ARCATA -- Parents of children who are bullied, Latino community leaders and people with disabilities are among the many groups that next month's North Coast Education Summit will target.

The third annual summit will take place from Feb. 6 to 8 at Humboldt State University.

"What I really want is that people understand that it's not just for teachers. It's for parents, it's for community activists and for the community at large," said summit coordinator Eric Rofes, professor of education at HSU.

Subjects of special "tracks" this year include:

* Bullying. Jerry Painter and Frieda Takemura of the Washington Education Association will give a presentation on "Creating bully-free, safe schools for all students." Another workshop is specifically geared toward parents whose children are targeted by bullies. A new film on the topic, "Let's Get Real," will be shown and discussed.

* Education and disabilities. A group of disabled HSU students will give a panel discussion about disabilities in higher education. Emiliano C. Ayala and Mary Dingle, assistant professors of special education at Sonoma State University, will speak on rural students with disabilities.

Tom Hehir, director of the School Leadership Program at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and former director of the federal Office of Special Education, will discuss how lack of acceptance of students' disabilities makes it harder for them to learn.

* Latino issues in schools. Latino HSU students and immigrant students from local high schools will give presentations. Members of the Latino Community Providers' Network will discuss issues facing Spanish speakers in education.

Keynote speakers include National Teacher of the Year Betsy Rogers, poet and novelist Marge Piercy; and spiritual writer and activist Starhawk.

Teaching history through primary source documents; physical education; reading skills; music and the arts; and the education platforms of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the presidential candidates are among the other topics. One presentation aimed at teachers, parents and community members alike is titled "Skillful Handling of Difficult Conversations."

Around 400 people have registered so far, and Rofes said they include people from across Northern California. Last year, 1,063 people attended.

Early registration is encouraged. Scholarships are available for people who cannot pay the $40 registration fee. The fee is waived for volunteers willing to help with anything from registration to cleanup.