Keynotes and Presentations

MCG offers public presentations and keynote addresses that stimulate new approaches, inform with thought-provoking examples and rich data, deepen understanding about potential solutions, and inspire stakeholders to initiate change.

An experienced and well-respected public speaker, Hans Meeder’s presentations provide valuable and practical information to a wide range of audiences including educators, business leaders, statewide organizations, and legislatures. His background in government leadership and private enterprise enables him to present a message with an ideal mix of anecdote, data and policy uniquely tailored to your organization’s needs. Your audience will find him not only informational, but also inspirational as a speaker.

Depending on the needs of your organization, Mr. Meeder is available for keynote and plenary presentations, as well as half-day or full-day workshops facilitated by Mr. Meeder and our consultants.

Some of the most popular topics are:.

Improving American High Schools – What Works?

High school reform and redesign is a hot topic of conversation today. State and local governments are forming commissions and study groups to review the current model of the American high school and ask, “What should we do to improve student results – tinker with the model, reform it, or start over from scratch?” In this presentation, Mr. Meeder draws from his experience leading the U.S. Department of Education’s High School Initiative to de-mystify the many strategies and approaches to high school redesign. He explains the concepts of Rigor, Relevance and Relationships, reviews the key models and reform strategies, and can help your school, district or state begin a well-informed study and decision-making process for high school improvement.

Connecting the Dots between High School Reform and CTE

Many education leaders intent on improving high schools are unsure how career technical education plays in their efforts to improve high schools. Important questions need to be addressed.

  • What are the most promising trends in new career and technical education programs that can be integrated college-prep level academic expectations with relevant, engaging career-related learning?
  • Can these programs be a key part of our high school improvement strategies?
  • How do these programs relate to career academies and Career Pathways that lead to college level coursework?

In his work at the U.S. Department of Education, Mr. Meeder was directly involved in laying the groundwork for the current efforts to link career-themed programs as a high school reform strategy . He can explain the many strands and perspectives in the broad high school reform movement while helping CTE leaders find a pro-active leadership role in the movement.

What Do Americans Think About Education?

One of the most important aspects of building a sustainable reform effort is to understand exactly what various stakeholders – parents, teachers, elected officials, employers, and students – think about education. Through the use of surveys, data, and analysis, Mr. Meeder will describe the different vantage points of each stakeholder and why this is an important starting point in the conversation on education reform.

Making the Connection between High School and College

Although a college education seems to be a pre-requisite for achievement in today’s job market, far too few young people are making a smooth transition into and through postsecondary education and training. While many schools are experimenting with strategies to improve college transitions, few have set measurable goals or implemented comprehensive strategies. Mr. Meeder addresses the faulty connections between secondary and postsecondary systems and explains promising strategies that schools and colleges are implementing to ensure students are fully prepared, have a workable plan for college and employment, and debunks myths about college-going that pervade society. He can help your school, college or secondary/postsecondary partnership take action to increase the success of students going to and completing college programs.

Aligning Education to Economic and Workforce Needs

With a background in workforce development policy and international business studies, Mr. Meeder understands the premium that political and business leaders around the globe place on building a qualified workforce to maintain economic competitiveness. If education leaders want to build support and lead reform, they must understand the key trends driving change. Mr. Meeder helps audiences understand the forces of change unleashed during the last 15 years with international trade and political reforms, fast-moving technological innovations, demographic trends in the U.S. and abroad, and the reality of international competition from Ireland to India to China.

Leading Change and Managing for Excellence in Education

In many organizations, good management and leadership practices are the exception rather than the rule in many schools today. Following good business principles is too uncommon, yet much can be learned by reviewing successful and less-than-successful companies. By exposing education leaders to business case studies and management principles, Mr. Meeder can help leaders review and apply findings from the business spectrum and successfully apply them to their schools.

If you would like more information about inviting Mr. Meeder to speak, please contact us at moreinfo@meederconsulting.com.

Recent Audiences Include: