Announcements and Highlights

Photos from the 2009 ECS National Forum

See all the Teachers of the Year photos.

ECS congratulates the 2009 State Teachers of the Year at the National Forum on Education Policy. Their participation was made possible by the National Education Association (NEA).

Elvis has left the building! Now somewhere with forum attendees enjoying an evening in Nashville.

Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN) members meet to talk about top education challenges on Wednesday.

ECS Senior Policy Analyst Mike Griffith facilitates conversation with LESN forum attendees.

Attendees at a session.

Scenes from a Nashville night.

ECS welcomes forum attendees and sponsors.

ECS’ National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC) conduct their board meeting.

ECS President Roger Sampson welcomes panelists from Nashville. The panel discussion focused on Mayor Karl Dean’s partnership with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and other public and private partners to get dropouts and those at risk of dropping out to come back or stay in school. Danielle Mezera, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Children of Youth, Tennessee led the panel presentation.

The 100 District Leaders Network and the NCLC Board.

ECS Chair and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty visits with ECS Commission and state Senator Barbara Cegavske, Nevada at the commissioners business session.

ECS President Roger Sampson (left) visits with Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen at the Chairs Reception.

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean welcomes forum attendees.

Forum attendees enjoying Wednesday night’s welcome reception.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty presents the Frank Newman Award for State Innovation to Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen on behalf of his states exceptional education achievements in reform.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty recognizes Mark Hudson, Arkansas, for his outstanding service as a state education legislative staff member.

Project Lead the Way’s Richard Blais (center) and Richard Libech (right) accept the 2009 ECS Corporate Award from ECS Chair, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. PLTW attracts U.S. students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields critical to our nation’s ability to remain economically competitive in the future.

Attendees from across the states and territories enjoy networking at the reception.

Reception attendee visits with Governors Bredesen and Pawlenty.

ECS Project Leader Barbara Thompson facilitates conversation at the Teachers of the Year special session sponsored by NEA.

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Thursday, July 9

NCSL’s Sarah Shelton leads LESN meeting.

JoAnn Henderson, Executive Director of ECS’ National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC), and ECS President Roger Sampson gather as part of the NCLC Board Meeting.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush mingles with forum attendees.

Thursday’s ECS National Forum session offerings were diverse and many.

Former Governor Jeb Bush outlines how states are ensuring alignment between education and workforce while addressing dropout prevention, closing achievement gaps, increasing relevance and student engagement, documenting student skills, and increasing college and workforce readiness.

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen responds to a question from former Governor Jeb Bush during the panel conversation with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Teresa Chasteen, CEO and President of Worldwide Interactive Network (WIN), shares her perspective on how innovation and technology can be used to connect education and the workforce.

Phillip Uri Treisman delivers a powerful address on strategies states and large urban districts are using to create mathematics pathways that work for students who only a decade ago would not have taken high school algebra and geometry.


Former Colorado Governor and College Board Senior Advisor Roy Romer examines the challenges facing America's students as they move through the educational pipeline. He is joined by Ron Williams, College Board vice president for Community College initiatives and William "Brit" Kirwan, chancellor, University System of Maryland.


ECS President Roger Sampson shares about the importance of the James Bryant Conant Award and his respect for Kati Haycock, the 2009 Conant Award winner.


Kati Haycock shares lessons from colleges that are unusually effective in getting students through with a degree, explaining what it means for other institutions and policymakers.


Minnesota Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren listens along with others to Uri Treisman's presentation.

ECS would like to thank Mel Epps for doing such a great job with the photos this year.