Newsmaker Panels Look at Education Issues in White House Race and Other Fall Campaigns, Tues., Aug. 30, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

What are the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees saying about education and how do their positions differ? What are the implications for schools and colleges depending on who wins the White House? And, what other contests this fall are important to watch for those who follow the education debate?

In conjunction with the Education Writers Association and timed to the start of the school year, the National Press Club will sponsor back-to-back one-hour Newsmaker panels on pre-K-12 and higher education, Tues., Aug 30, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., in the Club’s Lisagor Room. Panelists will take questions from the audience.

The pre-K-12 panel will examine key topics, such as early childhood education, charter schools, teacher quality, and the Common Core. Speakers will explore tensions within both political parties over K-12 education, including the appropriate federal role. Confirmed speakers include: Lily Eskelsen Garcia, the president of the National Education Association; Shavar Jeffries, the president of Democrats for Education Reform; and Andy Smarick, a partner at Bellwether Education Partners and formerly an education official in the Bush administration. Smarick also was recently named the president of the Maryland State Board of Education. The moderator is EWA Executive Director Caroline Hendrie.

The second panel will focus on college affordability. Hillary Clinton now advocates for tuition-free public colleges. How will that change higher education? And what are the implications of Donald Trump’s suggestion that he might upend the federal government’s role in student lending? Speakers include: Jason Delisle, an education analyst at the American Enterprise Institute; Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee; and Matt Owens, a vice president at the Association of American Universities. To moderate the higher education panel, Michael Vasquez, a former Miami Herald education reporter who now leads Politico’s Pro Education team, will join Hendrie.

The Education Writers Association is a national professional membership organization that works to strengthen the community of education writers and improve education coverage.

As with all Newsmaker events, this forum is open to credentialed media and Press Club members, free of charge. No advance registration is required.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS EVENT, CONTACT:

Jamie Horwitz, 202-549-4921, [email protected]