U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will visit Detroit and Ann Arbor Thursday as part of "Education and the Economy," the U.S. Education Department's second annual back-to-school bus tour.
In Detroit, Duncan will join Gov. Rick Snyder, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, and Emergency Financial Manager Roy Roberts for a "New Day" forum at Charles H. Wright Academy of Arts and Science to highlight recent steps initiated by Michigan and the city of Detroit to provide better support and turn around persistently low-performing schools across Michigan.
Later in Ann Arbor, Duncan will visit the University of Michigan where he, along with a faculty panel from the School of Education, will discuss how to promote excellence in America's classrooms, particularly for disadvantaged and underserved students.
Secretary Duncan's bus tour begins Wednesday in Pennsylvania and continues through Friday with stops in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois — in addition to Michigan. Several Department senior staff will join Duncan in visiting cities across the Great Lakes region including additional events that will be held in Detroit and neighboring areas.
On Wednesday, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement Jim Shelton will address the Parents as Partners: 2011 Parent Forum at the Michigan State University Detroit Center. (Event has been postponed.) And on Friday, Assistant Secretary Alexa Posny will address a teacher recruitment event for special education at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti.
Throughout the tour, Duncan and his staff will promote the work of America's educators in building a strong cradle-to-college and -career continuum that prepares students to compete in the growing global economy. Duncan will discuss the administration's dual commitments — investing in education to secure our future and reducing spending while increasing efficiency.
Editor’s Note: Today’s 2011 Parent Forum with Assistant Deputy Secretary Jim Shelton has been postponed. Still scheduled, however, are Secretary Duncan’s appearances Thursday in Detroit and Ann Arbor.