This report shares findings from a six-year research study on the impact of Austin Interfaith’s education organizing on East Austin schools. Austin Interfaith, part of the Industrial Areas Foundation organizing network, organized high-poverty, low-performing schools on the city’s east side into a network of “Alliance Schools,” which grew to about a quarter of the district’s elementary schools and half of its high-poverty...
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THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY AND YOUTH ORGANIZING ON PUBLIC SCHOOL REFORM
Since the emergence of education organizing for school reform in the early 1990s, organizers, researchers, and foundations have debated the impact of community organizing on educational outcomes. The Annenberg Institute, with funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, conducted a six-year research study – the first of its kind – to examine this question. The study looked at...
As just about everybody now knows, President Barack Obama began his career as a community organizer. He knew that, often, lasting and effective change comes from a community, rather than to a community. Increasingly, this view is taking hold in education. This issue of Voices in Urban Education examines civic capacity and the role of community organizing in building such capacity.
A new report from the NYC Coalition for Educational Justice detailing the challenges of the new Regents diploma requirements to the city’s already low graduation rates. CEJ calls on the city and state to take immediate steps to help students meet the higher standards. The report was researched and prepared for Coalition for Educational Justice by Annenberg Institute staff.
Using data in educational decision making has become one of the hottest topics in the field. But using data for decisions still poses a challenge. How can districts and communities sift through data, analyze the data, and make sure those who make decisions are able to make use of the data? How can decision making really be data-driven? This issue of Voices in Urban Education looks at districts and communities that have shown success in using data effectively.