New York

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now

ACORN describes itself as the nation's largest community organization of low and moderate-income families, with over 120,000 member families organized into 600 neighborhood chapters in 45 cities across the country. Since 1970 ACORN has taken action on many of the political and social issues which concern its members. ACORN's priorities include: better housing for first time homebuyers and tenants, living wages for low-wage workers, more investment in our communities from banks and governments, and better public schools. ACORN hopes to achieve these goals by supporting community-based organizations that have the power to affect change locally-- through direct action, negotiation, legislation, and voter participation.

A list of contact information for the ACORN offices in New York can be found on the ACORN website.

Advocates for Children of New York City, Inc. (AFC)

Advocates for Children of New York City, Inc. has worked in partnership with New York City's most impoverished and vulnerable families to secure quality and equal public education services. AFC works on behalf of children from infancy to age 21 who are at greatest risk for school-based discrimination and/or academic failure. These include children with disabilities, ethnic minorities, immigrants, homeless children, foster care children, limited English proficient children and those living in poverty. AFC provides a range of services: free individual case advocacy, technical assistance, and training for parents, students, and professionals about children's educational entitlements and due process rights in New York City.

ASPIRA

ASPIRA was founded in 1961 in New York State. In 1968, ASPIRA of America (today known as "The ASPIRA Association" based in Washington, D.C.) was created and has established ASPIRA affiliates in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico. Its stated mission is to foster the social advancement of the Puerto Rican/Latino community by supporting its youth in the pursuit of educational excellence through leadership development and programs that emphasize commitment to the community and pride in the Latino cultural heritage. In its parent engagement program, ASPIRA offers parents a variety of sessions and direct support designed to develop leadership skills and an understanding of educational policy, school budgets and parent rights.

Alliance for Quality Education (AQE)

In 2000, AQE was formed to work towards increasing public education funding in the State of New York. A coalition of parents, students, advocates, labor, and business, AQE came together because of a common belief that every child deserves a quality education and that the state has an obligation to provide it. Areas of interest: class size, teacher training, early childhood education, and facilities.

Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc. (CFE)

The Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc. is a coalition of parent organizations, community school boards, concerned citizens and advocacy groups, seeking to reform New York State’s education finance system to ensure adequate resources and the opportunity for a sound basic education for all students in New York State. Since 1993, CFE has been working to change the way the state funds its public schools by launching a constitutional challenge to the state's school finance system; promoting public dialogue and input on education and school funding reform; and conducting policy research on student access to a sound basic education across the country.

Center for Educational Innovation-Public Education Association (CEI-PEA)

The Center for Educational Innovation-Public Education Association was formed in February 2000 when two nonprofit organizations merged to form one common mission: "working for the day when a quality public education is guaranteed to every child." They explain that their reform efforts include the establishment of new schools (both small public schools and public charter schools), staff development, school leadership, advocacy, and extensive information services for parents. The Center works primarily in New York City but has also started to work on a national basis.

Citizen Action of New York

Citizen Action of New York describes itself as a grassroots organization fighting for economic, racial, social and environmental justice. Citizen Action believes every child in New York State deserves a fair opportunity to achieve the learning standards established by the New York State Board of Regents. To achieve these goals, Citizen Action of New York recently helped form a new statewide coalition called the Alliance for Quality Education. The Alliance (AQE) has over one hundred member groups, and has active local committees across the state. See AQE description above for more information on AQE.

Citizens Committee for Children (CCC)

Citizens Committee for Children has been providing a voice for children, especially poor and vulnerable children and children with special needs, for more than 50 years. Its Task Force to Address Educational Needs of School-to-Work and At-Risk Youth is studying the organizational structure, curriculum and programs of vocational, 'small environment' and other New York City schools that have demonstrated positive student academic outcomes with students at-risk of academic failure. This Task Force will develop a set of recommendations to improve the in-school experience of New York City high school students.

Class Size Matters Campaign

The Class Size Matters Campaign is a coalition of parents and concerned citizens in New York City committed to the goal of smaller classes for public school children.

Educational Priorities Panel

The Educational Priorities Panel's stated goal is to improve the quality of public education for New York City's children so that there is no longer a performance gap between city schools and those in the rest of the state. EPP pursues this goal by seeking reforms of federal, state and city budget and administrative practices affecting children. Objectives are: to bring badly needed resources to New York City and other high need school districts; to ensure that funds are distributed fairly; and to advocate so that funds are effectively used for the benefit of students, especially those with the greatest needs for high-quality instruction.

League of Women Voters of New York State

The League of Women Voters is a “nonpartisan political organization that influences public policy through advocacy and education.” They describe Equity in School Financing as one of their top legislative priorities and have been active around the CFE v. State of New York lawsuit by providing amicus briefs and co-sponsoring community meetings. Their website contains information about their current statewide study of education finance.

