PITT TO PRESENT REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL CONGRESS

PITTSBURGH, June 9 -- The University of Pittsburgh will present "A Regional Educational Congress: Building Community Awareness of School Redesign Strategies in Western Pennsylvania" on Wednesday, June 21, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in the William Pitt Union, Fifth Avenue, Oakland.

The conference, which is open to the community as well as educational professionals, focuses on improving student achievement. Sponsored by Pitt's Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC) and the School of Education's Tri-State Area School Study Council, in cooperation with Phi Delta Kappa, Western Region, the conference will illustrate the status of educational reform occurring in the region so that school and community leaders may promote similar reform in their own districts.

Alan Lesgold, executive associate director of LRDC and newly appointed dean of Pitt's School of Education, will welcome participants who will include school administrators, board members, parents, community representatives, the business community, political leaders, and policy advocates.

Richard Elmore, Harvard University professor of education and one of the leading authorities on educational reform in the country, will deliver the first keynote address. The second combined keynote, describing successful programs, will be presented by Casey Carter, Bradley Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and author of "No Excuses: Seven Principles of Low-Income Schools Who Set the Standards for High Achievement," and Michael Feinberg, principal of the highly successful KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) charter middle school in the Houston Independent School District. Linda Dickerson, president of the Education Policies and Issues Center, will moderate audience discussion with the three keynote speakers.

Registration and continental breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. For information on registration, fees, and scholarships to attend, call Chester Kent at 412-648-7169.

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