EDITOR’S NOTE: Updates the link to today’s webcast of the town hall in San Antonio and includes registration information for Friday’s event.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will travel to Austin and San Antonio on Thursday and Friday, discussing education reform, college affordability and steps the administration is taking to promote excellence in American education. He will also visit with Gov. Rick Perry in a closed press meeting.
Duncan will begin his public events at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in Austin where he will deliver the keynote address to the second annual conference of SXSWedu. The forum brings together education professionals, as well as business, industry and policy leaders who share a keen interest in modernizing teaching and learning.
At 1:10 p.m., Duncan and Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education Brenda Dann-Messier will hold a jobs and college affordability town hall with students and their families to discuss the administration's efforts to hold down college costs and increase federal student aid. Duncan and the panel will also take questions from Twitter users who submit questions using the #collegeaffordability hashtag. The event will be broadcast live at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/education-department. Media availability: 2:20 to 2:30 p.m.
Afterward, Duncan will travel to San Antonio where at 6:10 p.m. tonight he will hold a college affordability and Hispanic community town hall with local leaders, students and families to discuss the importance of college and the key role that Latinos play to help the nation meet the President’s goal to lead the world in college completion by 2020. The event will be broadcast live at http://nowcastsa.com/arne-duncan-san-antonio. Media availability: 7:20-7:35 p.m.
On Friday at 9 a.m., Duncan will visit Fox Tech High School and deliver the keynote address at a White House Hispanic Community Action Summit. The summit is the latest in a series of regional meetings across the country that provide an opportunity for senior administration officials to interact with members of the Hispanic community on a range of issues critical to developing an economy that is built to last. Following the secretary’s remarks, Fox Tech students will participate in a mock court presentation. Note: the public may register to attend the summit at http://go.usa.gov/P4m. Media availability: 11-11:15 a.m.
Following is a list of Duncan’s public, open press events while in Texas.