PRESS RELEASE: New Wake Schools Coalition Forms

Submitted by Andrew Campbell on Wed, 01/06/2010 - 10:37am.

Great Schools in Wake Coalition Forms: Responding to Board of Education proposals

RALEIGH, NC-"Every Child, Our Child" summarizes the vision of the Great Schools In Wake Coalition, a growing coalition of Wake County parents, students, taxpayers and civic organizations, with a goal of strengthening education throughout Wake County. The coalition brings together a broad group of Wake residents who wish to advocate for all students in the public school system and educate parents, taxpayers, and residents about public school policy and initiatives.

"We believe that all children in Wake County, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, or residence, should receive the highest quality education possible," said Yevonne Brannon, chair of the Board of Directors of WakeUP Wake County...

 The Coalition's mission is to:

  • provide accurate information to educate the public about policy initiatives that would impact the quality of education,
  • foster well-informed discussions about critical education issues, and
  • advocate for policies that improve public education in Wake County.

Brannon said the Coalition's core values center on producing great students, supporting skilled educators, supporting diversity, using resources efficiently, providing student stability, fostering partnerships, and modeling educational excellence.

Members of the Coalition are specifically examining whether proposals by the new Board of Education will lead to even more widespread student reassignments, the re-segregation of some of Wake's schools, fewer school choices for parents and students, and strained finances for the district and county. In addition, the coalition will examine how proposals of the new BOE might affect the economic growth of Wake County and our ability to attract new business; how these changes would impact taxes needed for additional space, and what impact the changes would have on student learning and stability.

"We are concerned that the policies of the current Board of Education will result in far more reassignment than any previous Board," Brannon said. "Coalition members also are concerned that the Board has proposed changes in assignment without fully assessing capacity, economic or tax implications, or the impact on student learning and stability."

In fostering partnerships, the Coalition includes organizations and individuals working to improve public education throughout Wake County. Current Coalition organization members include (note organizations' contacts below):

The Coalition is being coordinated by WakeUP Wake County, a 501(c)(3) grassroots organization that has earned a reputation as an effective and active citizen voice on growth issues, advocating through citizen engagement in the public policy arena.

Individuals and groups who wish to join the Coalition can do so by visiting:

www.wakeupwakecounty.com/cms/greatschools

The Great Schools in Wake Coalition is a community coalition of organizations, business leaders, parents and citizen advocates who are working to ensure educational excellence in the Wake County Public School System.

Our vision: We believe that all children in Wake County, regardless of income, race, ethnicity or residence, should receive the highest quality education possible.

Our mission: Our mission is to provide accurate information to educate the public about policy initiatives that would impact the quality of education, foster well-informed discussions about critical education issues, and advocate for policies that improve public education in Wake County. Our core values: Wake County citizens expect and deserve schools that:

  1. Produce Great Students. Our community needs the Board of Education to focus its attention on, and make decisions for, the success and achievement of all students to be competitive in both the global and local workforce.
  2. Support Skilled Educators. We value our teachers and staff and believe that the Board of Education must assure opportunities for professional development and good working conditions. Every school must be a place where teachers want to teach and students learn.
  3. Support Diversity. Our community expects schools and curriculum that reflect a diverse world-providing exposure for students to many races, languages, arts, cultures, economic levels and ideas.
  4. Use Resources Efficiently. Our community expects the school system to wisely make the most of our limited resources. We support fair growth funding at a level equal to or greater than the national average per student.
  5. Provide Student Stability. To the extent that growth in our community permits, we believe that student re-assignments should be minimized, and that calendar continuity should be available for all families.
  6. Foster Partnerships. We value a school system that fosters partnerships between teachers, administrators, parents, businesses and the community as a whole, with communication and open dialogue as a part of every strategic change.
  7. Model Educational Excellence. Every school must be a place where teachers want to teach and students learn. As a key component of our community's quality of life, our community expects our schools to achieve a global reputation for excellence.