U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will join U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) for a visit to Dayton's Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary School in St. Paul on Tuesday, May 31. Duncan and Franken will lead an education forum and participate in activities that will highlight local progress toward closing the achievement gap and the important role that strong and effective school leaders play in that effort. They will also discuss the need to advance national education reforms by fixing the No Child Left Behind and Duncan will highlight the Administration's Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
At Dayton's Bluff, Sen. Franken and Secretary Duncan will visit a 3rd grade classroom to interact with students and teachers, and then read to a 1st grade class from 11:30 a.m.-12 noon CDT. Following the classroom visits, Duncan and Franken will participate in a School Leadership Forum from 12:15-1:30 p.m. CDT at the Recreation Center. Duncan and Franken will hold an education panel with several participants, including Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius, St. Paul Public Schools Superintendent Valeria Silva, 2011 Minnesota Teacher of the Year Finalist Scot Hovan of suburban Mahtomedi High School, and Montevideo Middle School Principal Brenda Vatthauer of rural Montevideo. St. Paul Deputy Mayor Paul Taylor will provide welcome remarks and Kent Pekel, executive director of the College Readiness Consortium, University of Minnesota, will moderate the discussion.
A media availability will immediately follow the forum.