Ill. State Bd. of Ed. Chair Ruiz, State Sen. Lightford & State Rep. Mitchell Will Discuss Progress Made on Solutions to End Illinois' Dropout Crisis at Symposium

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Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:00am EST 

Ill. State Bd. of Ed. Chair Ruiz, State Sen. Lightford & State Rep. Mitchell
Will Discuss Progress Made on Solutions to End Illinois' Dropout Crisis at
Symposium



    WHAT:  State and local elected officials address statewide solutions to
           ending Illinois' high school dropout crisis at a luncheon
           symposium hosted by the Chicago Urban League (CUL), Illinois
           State Council on Re-Enrolling Students Who Dropped Out of School
           and Alternative Schools Network (ASN).

           Chairman of the Council and the Illinois State Board of Education
           (ISBE) Mr. Jesse Ruiz, will discuss progress on Illinois and
           Chicago's breakthrough legislation and solutions to end the state's
           high school dropout crisis.  Linda Lenz, founder and publisher of
           Catalyst Chicago will moderate a panel discussion including:
           Illinois Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D, 4th District); Illinois Rep.
           Jerry Mitchell (R, 90th District); Mr. Ruiz; Darren Reisberg,
           General Counsel, ISBE; Ron Huberman, CEO, Chicago Public Schools;
           and Herman Brewer, Acting President & CEO, CUL.

           On July 30, 2009, Illinois Governor Quinn signed the Illinois Hope
           and Opportunity Pathways through Education (IHOPE) bill, the most
           comprehensive piece of legislation in the nation to provide a
           planning and funding structure to re-enroll high school dropouts
           and S.B. 612, which increases the number of charter schools across
           the state and enables the development of five new multi-site
           charter schools in Chicago specifically to help dropouts return to
           school. This symposium provides a forum for discussion about the
           solutions made possible by the IHOPE and Chicago HOPE programs.

           The agenda includes a presentation of IHOPE Champion Awards 2009
           to honor leaders at the forefront of finding systemic solutions for
           re-enrolling Illinois students who had dropped out of school.

    WHY:   This legislation will create programs that will reduce violence on
           the streets, incarceration rates, and save taxpayers more than
           $290,000 over the lifetime of each re-enrolled student.

    WHO:   Speakers Include:
             -  Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford (D-4)
             -  Illinois State Representative Jerry Mitchell (R-90)
             -  Jesse Ruiz, Chair Ill. State Bd. of Ed.
             -  Darren Reisberg, General Counsel, Ill. State Board of
                Education
             -  Ron Huberman, Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Public Schools
             -  Herman Brewer, Acting President & CEO, Chicago Urban League
             -  Linda Lenz, Founder & Publisher, Catalyst Chicago
             -  Jack Wuest, Executive Director, Alternative Schools Network


    WHEN:  Thursday, November 12th, 2009
           11:30 a.m. - 2:35 p.m. (complimentary lunch at 11:30 a.m.)

    WHERE: The Union League Club
           65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL

    FOR MORE INFORMATION:

    Laurie R. Glenn
    Phone: 773.252.8672, ext. 301
    Mobile: 773.704.7246
    E-mail: lrglenn@thinkincstrategy.com

    /PRNewswire -- Nov. 12/





SOURCE  Alternative Schools Network
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