Marilyn Cochran-Smith, an expert on education research, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the University of Georgia College of Education’s State of Education Conference on Thursday.

Georgia Schools Superintendent John Barge will be the luncheon speaker at the conference, which will be held Thursday and Friday at the UGA Hotel and Conference Center at the Georgia Center.

Cochran-Smith is scheduled to speak at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

The conference will address such topics as the federal Race to the Top education reform program, teacher evaluation, school diversity, early childhood learning and the achievement gap.