David J. Bier is the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute. He is an expert on legal immigration, border security, and interior enforcement. Bier’s work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, and many other print and online publications. In addition, the US Supreme Court and multiple federal appeals courts have cited his research and writing. Bier has testified before committees in the US House of Representatives and Senate on several occasions. From 2013 to 2015, Bier drafted immigration legislation as a senior policy adviser for Rep. Raúl Labrador (R‑PR), who was, at that time, a member of (and later the chairman of) the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Sphere Summit
2024 Sphere Summit
The Foundations of Civic Culture
Sphere Summit, a full‐scholarship professional development program for grades 5–12 educators, returns as a fully in‐person experience in Washington, DC.
Event Details
Dates and Times
Location
Cato Institute 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001Program
Sunday, July 28
Registration
Welcome Reception
Welcome Remarks
Dinner
Keynote Address
Afterglow
Monday, July 29
Breakfast
CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS
Is Free Speech Being Chilled in the Classroom – and Beyond?
Moderated by
Break
Application Workshop
Bringing Civic Culture to Your Classroom
Sphere Education Initiatives Team
Lunch
POLICY DISCUSSIONS
Criminal Justice Reform
Moderated by
Criminal Justice Reform Application Workshops
Session A: Criminal Justice Reform Application Workshop
Session B: Middle School Toolkit
Break
FOUNDATIONS OF CIVIC CULTURE
Key Supreme Court Cases in History
Moderated by
Free Time
Reception
Dinner
Dinner Program
Moderated by
Afterglow
Tuesday, July 30
CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS
Breakfast and Teacher Panel
Free Morning in Washington DC
Resume Workshop (9:15 — 10:15 AM)
POLICY WORKSHOP
Immigration Policy
APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
Teaching Difficult Topics: Immigration
POLICY SESSIONS
Session A: Human Progress
Moderated by
Session B: Health Care
Moderated by
Break and Transition to Hotel
APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
- Retro Report
- Foundation for Economic Education
- National Constitution Center
- Incubate Debate
Free Time
Shuttle to Offsite Venue
Reception
Dinner Program
Dinner
Shuttle Back to Hotel
Wednesday, July 31
Breakfast
UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER
Members of Congress
The Health of Our Democracy
Moderated by
Sphere on the Road
Break and Transition to Hotel
APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
- Bill of Rights Institute
Book Talk: Digitally Invisible: How the Internet is Creating the New Underclass
- iCivics
The Civil Rights Act and your English Language Arts Classroom
- Sphere Education Initiatives
Lunch
POLICY SESSIONS
Session A: AI & Education
Moderated by
Session B: Environmental Policy
Moderated by
HOUSING
Session A: Housing Policy and Poverty Alleviation
Session B: Understanding Communism
Break
Undivide Us: Film Screening and Conversation
Free Evening in Washington DC
Thursday, August 1
Brunch
POLICY WORKSHOP
Foreign Policy
Sphere Content
Closing Remarks
Certificate and Stipend Distribution
Frequently Asked Questions
View frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Sphere Summit participation: general information, costs, applications and deadlines, and more.
About
The application site is now closed for the Sphere Summit.
Sphere Summit, a full scholarship professional development program for grades 5–12 educators, returns as a fully in‐person experience in Washington, DC, and will run July 28–August 1. Benefits include room and board, 20+ hours of professional development, classroom resources, and a $500 travel stipend upon completion of the program.
The Sphere Summit is a full scholarship summer program for grades 5–12 educators and administrators. Summit is open to teachers of all subject areas and disciplines.
The Sphere Summit features presentations by leading policymakers, scholars, and academics, who discuss key public policy issues facing our nation today. Topics covered include free speech, the health of our democracy, criminal justice reform, approaches to diversity in education, the economy, and many others. The Summit also features professional development workshops conducted by leaders in civic education on how to bring these ideas into your classroom.
The Sphere Summit aims to restore a spirit of civil, constructive, and respectful discourse and engagement and to return facts, analysis, and research to primacy as the vehicles for discussion and debate.
Program
Sunday, July 28
Registration
Welcome Reception
Welcome Remarks
Dinner
Keynote Address
Afterglow
Monday, July 29
Breakfast
CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS
Is Free Speech Being Chilled in the Classroom – and Beyond?
Moderated by
Break
Application Workshop
Bringing Civic Culture to Your Classroom
Sphere Education Initiatives Team
Lunch
POLICY DISCUSSIONS
Criminal Justice Reform
Moderated by
Criminal Justice Reform Application Workshops
Session A: Criminal Justice Reform Application Workshop
Session B: Middle School Toolkit
Break
FOUNDATIONS OF CIVIC CULTURE
Key Supreme Court Cases in History
Moderated by
Free Time
Reception
Dinner
Dinner Program
Moderated by
Afterglow
Tuesday, July 30
CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS
Breakfast and Teacher Panel
Free Morning in Washington DC
Resume Workshop (9:15 — 10:15 AM)
POLICY WORKSHOP
Immigration Policy
APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
Teaching Difficult Topics: Immigration
POLICY SESSIONS
Session A: Human Progress
Moderated by
Session B: Health Care
Moderated by
Break and Transition to Hotel
APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
- Retro Report
- Foundation for Economic Education
- National Constitution Center
- Incubate Debate
Free Time
Shuttle to Offsite Venue
Reception
Dinner Program
Dinner
Shuttle Back to Hotel
Wednesday, July 31
Breakfast
UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER
Members of Congress
The Health of Our Democracy
Moderated by
Sphere on the Road
Break and Transition to Hotel
APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
- Bill of Rights Institute
Book Talk: Digitally Invisible: How the Internet is Creating the New Underclass
- iCivics
The Civil Rights Act and your English Language Arts Classroom
- Sphere Education Initiatives
Lunch
POLICY SESSIONS
Session A: AI & Education
Moderated by
Session B: Environmental Policy
Moderated by
HOUSING
Session A: Housing Policy and Poverty Alleviation
Session B: Understanding Communism
Break
Undivide Us: Film Screening and Conversation
Free Evening in Washington DC
Thursday, August 1
Brunch
POLICY WORKSHOP
Foreign Policy
Sphere Content
Closing Remarks
Certificate and Stipend Distribution