Cities Launch National Network to Improve Schools and Create Education Partnerships

4/1/2003

WASHINGTON, April 1 -- A national network to support mayoral leadership in education, which already has 40 member cities in 25 states, has been launched to develop and share ideas about ways that cities and school districts can work together to raise student achievement.

The Education Policy Advisors' Network was created by the National League of Cities, through its Institute on Youth, Education and Families. Participating cities range from New York to Houston, and from Norfolk to San Jose.

The network will support the work of mayors' education advisors in several ways, including:

-- Creating a policy infrastructure that will increase the exchange of information and ideas among city officials, including regular meetings of education policy advisors to mayors in network-member cities.

-- Providing greater access to best practices and insights about ways cities can help to improve education.

-- Undertaking new research for network members and building connections to national experts and resources.

-- Highlighting city efforts to improve local schools through conference workshops, audio-conferences, and articles in NLC publications.

"Even in cities where the mayor has no formal authority over school districts, there is a great deal that we can do to gather and focus resources to improve education for our children," said John DeStefano, Jr., mayor of New Haven, Conn. and president of the National League of Cities.

The group will focus on issue areas that include improving student achievement, alternative education options, afterschool programs, community partnerships, teacher recruitment, and school funding.

Mayor Ron Gonzales in San Jose was instrumental in the early development of the network and helped shape its initial goals and identify many of the education policy advisors that are part of the group.

"America's mayors need to embrace the challenge of improving our public schools and use the best ideas that come from all our cities," said Gonzales. "This network will serve as a valuable new resource as we work to ensure that all of our children achieve and succeed in every community."

The National League of Cities (NLC) is the oldest and largest national organization for cities. NLC serves as a resource and advocate for 18,000 cities, towns and villages of all sizes -- from New York City to Bee Cave, Texas -- which collectively serve 225 million people.

NLC's Institute for Youth, Education, and Families helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of the children, youth, and families in their communities. NLC launched the Institute in January 2000 in recognition of the unique and influential roles that mayors, city councilmembers, and other local leaders can play in strengthening families and improving outcomes for children and youth. Visit http://www.nlc.org/iyef.

The Institute's work on municipal leadership in education is supported by grants from Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.