The Georgia Charter Schools Association is excited to welcome Rick Hess as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Georgia Charter Schools Conference. Based on feedback from schools and stakeholders, we are shifting the focus of this year’s keynote presentation to address the current developments in federal education policy and what they could mean for states and schools.
Hess, a nationally recognized education policy expert, will deliver his address on Tuesday, March 11, at 11:15 a.m. As the director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Hess is at the forefront of national education policy discussions. In his keynote speech, he will provide an expert’s analysis of the federal education landscape and its implications for education stakeholders, particularly in light of potential changes under the Trump administration. Hess will cover topics such as: Will the U.S. Department of Education actually be eliminated? If so, what will happen to Title I and Special Education funding and requirements? With the possibility of significant shifts in federal oversight, Hess will outline the key questions charter schools should be asking their authorizers and the Georgia Department of Education to ensure preparedness for any changes in funding and oversight.
Hess’s address promises to be a must-attend session for school leaders, policymakers, and educators seeking clarity in a rapidly evolving education environment. To make this keynote address as interactive as possible, please submit your questions in advance here.
In addition to his work at AEI, Hess is an executive editor of Education Next, a contributing editor to National Review, founder of AEI’s Conservative Education Reform Network, and author of Education Week’s iconic blog “Rick Hess Straight Up” and Education Next’s popular “Old School with Rick Hess.” His work has appeared in scholarly outlets including Urban Affairs Review, Harvard Educational Review, and Social Science Quarterly, and in popular outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, and The New York Times. His books include Getting Education Right, The Great School Rethink, Letters to a Young Education Reformer, The Same Thing Over and Over, and A Search for Common Ground. He started his career as a high school social studies teacher and has also taught education and policy at Harvard, Georgetown, Rice, Johns Hopkins, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Virginia. He holds an MA and a PhD in government and a MEd in teaching and curriculum from Harvard University.
