Closing The Opportunity Gap

Fifty years after the War on Poverty, inequality in educational opportunity continues to compromise our nation’s economic vitality and the rich potential of countless students. These inequities start early: over 1 million children annually enter kindergarten a year or more behind their peers. More than fifty percent of Americans live in areas that face an early education “quality crisis”; not coincidentally, the same number of children from low-income communities are not prepared for success when they enter school. This ‘Drop the Mic’ session will zero in on new strategies to accelerate early learning opportunities with renowned experts and entrepreneurs who are tackling some of early childhood’s most pressing problems. They will posit practical solutions and strategies needed for every child to get a great start.

Moderator / MC: Kris Perry, Deputy Secretary and Senior Advisor to the Governor at California Health and Human Services Agency

Panelists/Participants

1. Meredith Liu, Co-Founder & Chief Design Officer, The Primary School

2. Rebecca Berlin, Senior Vice President, Quality, Solutions and Impact, Ounce of Prevention

3. Henry Wilde, Co-Founder & CEO, Acelero

4. Chris Bennett, Co-Founder & CEO, Wonderschool

5. Tammy Kwan, Co-Founder & CEO, Cognitive Toybox

6. Max Tuchman, Co-Founder & CEO, Caribu