I got this email from Robin Warren about an education advocacy coalition called Learn NY.
Hello Brooklyn Parents,
My name is Robin Warren and I work with an education advocacy coalition called Learn NY based here in New York City.
Some background on our
organization: Learn NY is a non-profit organization dedicated to
ensuring that each of New York City's students receives a high-quality
education. We believe in an education governance system that provides
our schools with accountability and efficiency, so that our children
have a chance at a brighter future.
I am reaching out to
online New York City parent communities across all five boroughs to
introduce our organization and to hopefully begin a real dialogue with
you all.
In this community and
other New York neighborhoods, concerned parents are discussing how we
can improve the education system in New York City;
one of the issues that we are trying to raise more awareness about is
the renewal of the important Mayoral Control Law, as well as how we can
work to improve it.
In the coming weeks, I
hope to come back here to give some more background on Learn NY and on
this issue for those who might be less familiar with the law. I also
want to share with you some of the results and improvements that we
have seen, and which are directly benefitting New York City students.
And lastly, the more we
hear from parents, the more we can improve the mayoral control law when
it comes up for renewal next year. I would love to gather some feedback
from you to help us better inform lawmakers in Albany of what's working
and what's not.
Parents from across the
City are getting involved with Learn NY, and we hope you will too. We
have received many comments noting the differences in the school system
recently, from how the schools are safer to the increase in test scores.
If you would like to share your observations about your school's performance recently, please share your story with us on our website, a post here, or you can write to me at robin@learn-ny.org
We all want the best for our children. You can learn more about Mayoral Control at our website www.learn-ny.org, read what others are saying at www.Learn-NY.org/Viewpoints, or follow our blog at www.Learn-NY.org/Blog.
I look forward to continuing this discussion with you all.
Twenty one groups have already signed on to a Pledge To Action which calls for the legislature to include in it’s plan for governance of New York City schools, a Commission of constituents to develop a city wide consensus on what kind of school system we want, what it’s goals should be, and how it should operate. Check this out:
http://3rs-coalition-nyc.wetpaint.com/
Not as innocuous/neutral as it may seem…
from Gotham Schools a while back:
“The lobbying group that is campaigning to preserve the mayor’s control of the public school system is making good on its promise to reach out to parents. Today a staffer at the group, called Learn NY, sent an introductory message to e-mail lists run by public school parents.”
More can be found here: http://gothamschools.org/2008/12/11/learn-ny-introduces-itself-to-parents-by-writing-to-e-mail-lists/
Also, here: http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2008/12/learn-ny-hears-from-some-real-life-nyc.html