New evidence that the housing slump is hamstringing the ability of Americans to move to pursue better opportunities. Read the article here.

WHAT:National Symposium on Medical and Health Care Education Reform Mayo Clinic Department of Education and Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center (HPC) are convening nationally-known leaders in medical and health care education to develop recommendations that will transform education to best facilitate health care reform.

Results of the MD Connector Student Competition, cosponsored by the HPC, will be announced at noon on Tuesday, April 28. Three groups of students are finalists in the competition that sought student input to medical and health care education reform.

WHERE:Phillips Hall, Siebens Building, Mayo Clinic Rochester and globally via Web cast with Twitter discussion and updates.

WHEN:Monday, April 27 and Tuesday, April 28, beginning at 8 a.m. CT each day

WHO:The symposium is hosted by Terrence Cascino, M.D., Executive Dean for Education at Mayo Clinic and Pat Mitchell, President and CEO, The Paley Center for Media. See a complete list of speakers and panelis

Hope Street Group Joins New Coalition to Track, Support ARRA-Funded Education Reform Efforts

Washington DC – April 16, 2009 – The bipartisan public policy organization Hope Street Group announced today it was joining the newly-formed Coalition for Student Achievement in its efforts to track and support education reforms called for in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Coalition’s first action appears in the form of a letter sent today (.pdf) to Education Secretary Arne Duncan urging his department to provide "stronger, clearer direction to states and local education leaders about how to meet the assurances and demonstrate measurable outcomes."

"We must take advantage of this unique opportunity to change the landscape in public education by holding ourselves accountable for implementing reforms," said Jocelyn Pickford, Hope Street Group Education Director. "The ARRA funding is keeping education on the national radar screen, and groups like the Coalition are rising to the challenge of doing the difficult work to embed reform into funded initiatives."

Hope Street Group issued a press release today announcing the agreement of its health care working group on a set of key principles for policy reform that ensure progress toward an Opportunity Economy:

"We know in an Opportunity Economy, a thriving economic environment and fair access to health care, education and jobs go hand in hand," said Hope Street Group Executive Director Monique Nadeau. "America's prosperity and global competitiveness depend on it."

    An Opportunity Economy is one in which economic opportunity is possible for everyone who works hard and invests in themselves, and where our nation prospers as a result.

    The "Health Care Agenda for an Opportunity Economy" calls for a health care system that guarantees and enforces high quality health care for all Americans, realigns incentives, requires price transparency and is fiscally responsible and sustainable.