Advancing education in the state of Iowa

The University of Northern Iowa's College of Education will host the second annual Education Summit on Thursday and Friday, March 10 and 11, in Maucker Union. International, national, and regional scholars and leaders in education will discuss current research, practices and policies.

This year's summit theme, "Necessary Connectedness: The New Edge of Education," will focus on four primary strands: literacy education, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, teacher leadership and diversity.

"Creating and delivering quality public education requires a complex system of institutions and individuals," said Ralph Reynolds, UNI's Richard O. Jacobson Professor of Literacy and Research. "Institutional change is always difficult; however, it becomes significantly more probable if relevant stakeholders are involved at all levels of the reform discussion. The Education Summit provides a venue and an opportunity for these discussions and interactions to take place in our collective effort to advance public education in the state of Iowa."

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, March 10, participants will hear from keynote speakers and engage in breakout sessions. A reception and lecture by Sonia Nieto, professor emerita of language, literacy and culture in the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts, will follow from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. Additional keynote speakers and breakout sessions are scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m., Friday, March 11, including Sen. Herman Quirmbach.

The Education Summit is designed for educators, administrators, policy makers, community leaders, teacher preparation leaders, pre-service teachers and others with a direct link to education in Iowa and the nation. Registration is $50 and is required; UNI students, faculty and staff can attend the summit for free. Nieto's lecture on Thursday evening is free and open to the public as part of the Education Lecture Series.

Follow UNI's Education Summit on Facebook for updates and additional details.