The QMC’s discussion series, titled, “By the Numbers,” promotes healthy discussion among invited experts and audience members with a focus on the “numbers” (quantitative data & findings). Topics will be current and appeal broadly to educators and social science researchers. We strongly encourage attendees to read listed supplemental briefs/attachments for each event. Each discussion will begin with an introduction of the expert(s), a brief presentation (15-20 minutes), followed by 25-35 minutes minutes of a discussion and Q&A period, moderated by the QMC. This approach allows for a deeper discussion and more critical analysis on the topic than the typical speaker series.
- Ask or disagree nicely.
- Avoid a raised voice.
- Be comfortable to agree to disagree without trying to be the winner.
- Avoid strong language and belittling or dismissive comments.
- Allow equal opportunity to engage in the discussion.
Information about our Fall 2023 By the Numbers Series is provided below, including registration links. As a brief reminder, all presentations for the Fall 2023 semester will be held virtually via Zoom, and registration will be required for attendees to receive a Zoom link.
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, or if you have any additional questions, please contact our Associate Director Brian Timm (timm.21). At least two weeks’ advance notice will help us to provide seamless access.
Fall 2023 By the Numbers Events
Friday, October 6, 2023, 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Jacqueline Nowicki, Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Title: School Segregation By the Numbers
Please join Ms. Jacqueline Nowicki, the Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), for a discussion on recent reports regarding school segregation among US K-12 schools.
Please read the following report written by Dr. Nowicki before attending the event:
Jacqueline Nowicki
Bio
Ms. Nowicki is a Director in the Education, Workforce, and Income Security Team at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. She is responsible for leading GAO’s work on a wide range of pre K-12 issues, including special education, school facilities, K12 COVID spending, equitable access, school climate and safety, and Head Start. A nationally recognized expert in K-12 education, she regularly testifies before Congress and has made dozens of recommendations to Congress and federal agencies to improve federal oversight and educational outcomes for kids. She also has 25+ years of experience with federal budgeting and grants management issues. Additionally, she teaches a wide range of leadership and writing courses in GAO’s Learning Center, and is a certified diversity and inclusion facilitator.
Ms. Nowicki joined GAO in 1998 and has received numerous awards during her GAO career, including GAO’s Client Services award for exemplary commitment to providing expert and timely service to Congressional clients; two Chief Learning Officers Awards for exceptional commitment to and outstanding performance in redesigning and teaching writing and leadership courses; and both Distinguished and Meritorious Service awards for her dedication to staff development and motivating staff to achieve high levels of performance.
Prior to joining GAO, Ms. Nowicki worked in private sector consulting and led projects on education, job training and social policy issues for state and local government clients, and served as a Senior Fiscal Analyst at the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. She earned a Master’s degree in public policy from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Affairs and a Bachelor’s degree in finance from Lehigh University. She and her family live in New England.
Event Registration
Registration for this event is now open! Click this link to register for the event!
Friday, November 17, 2023, 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Dr. Daniel Losen, National Center for Youth Law
Title: School Punishment By the Numbers
Please join Dr. Daniel Losen, Director of Education at the National Center for Youth Law, for a discussion of recent findings regarding school punishment.
Please read the following Census report authored by Dr. Losen before attending the event:
Dr. Daniel Losen
Bio
Daniel J. Losen is the Senior Director for the Education team at the National Center for Youth Law and contributes to the organization’s efforts in the area of education on behalf of all students, especially children of color and others that have historically been discriminated against. Dan’s work includes promoting resource equity, the Honest Education campaign, and fighting against the school-to-prison pipeline at the national state and local levels. Dan oversees staffing for the Education Civil Rights Alliance, a National Center for Youth Law initiative that conducts research relevant to civil rights concerns, and engages in direct advocacy for systemic education reforms at the national, state, and local levels.
Dan came to the National Center for Youth Law with over 23 years of experience as a civil rights lawyer and education researcher as the Director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at UCLA’s Civil Rights Project. Dan is the author of several books and award winning reports addressing the racially disparate impact of education policies regarding: special education; school discipline; and accountability for graduation rates of students of color. Regarded as a national expert on these topics, Dan has also testified about racial inequities in education before the United Nations, the U.S. Congress, the National Academies of Science, and the U.S. Commission on Civil and Human Rights. As a consultant, Dan has provided technical assistance to numerous states and school districts. Dan has also served as an adjunct professor at Harvard Law School, and was a public school teacher for 10 years before entering law school.
When Dan is not working, he can be found playing his sax at a local bar, photographing owls at dusk, or surfcasting for stripers by the light of the moon ’til dawn.
Event Registration
Registration for this event is now open! Click this link to register for the event!