EdSource served as the neutral host of the “Convening,” which was held as a response to the Getting Down To Facts research project. The focus of Getting Down to Facts and the policy Convening are finance, governance, personnel and leadership, and data systems. The Convening took place on October 19, 2007.

The objectives of the Convening include 1) getting the attention of state policymakers this fall to ensure they are fully aware of how important the next wave of education reforms are to California’s students and the state’s many K-12 stakeholders; and 2) providing these state policymakers with a robust resource — the Convening Book of Research based policy papers and recommendations — for their consideration and use as they begin to deliberate and develop priorities and legislation; and 3) providing a vehicle for education stakeholders to come together in one day to share and hear education policy ideas and concerns, and to identify others they may want to work with in the coming months.

All the briefs were incorporated into a spiral bound Convening Book. It was hand delivered to all legislators, and mailed by EdSource to an additional group of 50 or so state government leaders in various departments in the executive branch.

More than 50 policy briefs were submitted by 45 groups. All the briefs as well as an overview are available at California School Finance, which is hosted by EdSource.

Sue Westbrook, president of the EC/K-12 Council, presented CFT’s policy brief on Teaching and Working Conditions as part of a panel on “Teacher Capacity” during a breakout session.