NBC Reveals Education Nation 2012

One of the preeminent forums for discussing the future of education in America is returning for a third year. NBC’s Education Nation 2012 begins next month and will culminate with the event’s national summit in New York City in September, according to details released by the network. NBC News President Steve Capus said the initiative will employ all platforms of NBC News— including MSNBC, programs like “NBC Nightly News,” “Today,” “Rock Center,” and “Meet the Press,” digital properties such as msnbc.com and EducationNation.com, and live events across the country—in a continued effort to shine a spotlight on the challenges, potential solutions and innovations spanning today's education landscape. In 2012, Education Nation will attempt to deepen public engagement in a solutions-focused discussion on improving student achievement and preparedness for the workforce— giving special attention to innovation and technology.

The centerpiece of Education Nation 2012 will be the national summit in New York City from Sept. 23-25, when once again, NBC News will convene policymakers, elected officials, teachers, parents, thought leaders, educators, members of the business community and engaged citizens in a national discussion about education. Built around solutions, the Education Nation 2012 summit will showcase real-life examples of communities and classrooms that are closing the skills gap and educating students so they can compete for the jobs of the future. The event will be held in a new venue to be announced later this spring.

In addition to the summit, the network is also continuing “Education Nation On-the-Road.” Making stops in Denver (April 15-16), Atlanta (May 6-7) and Miami (May 20-21), the NBC News team will host a series of panels and events involving NBC News anchors and correspondents, local leaders, officials, educators, parents, and students.

“Education Nation On-The-Road” will feature a teacher town hall meeting in each city, which will be moderated by NBC News and the local stations, and bring local teachers together in a unique educator-only forum to discuss what works in the classroom and highlight the challenges of today’s education system. Online, EducationNation.com will host information on all local events.