NewSchools

The NewSchools Summit is an invitation-only gathering of leaders from across the education, business, policy and nonprofit sectors.

Since 1998, NewSchools Venture Fund has worked to transform public education so that all children – especially those in underserved communities – have the opportunity to succeed. We have supported many of the nation’s highest performing entrepreneurial organizations and work closely with them to create systemic change.

The NewSchools Summit 2010 provided participants with an opportunity to reflect on the changing context in which these education entrepreneurs are operating. Through a bold set of competitive and incentive funds, new policy directions, staffing choices, and key speeches, the Obama administration has placed a big “bet” on the capacity of education and other social entrepreneurs to drive innovation in underserved American communities. These and other policy changes stand to increase demand and remove barriers for education entrepreneurs, resulting in a remarkable opportunity to expand this work. But that investment in an entrepreneurial theory of change brings with it pressure to deliver results on an unprecedented scale, and will alter the education reform landscape significantly. NewSchools Summit 2010 featured a range of conversations about the ways that the public, private and nonprofit sectors should work together in the years ahead to dramatically improve our nation’s public education system.

 

Learn More:

• NewSchools’ Summit blog
• Summit 2010 agenda, including links to video clips
• Past event highlights
• Read the summary report, “Answering the Administration’s Call: Stepping Up and Scaling Impact”

Political Savvy: Guidebook for a New Landscape

Featuring NewSchools Summit 1

An accomplished panel of educational reformers share ideas and advice on how to build coalitions, engage with politicians and understand the operational and political challenges ahead.

Using Technology to Achieve Ambitious Goals: NewSchools Venture Summit Panel Discussion

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Opportunities for learning are now available 24/7/365, as students utilize technology to interact with, learn about and communicate with the world. Mindful of this, educational entrepreneurs have found ways to integrate technology to add breadth and depth to a student’s experience. In this panel discussion, Gary Knells speaks on how the multi-platform approach of Sesame Street Workshop has become a gamechanger for early childhood education. Katie Salen discusses how teachers connect to their students in the digital age at Quest to Learn. Joel Rose transforms the old classroom with new models that offer personalized instruction for students. Milton Chen closes by sharing examples of 21st century innovations in education, which can be further explored at Edutopia.org and in his recently published book, Education Nation.  They spoke at the NewSchools Summit, an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund. This podcast is sponsored by Social Innovation Conversations.

Schools Hit the Big Screen: Influencing the Public Mindset

Three films, Waiting for “Superman”, The Lottery, and Teached, all of which provide a candid and critical look at U.S. public education, hit the big screen this year. Positioned to generate conversation and action about education reform, these documentaries take you into the lives of children and families who are struggling in a system that is failing them. 2010 Sundance Audience Award winner Waiting for “Superman” has garnered attention through its support from Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Mark Zuckerberg, among others. This panel of filmmakers speaks on their experiences telling these powerful stories and offers ways for the audience to be part of the solution in their own communities and via media platforms. They spoke at the 2010 NewSchools Summit, an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund.

NewSchools Venture Summit

Featuring Arne Duncan and George Miller

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Chairman of the House Committee on Education George Miller, address the NewSchools Summit 2010.