Deputy Assistant Secretary John White to Discuss Rural Education on Panel at New England Secondary School Consortium Conference

The U.S. Department of Education’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach, John White, will discuss rural education and efforts to turn around low performing schools in rural areas at the New England Secondary School Consortium’s High School Redesign Conference on Friday, March 23 in Norwood, Mass.

White oversees day-to-day communication and outreach to rural schools, colleges, other stakeholders, and the media covering issues related to education in rural areas. He represents the Secretary of Education on the White House Rural Council and is the Secretary’s designee to the Interagency Coordinating Council for the Appalachian Regional Development Initiative.

White will join Maine State Superintendent of Instruction Don Siviski, Vermont State Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca, and officials from the New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island Departments of Education for a panel discussion titled “State of the States: From Vision to Results.” Together with New England education leaders, White will discuss improving secondary education as well as resources and initiatives that support student-centered learning.

Prior to the panel discussion, White will visit two schools that are supported by a 2010 Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund grant. On Thursday, White will travel to Plymouth South High School and Noble High School, which are part of the New England Network for Personalization and Performance (NETWORK), a consortium of schools using innovative approaches to preparing and motivating students for postsecondary success. The NETWORK was awarded an i3 grant to foster personalized learning to accelerate higher student achievement, lower dropout rates, raise graduation rates, and increase success after high school.