Delmarvanow.com November 6, 2010 UMES to host National Education Conference PRINCESS ANNE -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore's Department of Education is cohosting a national conference Monday in partnership with the Educational Testing Service for colleagues who train primary and secondary teachers and the people who hire them. Educators from Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 10 states and the District of Columbia will spend the day at UMES' Richard A. Henson Center discussing the latest research findings and learning new teacher-preparation strategies. Thelma B. Thompson will welcome participants at the opening session Monday and will facilitate one of the panel discussions, "New Leaders for a New Era." "It's important for the public to know that we have a finger on the pulse of what's happening in education," said Michael Nugent, who coordinates UMES' teacher-credential preparation. Lawmakers and school superintendents from the Eastern Shore of Maryland also will participate in the 15th Collaboration Conference organized by ETS, a nonprofit that administers Praxis tests that most teachers must pass to earn their professional credentials. Michael Nettles, senior vice president of ETS, will moderate a panel discussion with these local policymakers. ETS has worked with HBCUs since 2003 on "the dual challenges of improving teaching quality and student achievement," ETS spokeswoman Barbara Klish said. The goal, she said, is to boost the number of "qualified minority teachers gaining licensure for K-12 classroom teaching." An estimated 75 participants at the UMES conference will attend sessions and hear speakers discuss educational reform, including the federal Race to the Top grant program, student access to higher education and best practices for preparing teacher candidates. Participants also will receive a briefing from ETS about developments in teacher licensure testing. The UMES event is particularly timely, Nugent noted, because the federal government is awarding millions of dollars in grants "designed to encourage and reward states that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform" to improve student achievement and prepare them for college. Delaware received $100 million in Race to the Top funding, while Maryland recently qualified for $250 million. John Smeallie, deputy State superintendent of administration from the Maryland Department of Education, will deliver a keynote speech Sunday at a private dinner for conference participants on the new state grant and other reforms, according to Karen Verbeke, director of teacher education and chairwoman of UMES' department of education. For more information about the conference, contact Nugent at 410 651-8362 or manugent@umes.edu<mailto:manugent@umes.edu>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.