U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. will moderate a panel discussion at Battle Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, as part of this year’s back-to-school bus tour. The focus of the discussion will be teacher leadership, elevating teacher voice and engaging teachers in the path forward, in order to provide all students with an equitable, high-quality education. The panelists will include teachers and administrators who have been involved with teacher leadership efforts such as Teach to Lead, the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship at the U.S. Department of Education and the Teacher Impact Grants. The audience of more than 200 people will include students, teachers, principals, parents, community members and local public officials. The event will be facilitated by an alumnus of the Principal Ambassador Fellowship.
King and senior Education Department officials are hosting the seventh and final back-to-school bus tour to celebrate progress in communities and states across the country. The tour kicked off in the nation’s capital and is traveling all the way to Louisiana, from Monday, Sept. 12 to Friday, Sept. 16, 2016. This year’s “Opportunity Across America” tour includes stops in Washington, D.C.; Charlottesville, Virginia; Bristol, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis, Tennessee; Harvest, Alabama; North Little Rock, Arkansas; Indianola, Mississippi; and Monroe, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana. King and other senior Department officials will hold events touting the Administration’s key initiatives over eight years, highlighting the progress made to expand opportunity across the nation and the groundwork laid for continued momentum.
President Barack Obama entered office in 2009 with a comprehensive vision for improving our education system to advance our children’s opportunity and success. That vision included efforts to address the dropout crisis, improve student achievement, and increase graduation rates; expand equity in education through stronger schools; ensure all students achieve to high standards that prepare them for college and career; and grow innovation and investment in what works, while safeguarding the right of all students to a world-class education. Thanks to the hard work of educators, state and local leaders, communities, parents, families, and students, the nation has made significant educational progress over the last eight years. To build on our prosperity and competitiveness as a nation, the Administration has worked diligently to make a positive difference for students and to continue the work to deliver on the promise of a world-class education to every child.
This event will include a press availability with King and local leaders. To RSVP for stops on the tour, please email [email protected].