KCOMM and Insight Schools hosted a special event Tuesday evening titled Education Solutions for California 2010 in the Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman University. Over 200 educators and professionals attended the invitation only event, which featured keynote speaker Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-Anaheim) who addressed education issues from a local, national, and global perspective.
Sanchez then joined a panel of education experts, which included:
Dr. Sherry Opacic, Director, Institute for Leadership Development, Orange County Department of Education;
Keith Oelrich, CEO, Insight Schools;
Jeff McBride, CEO, YMCA of Orange County;
Dr. P.K. Shukla, Vice-Chancellor for Entrepreneurship, Chapman University;
Dr. Alexandria Coronado, President, Orange County Board of Education (and author of this article);
John Stephens Senior Vice-President, Keenan & Associates;
and moderator Manny Medrano, Attorney with Medrano Carlton and KTLA-TV Commentator.
Medrano peppered the panel with questions on various topics. When asked about the two most critical challenges facing public schools in California today, Coronado answered, "Money, and how we get the money." The panelist went on to explain how the state legislature needs to provide more flexibility in the money school districts already receive.
When Congresswoman Sanchez was asked about the conditions and decisions that led us into the crisis in our public schools, she responded that she thought Proposition 13 was the biggest culprit. She went to describe the differences in the public schools before and after Proposition 13 was implemented.
Dr. Opacic mentioned the work of Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why right brainers will rule the future, and Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us.
"Daniel Pink likes to say we need to prepare students for their future, not our past," Opacic said. Opacic's response led Medrano into questions about technology and access to technology within the public schools.
Medrano prompted panelists to speak about the future of technology in the classroom and how it can be utilized to help students learn and achieve, and the innovative projects currently within our public schools. Other panelists were asked about the role of the federal government in public education.
Congresswoman Sanchez received an award from the YMCA for her work with children in after school programs in the cities of Santa Ana and Anaheim.
The event also featured several vendors and was well-received by everyone. For more information, please link here.
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