White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans Begins a Series of "Community Conversations"
Archived Information

en Español

FOR RELEASE:
July 10, 2009
Contact: John White, Press Secretary
(202) 401-1576 or
john.white@ed.gov

Juan Sepúlveda, Director,
White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans
(202) 412-4839 or
juan.sepulveda@ed.gov

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that Juan Sepulveda, Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, is beginning a series of community conversations next week in Texas. Sepulveda has contacted Hispanic communities nationwide and will continue to do so, as he begins this series with trips to several states and Puerto Rico between July and the end of September.

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans was created by Executive Order on September 24, 1990 to improve Federal efforts to promote quality education for Hispanic Americans. Sepulveda is visiting Hispanic communities to gain input prior to updating the Executive Order later this year.

“Education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite for success. We need to hear from and meet the needs of all students of all ages and eliminate the gaps in achievement between children of different backgrounds,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “My hope is that Juan Sepulveda helps us connect more closely to the Hispanic community and understand the challenges families face, so we are better able to provide clear paths to college and careers.”

Sepulveda will travel to Laredo, San Antonio, Brownsville, Austin, El Paso, and Houston next week, before visiting Chicago later this month. These trips will include visits with community leaders, elected officials, and educators. He will also host town hall-style “Community Conversations” to gain public input on the status of Hispanic education. The following is the schedule of next week’s Community Conversations:

Sunday, July 12, 2009
Laredo, TX
Texas A&M International University
Student Center—5201 University Boulevard
2:30—4:30 pm Community Conversation

Monday, July 13, 2009
San Antonio, TX
University of Texas at San Antonio
Downtown Campus—501 W. Durango Street, Southwest Room
12:30—2:30 pm Community Conversation

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Brownsville, TX
University of Texas at Brownsville
Salon Cassia, Education and Business Complex
1:00—3:00 pm Community Conversation

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Austin, TX
Austin Community College
Room 1130—South Austin Campus, 1820 W. Stassney Lane
12:30—2:30 pm Community Conversation

Thursday, July 16, 2009
El Paso, TX
El Paso Community College
Building A—Board Room, Administrative Service Center
12:30—2:30 pm Community Conversation

Friday, July 17, 2009
Houston, TX
Houston Community College
3100 Main Street—Auditorium
12:30—2:30 pm Community Conversation

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Last Modified: 07/15/2009