LEAs in Turning Around Struggling Schools presentation - David Cook, Project Manager, RTTT Team, Kentucky Department of Education

This event was hosted jointly by the Regional Educational Laboratories for the Appalachia, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions and the Appalachia, Florida, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast Comprehensive Centers.