In fact, the key focus of this year’s summit is innovation in classroom technology – specifically blended learning. Levesque says the foundation chose San Francisco as the site for the conference because of its proximity to the Silicon Valley, which is the heart of ed tech companies.

“Discussions on blended learning and technology are really about how to empower the teachers who are in the classroom,” Levesque said. “We hope lawmakers [who attend the conference] are going to think differently about how technology can extend the reach of a fantastic and effective teacher.”

Levesque says they plan to highlight San Francisco Flex Academy and Rocketship Education, a network of hybrid-learning schools, as models that should be replicated across the country.

The conference is expected to attract school superintendents, Los Angeles mayor, and education philanthropists from around the country.

Hear the full story on The California Report.

UPDATE: According to the San Francisco Chronicle, teachers unions and activists who are part of the Occupy Wall Street movement that's spreading across the country plan to protest the two-day event because of what they describe as "the selling of public education." Murdoch is scheduled to speak tomorrow morning.

Reporter Steve Begley, a blogger from the K-12 News Network, was thrown out of a panel discussion about school board governance when he asked Joel Klein, former New York City Chancellor who works for Murdoch, a question about News Corp's revenue goals, according to a Mother Jones article.

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