The Obama Education Agenda: Principles, Policies, and Prospects
University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Educational Policy Studies Annual Conference
March 8-9, 2011
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011 – Wisconsin Union Theater (Memorial Union)
7:00 PM: "The Future of Public Education," by Diane Ravitch (New York University and
Brookings Institution), co-sponsored by Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER),
Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters (WASAL). Introductions by Julie Underwood
(Dean, School of Education), Margaret Lewis (WASAL) and Bill Reese (EPS and History)
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Wednesday, March 9, 2011 -- Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, Room 159
9:00-10:30 AM: Principles, Policies and Prospects in U.S. K-12 Education
Welcome and Chair/discussant: Stacey Lee (EPS)
• Doug Harris (EPS and La Follette School of Public Affairs) "The Race to the Top and the
Use of Evidence in Policymaking"
• Linn Posey (EPS), "(Re)Making 'Good' Schools: Parents, the State, and Public
Education in The Obama Era"
• Diana Hess (Curriculum and Instruction and the Spencer Foundation) "Who Will/Should
Teach the Children?"
10:45-12:10 PM: Principles, Policies and Prospects in U.S. Higher and Postsecondary
Education Chair/discussant: Adam Gamoran (Sociology and EPS, Director, WCER)
• Sara Goldrick-Rab (EPS and Sociology) "The Collision Between Equity, Excellence, and
Efficiency in the Obama Higher Education Agenda"
• Aaron Brower (Social Work, ELPA, and Vice Provost for Teaching & Learning) "Higher
Education Accountability and Performance Measurement in a Google World: The UWMadison
Experience"
• Tom DiPrete (Sociology) "Pathways and Pitfalls on the Road to College Graduation for
Men and Women"
12:15-2:00 PM: Lunch and Keynote Talk by Congressman David Obey (7th District of
Wisconsin, 1969-2011), co-sponsored by WISCAPE. Introduction by Dean Julie Underwood
2:00-3:30 PM: Principles, Policies and Prospects in U.S. International Education
Chair/discussant: Amy Stambach (EPS and Anthropology, Associate Dean of International
Studies)
• Jeremi Suri (History), "Education and U.S. Nation Building from the Civil War to Iraq"
• Nancy Kendall (EPS), "Reading, 'Rithmetic, and Reproductive Health: The Gender and
Health Implications of US International Basic Education Policy"
• Mark Johnson (EPS), "The Tragedy of American Public Diplomacy, 1991-2011"
3:45-5:30 PM: Roundtable: Historical, Philosophical and Ideological Reflections
Chair/discussant: Adam Nelson (EPS and History)
• Harry Brighouse (Philosophy and EPS) "Are We Entitled to Criticize the Obama
Agenda?"
• Michael Apple (Curriculum & Instruction and EPS) "Grading Obama's Education
Policy"
• Gloria Ladson-Billings (Curriculum & Instruction and EPS)
• Michael Olneck (EPS)
