On the road

State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster attended the annual meeting of the American Diploma Project Network in Washington, D.C., June 4-5.

Also attending were Mark Cullen, Immediate Past President of Competitive Wisconsin and Chair of J. P. Cullen and Sons, Inc.; University of Wisconsin System Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Rebecca Martin; Wisconsin Technical College System Vice President for Teaching and Learning Kathleen Cullen; Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Executive Vice President Mari McCarty; Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) President-Elect Mary Bell; and Maria Bundy, education policy adviser in the Office of Gov. Jim Doyle.

Wisconsin's delegation joined those of the other 28 states involved in the project. Discussion focused on the role of standards assessment and instruction in helping better prepare students for the transition out of high school and into careers or postsecondary opportunities.

Simultaneously, the Department of Public Instruction sent staff to the conference of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) in Charleston, West Virginia. P21 is the leading national education-business coalition focused on infusing 21st century skills into education.

Speaking at the ADP meeting, Burmaster explained that Wisconsin has joined both efforts, because the ADP supplies a lens of rigor, and P21 a lens of relevance, through which to critically examine the educational system and whether standards are aligned with postsecondary and workforce expectations.

On June 7 and 8, Burmaster attended meetings of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents on the UW-Milwaukee campus.

For more information about SEAchange, contact: Benson Gardner at (608) 266-3374.

Last updated on 6/11/2007