Gerald Tirozzi, assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education for the U.S. Department of Education, will present the keynote address on July 23 at the seventh annual conference of the School of the 21st Century National Academy sponsored by Yale University. The public is invited to attend the lecture free of charge.
The talk, titled "Education Reform and Implications for Early Childhood Education -- A National Perspective," will begin at 9 a.m. at The Colony Hotel, 1157 Chapel St. Mr. Tirozzi will discuss President Bill Clinton's vision for early childhood care and education, focusing on the importance of family support programs such as The School of the 21st Century, a national program developed at Yale by Edward Zigler, director of the Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy.
The School of the 21st Century is a public school-based program which provides all-day, year-around child care for children ages 3-5. Schools participating in the program also provide home visitation for families with children under age 3, before- and after-school care for school-age children, nutrition and health programs, and referrals for family services. The concept is now used in 400 schools in 13 states.
In his keynote address, Mr. Tirozzi also will discuss ways to meet the primary National Education Goals set out in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, including the primary goal of making sure all children start school ready to learn. The critical role of child care and school-linked family services in school reform efforts will also be explored.
The week-long Yale conference is for school superintendents, principals and teachers from more than 20 states who are interested in implementing the School of the 21st Century program locally. Following the keynote address, awards will be presented to representatives from nine exemplary demonstration schools throughout the nation, including the Charter Oak School in West Hartford and Roberts School in Stamford.
Professor Zigler also will announce the launching of "Children and Families: The School of the 21st Century Newsletter" as part of the program's press support service to member schools. The newsletter will include "The Parents' Page" containing information about the developmental, health, nutritional and social needs of children.
A nationally recognized leader in education reform, Dr. Tirozzi was appointed by President Clinton in January to his Department of Education post. He served previously as a tenured professor at the University of Connecticut's department of education leadership, where he concentrated on urban education issues, educational policy and the preparation of school superintendents.
Mr. Tirozzi served as Connecticut's Commissioner of Education for eight years under the terms of Governors William O'Neill and Lowell Weicker. As commissioner, he played a major leadership role in developing and implementing the Connecticut Mastery Test, which has been recognized as a national model to promote high academic standards and expectations.