Next Steps: 20/20 Action Plan Part 3 of 3
Posted on December 19, 2008
- Herewith, the final excerpt (of three) from the “Urgent Appeal to Engage a Generation at Risk” Summary Report and Action Plan. Download the entire document PDF here.
THE PROPOSED ACTION PLAN
During “A Leadership Conversation,” The New York City Leadership Center (NYCLC) briefly introduced 20/20 Vision for Schools (20/20) as a vehicle for education reform that NYCLC has embraced as its first citywide service initiative. Investing in future-oriented, emerging leaders insures leadership for generations to come. Transformational leadership requires engaging critical social issues with meaningful solutions.
Put simply, 20/20’s mission is to transform public education within a single generation of students. More specifically, 20/20 will mobilize grassroots faith-based, business, and community institutions to come along side public schools for meaningful advocacy and service.
Our vision is for first graders of September 2008 – who are the graduating high school class of 2020 – to reverse decades of chronic under-performance and graduate in record numbers, equitably across demographics and neighborhoods, with the skills and character necessary to achieve in life.
NYCLC & 20/20 VISION FOR SCHOOLS ACTION ITEMS
Building on the Findings and Recommendations of the Forum Participants, the NYCLC 20/20 staff commit to implement the following action items:
1. Mail this Summary Report to the 120 Forum Participants for review, comment and commitment. The Summary Report also will be placed online for access by interested stakeholders.
2. Request from each Forum Participant, and any additional potential stakeholders, commitments regarding their involvement in the ongoing reform conversation, unique adoption opportunities, and any collaborative strategies that may ensue.
3. Identify existing education reform groups and NYC Department of Education officials with whom to nurture collaborative, trusting relationships and ongoing partnership.
4. Develop an Advisory Committee for 20/20 Vision for Schools from among the Forum Participants and qualified nominees. The Advisory Committee shall consist of between twelve and twenty civic, education, business, clergy, community, and student leaders who will speak into the further development and expansion of 20/20. Each Advisory Committee Member shall agree to the terms as listed here below:
A. Work with NYCLC and 20/20 staff to further refine 20/20’s mission, values, vision, and strategy, and establish a comprehensive reform agenda that reflects the Findings and Recommendations of the Leadership Conversation in a process to be determined by the Advisory Committee;
B. Establish rigorous evaluation criteria, impact metrics, and transparency safeguards to insure accountability.
C. Thereafter, meet collectively at least once a year by telephone conference or at a location determined by NYCLC, and shall provide non-binding guidance except as otherwise agreed;
D. Be available for individual or group consultations that may be periodically scheduled throughout the year;
E. Contribute annual financial gifts and in-kind contributions, and actively fundraise on behalf of the NYCLC and 20/20, at levels to be determined by the Advisory Committee; and
F. Serve renewable two-year terms.
5. Develop funding streams to build the administrative and programmatic infrastructure for 20/20.
6. Recruit, register, and train grassroots partners to begin adopting schools through 20/20. Develop a coherent and decentralized recruitment and training schedule for 2009 that provides reliable onramps for individuals and institutions alike to plug into the movement.
7. Leverage internet technology and media relationships to foster awareness of the issue, collaboration, fund development and social networking amongst stakeholders.
A. Develop an interactive website to facilitate ongoing communication amongst stakeholders.
B. Engage media partners and nurture additional media relationships to tell the stories (both the urgent appeal and successes) of education reform as implemented according to the Actionable Plan.
C. Produce promotional materials for communications purposes, as needed.
FORUM PARTICIPANTS’ ACTION ITEMS
In order for NYCLC and 20/20 to complete the above action items, we request all Forum Participants to consider which of the following Action Items you can help implement:
1. Identify and enlist education reform groups and NYC Department of Education officials with whom to nurture collaborative, trusting relationships and ongoing partnership.
2. Create a master plan for scalable engagement and measurable results, based upon the findings and recommendations of the Leadership Conversation.
3. Develop funding streams to build the administrative and programmatic infrastructure for 20/20.
4. Develop an interactive website to facilitate ongoing communication amongst stakeholders.
5. Build media relationships to tell the stories (both the urgent appeal and successes) of education reform as we implement the actionable plan.
6. Produce promotional materials for communications purposes, as needed.
7. Nominate themself to join the Advisory Committee for 20/20 Vision for Schools.
8. Provide names of candidates to serve as potential Advisory Committee members.
9. Indicate any additional ways they are willing to contribute to the development and expansion of 20/20.
To indicate your willingness to help implement any of the above Action Items, please complete the Commitment Form online here.
CONCLUSION
New York City Education Chancellor Joel Klein says public schools are broken in America because somewhere education became less about children and more about adults. We have exchanged the selflessness of investing in students for the students’ sake alone for turf wars and power plays, partisanship and self-interest.
At the Forum, Principal Edward Tom of Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics offered an impassioned plea to once again “put children first” in the struggle to overcome entrenched educational injustices.
To that end, the NYCLC and 20/20 urge multi-sector leaders to open sourceIbid. a collaborative effort to transform education in America. If education is first and foremost about children, education reform should not be a proprietary pursuit. Since the problems are too vast for one person, interest group, or community to overcome on its own, open sourcing ideas, best practices, funding solutions, evaluation methodologies, and reform strategies represents the best way to engage the best minds in transforming public education in this country. If it’s “about the kids,” we need to model how to share.
» Filed Under action plan, commitment form, nyclc
