North Carolina

Action for Children North Carolina

Action for Children North Carolina describes itself as an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, multi-issue organization that influences public policy in favor of all children and youth below the age of eighteen residing in North Carolina.

President: Dr. Jonathan Sher
311 East Edenton Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: 919-834-6623
Fax: 919-829-7299
nccai@ncchild.org

El Centro Hispano, Inc.

El Centro Hispano is one of the few community-based organizations serving the Latino community in Durham, NC, and it is currently the largest grassroots Latino organization in the state. In 1997, El Centro established Jovenes Lideres en Accion (JLA) to address issues affecting the Latino community and to build a bridge between the African-American and Latino communities. One of El Centro's projects is a campaign to get the Durham Public Schools to increase resources for English-as-a-Second-Language programs.

807 West Chapel Hill Street
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 687-4635

North Carolina Education & Law Project

The North Carolina Education & Law Project, formed in 1991, seeks to improve the public education system in North Carolina so that it better serves low-income and minority children. The project is recognized for: its advocacy efforts which have produced legislation to reduce class size in the primary grades and improve parental involvement in public schools; its research on issues such as alternative education, best practices for elementary education, and the achievement gap; and its training through the North Carolina Parent Studies Program which builds the capacity of low-income parents to become actively involved in school governance matters.

Project Director: Angella Dunston
Executive Director: Melinda Lawrence
P.O. Box 28068
Raleigh, NC 27611-8068
Phone: (919) 856-3192
Fax: (919) 856-2175
sheria@ncjustice.org

North Carolina Justice and Community Development Center

The North Carolina Justice and Community Development Center's stated mission is to move low-income, poor, and minority residents of North Carolina from poverty to economic security by providing them with needed services and resources. The Justice Center describes a four-pronged strategy that it hopes will accomplish its goals: litigation, research and policy development, public policy advocacy, and grassroots empowerment/community capacity building. The Center is also a member of the Rural Equity Collaborative, which seeks to improve the equity and adequacy of school finance systems affecting poor, rural areas.

Executive Director: Bill Rowe
PO Box 28068
224 S. Dawson St.
Raleigh, NC 27611
Phone: 919-856-2570
Fax: 919-856-2175
info@ncjustice.org

North Carolina Racial Justice Network

815 Milton Street #C
Greensboro, NC 27403
Phone: (336) 230-2061

UNC Center for Civil Rights
The UNC Center for Civil Rights is committed to the advancement of civil rights and social justice, especially in the American South. It fosters empirical and analytical research, sponsors student inquiry and activities and convenes faculty, visiting scholars, policy advocates and practicing attorneys to confront legal and social issues of greatest concern to racial and ethnic minorities, to the poor and to other potential beneficiaries of civil rights advances. The Center's work focuses on education, housing and community development, economic justice and voting rights.

Center for Civil Rights
UNC School of Law
Van Hecke-Wettach Hall
100 Ridge Road
CB #3380
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3380
Phone: (919) 962-5106
http://www.law.unc.edu/civilrights/default.aspx

Youth for Social Change (YSC)

YSC is a youth organization of 13-19 year olds committed to addressing critical issues impacting youth in Durham, NC. YSC seeks to strengthen and engage the skills and talents of its members by providing tools and opportunities for community organizing.

P.O. Box 674
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 220-5020
Fax: (919) 683-3428

Public Education Network Local Affiliates:

Charlotte Advocates for Education

The mission of the Charlotte Advocates for Education is to define the issues and advocate for the changes required to permanently improve the quality of public education in Mecklenburg County.

Ms. Margaret Carnes, Managing Director
Wachovia Center
301 S. Tryon Street, Suite 1725
Charlotte, NC 28282
Phone: (704) 335-0100
Fax: (704) 334-3545
mcarnes@advocatesfored.org

The Durham Public Education Network

Founded with seed grants from the Durham Jaycees, the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties and the Triangle Community Foundation, The Durham Public Education Network (DPEN) was established to encourage the Durham community to come together in support of its public schools.

Ms. Kay James, Executive Director
4235 University Drive
Durham, NC 27707
Phone: (919) 683-6503
Fax: (919) 489-7637
kjames@dpen.com

Chatham Education Foundation

Founded in 1992, Chatham Education Foundation's stated mission is to improve life and educational outcomes for every public school student in Chatham County.

Mr. Phillip Cates, Executive Director
P.O. Box 1518, 354 East Street
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Phone: (919) 542-0024
Fax: (919) 542-4464
chatedfound@earthlink.net

Public School Forum of North Carolina

The Public School Forum of NC is a not for profit policy think tank which is a partnership of business leaders, educational leaders, and governmental leaders in North Carolina. Since opening its doors in 1986, the Forum has evolved into an organization that has made a significant contribution to schools across North Carolina. The organization states that its work has touched virtually every aspect of education in the state. For information on the many published studies of the Forum, see http://ncforum.org/doclib/publications/. The Public School Forum of North Carolina is also a member of the Columbia Group Southeastern Partnership Network, an education-reform policy organization.

Mr. John Dornan, Executive Director
3739 National Drive, Suite 210
Raleigh, NC 27612
Phone: (919) 781-6833
Fax: (919) 781-6527
jdornan@ncforum.org

Wake Education Partnership

The Partnership was founded in 1983 to support excellence in education throughout Wake County. The Partnership's programs include school funding, technology, standards and accountability, school business and community partnerships, and communications and research.

Dr. M. Anthony Habit, President
706 Hillsborough Street, Suite A
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: (919) 821-7609
Fax: (919) 821-7637
thabit@wakeedpartnership.org