The 2020 school education summit, which was developed by a group of principals, teachers, parents and academics and sponsored by the NSW Public Education Alliance, was held in Sydney on June 28 2008.

The Summit agenda was built around three questions central to the future of social harmony, economic progress and democracy in Australia:

(1) How do we ensure that public policy places the needs of children for a quality education first among all other priorities?

(2) How can the provision and resourcing of schooling reduce, rather than accentuate, resource and opportunity gaps between children, schools and communities? How can schools reinforce social inclusiveness, harmony and the development of strong social capital in every community?

(3) What should be essential in the role, character and provision of public education? What role should private schooling play and what arrangements might support this role?