NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is scheduled to speak at the Tennessee Educational Leadership Conference being held this week in Nashville.

The annual event began Monday and ends on Wednesday. According to a news release, Duncan is scheduled to speak Tuesday about “the importance of strong school leadership.”

More than 2,000 educators are expected at the conference, which has workshops and other speakers, including Gov. Bill Haslam who is also scheduled to speak on Tuesday.

The theme of the conference is “Tennessee Promise.” The state continues to push the Tennessee Promise scholarship program, an initiative created by Haslam to cover full tuition at two-year colleges for any high school graduate.

The deadline to apply for the program is Nov. 1.