The American Federation for Children, the nation’s voice for educational choice, is streaming live from the 2013 National Policy Summit, titled, “Educational Choice for Children: Go Big, Go Bold.”

The summit will feature panels on the role of accountability in publicly funded private school choice programs and the importance of providing parents with reliable information about their school choices.

Featured Speakers Schedule:

Monday

Noon – Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, DC

7pm – Governor Mike Pence, Indiana

Tuesday

8am – Mike McCurry, former White House Press Secretary

Noon - Lisa Leslie, Olympic gold medalist and former WNBA star

The Summit will be held Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, located just outside of our nation’s capital.

For more information on this year’s Summit, please visit www.AFCPolicySummit.com.

Speakers include: Gov. Mike Pence, Cardinal Wuerl, WNBA Star Lisa Leslie and former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 8, 2013) – The American Federation for Children, the nation’s voice for educational choice, today released its full program schedule and list of keynotes for the 2013 National Policy Summit, titled, “Educational Choice for Children: Go Big, Go Bold.” Keynote speakers include Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Archbishop of Washington, D.C. Donald Cardinal Wuerl, WNBA star Lisa Leslie and former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry.

“Every day children are finding new opportunities as a result of educational choice and the National Policy Summit will address our momentum, future challenges and the imminent opportunities that await us,” said Betsy DeVos, chairman of the American Federation for Children. “We are excited about our dynamic speakers and panelists from across the country and across the political spectrum.”

The fourth annual summit will be held at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland and runs from Monday, May 20 to Tuesday, May 21.

“With nearly a quarter of a million students currently enrolled in publicly funded private school choice programs, there is no better time than now to join together and celebrate our accomplishments as a movement and how we continue to build on the momentum,” added DeVos. “This year’s summit’s theme: ‘Educational Choice for Children: Go Big, Go Bold’ exemplifies our vision for the future of the school choice movement – big and bold policies and advocacy strategies to ensure that every child, especially those from low-income families, have access to a quality education.”

Click here to view the Summit schedule. Times are subject to change.

American Federation for Children Welcomes Four-Time Olympic Gold medalist Lisa Leslie to 4th Annual Policy Summit



WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 29, 2013) – The American Federation for Children – the nation’s voice for educational choice – today announced that former WNBA star Lisa Leslie will speak at the fourth annual AFC Policy Summit.  Over the last year, Leslie has worked closely with the Federation to promote educational choice for disadvantaged children across the country.

Lisa Leslie is a true American champion. She is a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and a four-time Olympic gold medalist. After retiring from the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks in 2009, Leslie began focusing more on her family and specifically, the education of her children. It is through these experiences as well as her personal educational journey that she decided to join forces with AFC to advocate for expanded parental choice options.

“Having Lisa Leslie join our team has made a tremendous impact in the national discussion for educational choice,” said Betsy DeVos, Chairman of the American Federation for Children. “Her ability to connect with people and her insight into the current education crisis has encouraged more athletes and celebrities to get involved in the fight for reform. We’re deeply honored that she is joining us at this year’s Summit.”

Earlier this year, Leslie partnered with AFC to celebrate National School Choice Week, where she spoke at a rally in Georgia as well as a panel discussion in Tennessee. In addition to her outreach efforts, she has been featured on CNN and other news outlets for her advocacy work on behalf of educational choice.

The fourth annual AFC Policy Summit will be held Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 at the Gaylord National Resort just minutes outside of Washington, D.C.  The conference will feature keynote addresses from the Honorable Mike Pence, Governor of Indiana; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C.; and veteran political strategist, former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry. The Summit will feature panel discussions with some of the nation’s leading policy experts, pollsters, and legislators leading the charge for reform in the states.  For more information about the Summit or to register, please visit www.AFCPolicySummit.com.

Federation Vice-Chair John Kirtley and GreatSchools.Net Founder Bill Jackson to Moderate

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 25, 2013)–The American Federation for Children (AFC) – the nation’s voice for educational choice – will feature panels on the role of accountability in publicly funded private school choice programs and the importance of providing parents with reliable information about their school choices at this year’s fourth annual National Policy Summit.

“We believe strongly that reasonable accountability measures in school choice programs and providing quality information to help parents make the best school choices for their children are essential components for educational quality in America,” said AFC Chairman Betsy DeVos.

AFC Vice Chairman and Step Up For Students Chairman John Kirtley will moderate the accountability panel. Step Up For Students provides K-12 scholarships and related support to give economically disadvantaged families the freedom to choose the best school option for their children. The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program is a model for the nation and currently serves over 50,000 children from low-income families. Panelists include Joe McTighe, Executive Director of the Council for American Private Education; Khawla Asmar, Assistant Principal, Salam School, Milwaukee; Robert Enlow, President and CEO of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice; and Adam Emerson, Director of the Program for Parental Choice at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

GreatSchools.org Founder and CEO Bill Jackson will moderate the school information panel. GreatSchools is the leading national source of school performance information for parents, reaching 41 million unique visitors and 44 percent of American families with children. Along with profiles of more than 200,000 PreK-12 schools and more than 1,000,000 parent and community ratings and reviews of schools, GreatSchools.org provides information, tips, activities, and tools that help parents get the best possible education for their children. Panelists include Mark Gleason, Executive Director, Philadelphia Partnership; Brother Bob Smith, former CEO, Messmer Catholic Schools, Milwaukee; and Alisha Thomas Morgan, State Representative from Georgia.

