The Texas Tribune is pleased to present a daylong symposium on public education in Texas. Topics of discussion will include public education and the Legislature; school choice in the 85th session; assessment and accountability; and special education.

8 a.m.: Breakfast

8:30 a.m.: Public Ed and the Legislature

• State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, chairman of the House Public Education Committee
• State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, chairman of the Senate Education Committee
• Moderated by Evan Smith, co-founder and CEO of The Texas Tribune

9:35 a.m.: School Choice in the 85th

• State Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, member of the House Public Education Committee
• Mike Feinberg, co-founder of KIPP Public Schools
• Charles Foster Johnson, executive director of Pastors for Texas Children
• Randan Steinhauser, policy specialist for Texans for Education Opportunity
• Moderated by Aliyya Swaby, public education reporter for The Texas Tribune

10:35 a.m.: Testing, Standards and Accountability

• Courtney L. Boswell, executive director of Texas Aspires
• Richard Carranza, superintendent of the Houston Independent School District
• Louis Malfaro, president of Texas American Federation of Teachers
• Theresa Trevino, president of the board for Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment
• Moderated by Aliyya Swaby, public education reporter for The Texas Tribune

11:35 a.m.: Special Education in Texas

• Steven Aleman, policy specialist for Disability Rights Texas
• Bonnie Garza, special education advocate
• Deena Hill, executive director of special education for the Fort Bend Independent School District
• Jim Walsh, school district attorney at Walsh Gallegos Treviño Russo & Kyle P.C.
• Dana Wrann, special education teacher for the San Antonio Independent School District
• Moderated by Brian Rosenthal, Austin bureau reporter for the Houston Chronicle

12:35 p.m.: A Conversation with Former Education Commissioners Jim Nelson and Robert Scott

• Jim Nelson, former Texas Education Commissioner
• Robert Scott, former Texas Education Commissioner
• Moderated by Evan Smith, co-founder and CEO of The Texas Tribune

This event will take place in the Wilhelmina Cullen Robertson Auditorium located on the 3rd floor of the Academic Building at the University of Houston–Downtown. It is free and open to the public and will include a light breakfast and bites throughout the day. Paid parking is available in the Welcome Center Garage (201 Girard St., map). The Welcome Center Garage is located at the corner of Travis and Girard Streets. Take Travis Street to Girard, make a right and you’ll see the garage entrance. Additional parking is available at nearby metered parking lots (parking information – parking is not included with registration).

The Tribune's symposia are modeled on the celebrated Texas Tribune Festival. These one-day, one-topic events bring together experts to present and generate productive conversations on major issues of the day.

This event is presented by the Walton Family Foundation and supported by the Texas Association of School Business Officials, ETS, Educate Texas, Texas State Technical College, the Harris County Department of Education, Thompson & Horton LLP and Southwest Airlines, the official airline of Texas Tribune Events. This event is hosted by the University of Houston-Downtown and media support is provided by Houston Public Media and Houston Press. Foundation support is provided by the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation, the Meadows Foundation and the Burdine Johnson Foundation. Tribune events are also supported through contributions from our founding investors and members.

Disclosure: Though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite our events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.