City of Rochester
News Release
(Friday, March 14, 2014) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren is with other key mayors from around the country taking part in the Mayors in Education Convening today in Washington, D.C. The two-day event is being hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in conjunction with the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
“I am eager to engage with my peers to discuss the many challenges facing city schools,” said Mayor Warren. “For Rochester, I believe that education is at the root of all of our problems and I believe it must be at the root of our solutions. This Convening is an excellent opportunity to learn from other cities and hear about resources that could benefit our city.”
The Mayors in Education Convening is an invitation-only event bringing together a select few mayors from around the country—many of whom are providing leadership in education innovation and/or serving on education task forces and teams—to discuss ways to increase the achievement of students--particularly those who are disadvantaged.
Today’s Convening events include a “fireside chat” with Bill Gates to discuss the opportunities that mayors have to champion education by supporting high academic standards and great teachers in their cities. Mr. Gates also discussed how the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports the Common Core State Standards and other education initiatives.
The Convening includes a review of the Common Core State Standards and the role they play in school improvement and student readiness for college and career and a session on driving economic development through education.
Other sessions include reforming city schools with community coalitions; equity education and the importance of standards as a vehicle for helping minority students become college and career-ready; how mayors are uniquely positioned to leverage data to maximize student outcomes; and public-private partnerships.
The event will culminate this afternoon with an innovation showcase intended to inspire and energize attendees to launch and drive innovative approaches to education. Hotel and transportation expenses have been paid by the Gates Foundation.
-30-
News Media: For more information, contact Communications Director Christine Christopher at 428-7135.