The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education hosted the 2010 Summer Institute: Implementing Equitable Academic and Behavioral Systems to Improve Student Outcomes on July 9, 2010 at New York University's Kimmel Center for University Life. Over 300 administrators, teachers, community leaders, and researchers attended. New York State Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch, welcomed attendees and encouraged them to stand with her to build the collective political will needed to set the record straight for students with disabilities. Dr. Rebecca Cort, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Special Education, NYSED, spoke of the importance of directly addressing issues of disproportionality and reminded attendees that educational decisions based on race and ethnicity affect students not just in school but throughout their whole life.

Dr. Russell Skiba, Professor, Indiana University, cautioned educators to be mindful of the subjectivity inherent in many school discipline practices in his keynote address, titled Race is Not Neutral: Addressing Disproportionality in School Discipline. Guests were treated to a special midday address by Dr. Lester W. Young, Jr., Regent, New York State Board of Regents in which he outlined how equity issues are about fairness and justice. Throughout the day, twelve different workshops and presentations, led by education experts, were available for guests to attend. Topics spanned the educational equity spectrum, ranging from school-based issues on suspension and Response to Intervention to community-wide issues on immigration and parent engagement. In the afternoon, administrators from several TACD districts participated in a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Pedro Noguera, Executive Director, Metropolitan Center for Urban Education. Dr. Kenneth A. Card, Jr., Assistant Superintendent and Dr. Vicki L. Mingin, Executive Director of Special Education and Student Support Services, Huntington Union Free School District, Stanley G. Pelech, II, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, South Country Central School District, and Mark Laurrie, Deputy Superintendent, Niagara Falls City School District, spoke about the process of leading equity reform efforts in their districts.