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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 .
In addition to his work at AEI, Hess is an executive editor of聽Education Next,听a contributing editor to聽National Review, founder of AEI鈥檚 Conservative Education Reform Network, and author of聽Education Week鈥檚聽iconic blog 鈥溾�� 补苍诲听Education Next鈥檚聽popular 鈥�.鈥� His work has appeared in scholarly outlets including聽Urban Affairs Review,听Harvard Educational Review, 补苍诲听Social Science Quarterly, and in popular outlets such as the聽Wall Street Journal,听Washington Post,听USA Today, 补苍诲听The聽New York Times. His books include聽,听补苍诲听. He started his career as a聽high school social studies聽teacher and has also taught education and policy at Harvard, Georgetown, Rice, Johns Hopkins, the聽University of聽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.
