BLACK ENTERPRISE Holds Symposium on New Policies and Standards to Improve the Quality of American Public Education

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Enterprise, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is pleased to present "Today's Business Crisis: Educating Tomorrow's Workforce," on Friday, September 20, at The Walter E. Washington Convention Center, West Salon in Washington, D.C. The symposium is part of a series aimed to cultivate a conversation between top leaders in business, philanthropy and education about the critical challenges facing the American K-12 and postsecondary educational system. The symposium series has been held in Memphis, Tenn., Charlotte, N.C., Orlando, Fla., and Columbus, Ohio.

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The Black Enterprise "Today's Business Crisis" symposium will focus on the obligations and responsibilities for business leaders, politicians and policy makers on the development of comprehensive education reform that will engage students and prepare them for the 21^st century workforce. Symposium speakers will also focus on why resolving the debate over Common Core State Standards—adopted in more than 40 states but under attack by large numbers of state educators, administrators and legislators—is so critical to those efforts. U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), a member of the House Committee on Education & Workforce Development, will be among those delivering remarks at the symposium.

The Washington, D.C. symposium, being held in concert with the 43^rd Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, is open to the general public. To RSVP, click on the following link: http://www.BlackEnterprise.com/billgateswashington/.

"By assisting and increasing the quality of education with postsecondary schools," says Symposium Moderator Dr. Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Jesse Climenko Professor, Harvard Law, "we give students the competitive edge to compete internationally. Colleges must continue to train, prepare and equip students for the 'real world.' The students are relying on us to prepare them for the workforce and we must fulfill our obligation to teach them. All academic institutions must be willing to critically evaluate and transform their current structure, courses offered and teaching methodologies to meet the future needs of our students and our society in a cost-effective manner."

Moderator Dr. Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Jesse Climenko Professor, Harvard Law School

Panelists
James H. Shelton III, Assistant Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
John B. King Jr, New York State Commissioner of Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary & Secondary Education
Dr. Ronald Carter, President, Johnson C. Smith University
Michael Hyter, Executive Leadership Council
Greg Roberts, Executive Director, National Alliance of Black School Educators

Additional Program Participants
Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Member, House Committee on Education & Workforce Development
Joe Scantlebury, Senior Policy Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Earl "Butch" Graves, President/CEO, BLACK ENTERPRISE
Derek Dingle, SVP/Editor-in-Chief, BLACK ENTERPRISE

"It is imperative business leaders' partner with the academic community ensuring our schools are producing graduates with the skills we desire for our businesses to remain competitive in this global economy," says Earl "Butch" Graves, Jr., President and CEO, BLACK ENTERPRISE. "Black Enterprise has consistently sounded the call to address this crisis as the system even more egregiously fails our children it's charged with educating and preparing for productive lives. If we are to have a strong workforce; we must have strong schools. We are proud to have the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to increase the focus on solutions that can ultimately resolve this crisis; and that cannot be successfully executed without business leaders being fully committed to reform education."  

BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 4.1 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends. 

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