From staff reports:

Alberto Retana, Director of Community Outreach for the U.S. Department of Education, will hold a community forum from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12, at Federal Way High School’s cafeteria, 30611 16th Ave. S. Retana will discuss federal education initiatives and their impact on Washington state communities and schools. Retana is also conducting Community Outreach Forums and hosting youth listening sessions on college access and completion Oct. 12 and 13 in Tacoma, Burien, and Seattle.

During his youth listening sessions, Retana will engage students in discussions on how school, family and community can help them establish and promote a culture where college graduation is the norm rather than the exception.

Retana’s visit to Washington state is part of a National Youth Listening Tour that engages students and the public to solicit feedback that will inform federal policies on turnaround strategies for low-performing schools, enhance family engagement to support student achievement, improve graduation rates, and promote efforts to meet the president’s national goal of once again leading the world in college completion by 2020.