The best teachers and schools cannot compensate for poor health, hunger, fear and sadness, violence, bullying or poverty. When students wrestle with these and other social barriers, they are more likely to miss school, do poorly on tests and drop out.

Maya Rockeymoore interviews Rev. Jesse Jackson to discuss education reform and the education achievement gap in the United States.

The Reverend Al Sharpton discusses how people of color are not being served by U.S. public schools and how we can close the achievement gap in education.

Dennis Van Roekel presents the National Education Association’s views on revitalizing the public educational system, reforming schools and revamping accountability systems for 21st century learning, and ensuring sustainability of public education.

Maya Rockeymore discusses the purpose of the Forum for Education and Democracy as well as the inherent issues in the U.S. public school system. Topics include: closing the achievement gap, facilitating teachers’ success, and ESEA reauthorization.

Dr. Rockeymoore, CEO, Global Policy Solutions convenes Bridging Differences: What Works in Schools conference on May 4, 2010 and introduces leading child psychologist James P. Comer of the Yale School of Medicine.

Douglas W. Anthony, Dir. School Leadership from Prince George 's County Public Schools presents at the What Works in Schools Conference. Topics include school reform, U.S. education policy and developing teachers and administrators.

Dr. Deborah Meier addresses the What Works in Schools Conference. Topics include school reform, U.S. education policy and issues with standardized testing in schools.

Diane Ravitch, Research Professor of Education at New York University talks about her incredible experiences meeting with hundreds of teachers and policy makers. Topics include school reform, U.S. education policy and No Child Left Behind.

Sam Chaltain, National Director, Forum for Education and Democracy discusses U.S. public education policy and school reform.  Topics include: closing the achievement gap, facilitating teachers’ success, and ESEA reauthorization