Midstates School Finance Consortium

The Midstates School Finance Consortium works to lobby the New York State legislature to reform the state's school finance system to be more equitable, easy to understand and manageable, predictable, and less reliant on property taxes. The consortium presently includes 218 school districts across 27 New York counties, with 37 districts in the Buffalo and Rochester areas.

Mothers on the Move (MOM)

Mothers on the Move organizes and trains parents to advocate for school reform in Community School District 8 in the Bronx. MOM's early reform efforts shed light on serious inequities within the district and resulted in the replacement of the superintendent and of some school principals. It's current initiative seeks to provide an in-depth evaluation of local schools, create school improvement plans, and partner with school staff and faculty to secure the resources and support necessary for implementation of these plans. For more information, call (718) 842-2224.

New York State Alternative Education Association

The New York State Alternative Education Association's stated mission is to link various individuals and organizations to influence the information of regional, state and national policy to be supportive of alternatives in education.

New York Networks for School Renewal (NYNSR)

NYNSR is a five-year, collaborative project that is part of the Annenberg Foundation's Challenge (www.whannenberg.org) to revitalize public education. It is organized around the belief that small, personal environments serve students best and that high achievement for all students can be realized when accountability and autonomy reside with those closest to the students. NYNSR brings some 140 small schools together in networks of mutual support and accountability

New York University's Institute for Education and Social Policy

New York University's Institute for Education and Social Policy (www.nyu.edu/iesp), through the Institute's Community Involvement Program (CIP), offers local and national technical assistance to community-based groups working for school improvement. Their New York City work is structured into two areas. First, they provide neighborhood-based technical assistance and training on school improvement and parent organizing strategies to individual community-based organizations. Second, they provide information and technical support through citywide initiatives that engage community groups in working together for systemic reform. They assist community groups in defining key policy issues, formulating reform proposals, and building political support for reform.

Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC)

The Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition describes itself as a community-based and controlled organization which unites the members of ten neighborhood associations in the low and moderate income neighborhoods in the northwest Bronx. NWBCCC's stated mission is to provide structures through which Northwest Bronx residents can define and act upon common problems. Its area of focus in education is parent-led school reform.

Nyack Partners in Education (PIE)

Nyack Partners in Education is a not-for-profit grassroots organization devoted to public school reform. Located in the Nyack School District in Rockland, County, New York, PIE emphasizes diversity, parental involvement and innovative education for all students and has become a local voice for education justice, tackling school budgets, election of board representatives, and the extension of transportation to low-income students.

P.O. Box 167
Nyack, NY 10960
Phone: (914) 353-0854
E-mail: nyackpie@bestweb.net

The After-School Corporation (TASC)

The After-School Corporation is a nonprofit organization with the stated goal of enhancing the quality and availability of in-school after-school programs in New York City, New York State and, eventually, across the nation. Working in collaboration with the New York City Board of Education and other New York State school systems, TASC is funding programs designed to enrich the lives of children and help their parents, with the goal of making in-school after-school programs a public responsibility. TASC also publishes research on the needs, benefits and challenges of providing after-school programming to children and youth. Copies are available on their website.

Public Education Network Local Affiliates:

Good Schools for All

Good Schools for All is a strategic partnership of stakeholder- foundations, businesses, educators, parents, and the community-at-large - committed to developing innovative ideas and practices to improve student achievement in the Buffalo Public Schools.

Helene Kramer, Executive Director
712 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone (716) 843-8895
Fax (716) 843-8899
To contact by e-mail

Greater Syracuse Education Fund

The GSEF describes itself as an organization to help the Syracuse community achieve an outstaning education for all students through advocacy and support of progressive change.

Ms. Karen Tifft, Director of Education Initiative
500 South Salina Street, Suite 428
Syracuse, NY 13202 3302
Phone (315) 422-9538
Fax (315) 471-6031
karen@cnycf.org

New Visions for Public Schools

New Visions for Public Schools, founded in 1989, is an education reform organization dedicated to improving the quality of education children receive in New York City's public schools. Working with the public and private sectors, New Visions develops programs and policies to energize teaching and learning and to raise the level of student achievement. Its stated goal is to ensure that all students have access to effective schools that enable them to fully realize their potential and become productive citizens New Visions works with schools, parents, community groups, and civic leaders from the public and private spheres to identify critical issues in the school system, develop ways to address them, provide resources and evaluate and document the results so that effective programs can be initiated citywide.

Mr. Robert Hughes, President
96 Morton Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10014
Phone (212) 645-5110
Fax (212) 645-7409
rhughes@newvisions.org