Education Class Spends Spring Break at DC Schools, with Policy Makers and Alumni

Warm weather greets us as we maneuver through Washington DC.  The nation’s capital is our destination for a trip focused on gaining a better understanding of the complexity of public education in the US.  The trip is part of a class that examines the mathematics and science achievement gap in high-seeds schools.   With funding from  a “Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow” grant that has been used to minimize the cost of the trip and a half semester’s worth of readings, lectures, discussions, guests speakers and school visits, the team of 12 students, one teaching assistant and myself are eager to get started.

Thanks to the staff at the DC office, we have a packed schedule ahead of us that includes site visits with national experts in public education, a US Senator, and alumni that are teaching, leading and conducting research in education.  We will meet at the National Science Foundation and visit schools where W&M alumni will be our hosts.  Tonight we are content to get settled and watch a documentary on public education.

Our team consists of some of the most dedicated scholars that will likely teach in our schools, advocate for education, conduct education policy research and some will lead our schools.  They are Brittany Borman, Katie Caudle, Mary Grech, Trent Johnson, Ahmed Khokar, Shawna LeBlond, Cassie Powell, Estelle Rousseau, Timmy Sivard, Doug Tibbett, Ellie Walsh and Carly Zeh.  We will all blog and contribute to this trip’s ongoing dialogue.