The American Federation for Children’s National Policy Summit is the nation’s premier annual gathering for school choice advocates interested in the intersection of education, politics, and public policy. This year’s Summit – Educational Choice for Children: Go Big, Go Bold – will include remarks from Indiana Governor Mike Pence; Donald Cardinal Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C.; and former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry. Additional speaker and panel announcements will be made in the coming days and weeks.

The Summit will be held Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, located just outside of our nation’s capital.

For more information on this year’s Summit, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please visit www.AFCPolicySummit.com.

Governor Pence joins growing list of education reform advocates featured at this year’s National Policy Summit

WASHINGTON, DC (April 5, 2013)—The American Federation for Children – the nation’s voice for education choice – is pleased to announce Indiana Governor Mike Pence as a keynote speaker at the fourth annual National Policy Summit, to be held on May 20-21, 2013 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Pence, a longtime champion of educational choice, has been working to strengthen the country’s most expansive private school choice program by allowing eligible children in Indiana to enter the program in Kindergarten and first grade.

“Governor Pence is one of the most vocal and committed advocates in the fight to provide all children with the opportunity to receive a better education through educational options,” said Betsy DeVos, chairman of the American Federation for Children. “We’re pleased to have him join us at this year’s National Policy Summit and look forward to hearing more about his vision for expanding access to school choice programs for Hoosier families.”

Prior to assuming office as the state’s 50th governor on January 14, 2013, Pence represented Indiana’s 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving as Chairman of the House Republican Conference. First elected in 2000, Pence served on the House Judiciary, Foreign Affairs and Agriculture and Small Business Committees, until he resigned to run for Congress in 2012.  Gov. Pence graduated from Hanover College in 1981 and earned his J.D. from Indiana University School of Law in 1986.

The American Federation for Children’s National Policy Summit is the nation’s premier annual gathering for school choice advocates interested in the intersection of education, politics, and public policy. Governor Pence will join Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., veteran political strategist and former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry, as keynote speakers at this year’s event. Additional speaker and panel announcements are expected in the coming days and weeks.

The Summit will be held Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, located just outside of our nation’s capital.

For more information on this year’s Summit, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please visit www.AFCPolicySummit.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 4, 2013)—Mike McCurry, White House Press Secretary under President Bill Clinton and a veteran communications strategist, will deliver remarks at the American Federation for Children’s fourth annual National Policy Summit, to be held on May 20-21, 2013 in National Harbor, Maryland.

McCurry, who is a partner at Public Strategies Washington and Chairman of the Children’s Scholarship Fund, will discuss why he is involved in the battle to improve educational equality and opportunity for America’s K-12 school children.

“We’re honored to welcome Mike McCurry to this year’s National Policy Summit,” said Betsy DeVos, chairman of the American Federation for Children. “With his trademark wit paired with his extensive experience in political and corporate communications, Mike will be a fantastic and informative addition to our Summit event.”

In addition to his experience as White House Press Secretary, McCurry previously served as spokesman for the Department of State and director of communications for the Democratic National Committee. He also served as press secretary for the late Senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was an early supporter of educational choice.

The National Policy Summit is the nation’s premier annual gathering for educational choice advocates interested in the intersection of education, politics, and public policy. In addition to Mike McCurry, this year’s event will feature a series of addresses and panel discussions with elected officials, education reform leaders, pollsters, policy experts, and leading researchers. AFC previously announced that Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., will speak about the importance of educational opportunity for all children at the Summit’s opening luncheon.

The Summit will be held Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, located just outside of our nation’s capital.

For more information on this year’s Summit, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please visit www.AFCPolicySummit.com.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl will join a slate of prominent education reform leaders at AFC’s national summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 9, 2013)—The American Federation for Children—the nation’s voice for educational choice—today announced that Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, will deliver a keynote speech at the organization’s fourth annual National Policy Summit, to be held Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at the Gaylord National Resort outside of Washington, D.C.

Having served as the Archbishop of Washington since 2006, Cardinal Wuerl was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. He is known nationally for his efforts on behalf of Catholic education, and is chancellor of The Catholic University of America, chairman of the board of directors at the National Catholic Educational Association, and chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine.

Cardinal Wuerl has been a strong advocate of the highly-successful D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which this year is helping nearly 1,600 students attend private and Catholic schools of their parents’ choice. At the AFC annual Summit, Cardinal Wuerl will discuss the importance of helping low-income families gain access to better educational options.

“We’re honored to have Cardinal Wuerl, who has exhibited amazing leadership in the fight to restore and strengthen educational choice in Washington, D.C., join us for our Summit this year,” said Kevin P. Chavous, founding board member and Executive Counsel for the American Federation for Children. “He is a dedicated advocate for children and we are proud to welcome him to this national event.”

Prior to the reauthorization of the D.C. program in the spring of 2011, Cardinal Wuerl accompanied D.C. Opportunity  Scholars who attend Catholic schools as guests of House Speaker John Boehner to watch the State of the Union address from the speaker’s box. Since the program was created in 2004, more than 11,000 students have applied for the program and nearly 6,000 students have been awarded scholarships.

The annual AFC Policy Summit has for the past three years brought together a diverse group of elected officials, business and policy leaders, philanthropists, and media commentators to discuss the importance of giving parents all over the country access to high-quality educational options.

Registration for the 2013 Summit is now open and interested individuals can find out more information at the Federation’s newly-revamped Summit website at www.AFCPolicySummit.com.