The education working group is currently working with Philadelphians United to Support Public Education to oppose privatization of Philadelphia's schools and advocate for genuine reform. We are also working with Good Schools Pennsylvania to promote equitable funding statewide. We have developed a position statement on public education which has yet to be approved by GPOP.

Recommended articles:

• Excellent Deborah Meier essay on "Educating a Democracy," with links to responses from several others, including Ted Sizer and Linda Nathan.
• Mission Creep: How Large School Districts Lose Sight of the Objective -- Student Learning. Describes how large school districts are actually less efficient than small ones. Contains a lot of info specifically about Philadelphia (from a few years back).
• Needed: A New Educational Civil Rights Movement by Evans Clinchy.
  Discusses the role of high-stakes standardized testing in perpetuating and aggravating educational inequities. Points out the inherently authoritarian, antidemocratic nature of a school system based on such testing. Advocates for local control.
• Series of essays on "Educating for Democracy." Contributors include Linda Darling-Hammond, Deborah Meier and Margaret Wang.
• Public Education and Democratic Society: Finding Common Ground in an Era of Fragile Support -- synopsis of a longer "infobrief" by ASCD. (You have to call them to order the document itself.) Role of education in modeling democratic culture; importance of community control, mutual accountability between schools and community; need for equitable funding.

Websites:
• www.rethinkingschools.org
  Rethinking Schools publishes a (very good) quarterly newsletter on urban education issues; all or most articles available online. They also have a lot of good publications and links to other sites.
• www.teachingforchange.org
  A lot of great resources for teachers on current and historical events. Great catalog of books and videos, and great links (not just for teachers).
• www.fairtest.org
  National Center for Fair and Open Testing. Opposes misuse of standardized testing and advocates for "educationally sound" testing. Fact sheets, publications, networking, etc.
• www.publiceducation.org
  Public Education Network. Works for systemic reform, including changes in funding formulas, curriculum and assessment, site-based decision making and school-community relationships. Site includes articles, "toolkits," publications and other resources.
• www.researchforaction.org
  Research for Action. Philadelphia-based organization involved in education research and reform. Lots of information, publications and links.
• www.commercialfree.org
  Center for Commercial-Free Public Education. Provides information and support to community groups working for commercial-free and community-controlled schools.
• www.goodschoolspa.org
  Good Schools Pennsylvania. Coalition of Pa-based groups working to mobilize communities across the state to advocate for systemic education reform. Emphasis on funding, standards and accountability.
• www.philaedfund.org/notebook/
  Website of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook