Quality Now! Results of National Conversations on Education and Race

Oct 27, 2000

Public Agenda; Public Education Network (PEN);

"Quality Now! Results of National Conversations on Education and Race" chronicles the experiences of eight communities that convened conversations about education and race involving nearly 1000 participants in more than 60 public forums across the country. "Quality Now!" is a set of strategies and hands-on tools intended to encourage and assist communities interested in holding their own conversations on education and race. By sharing the challenges, lessons learned, and outcomes from the eight initial sites, PEN and Public Agenda hope to amplify and sustain an important dialogue on the critical -- but often hidden -- intersection of education and race. The eight local education funds that sponsored events and forums included:Fund for Educational Excellence - Baltimore, MDForward in the Fifth - Berea, KYEducation Fund for Greater Buffalo - Buffalo, NYPublic Education and Business Coalition - Denver, COPartners in Public Education - Grand Rapids, MIHattiesburg Area Education Foundation - Hattiesburg, MSMarcus A. Foster Educational Institute - Oakland, CAPaterson Education Foundation - Paterson, NJThe efforts in these eight communities generated serious discussion among residents about what kind of communities they would like to inhabit, what kind of education they feel their children need, and what changes in the status quo they will support.