by Andrew O. Moore

Three cities receiving technical assistance to expand high school options and alternatives from NLC?s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) are reporting success with recent public engagement events.

More than 1,000 citizens in San Antonio; Corpus Christi, Texas; and San Jose, Calif., participated in active discussions on topics such as improving communications between parents and high schools, transforming comprehensive high schools and ensuring seamless student pathways into higher education and the workplace.

The events, convened by mayors and city managers, constitute examples of how cities can play key roles in calling for and ensuring high-quality education for all children.

San Antonio
The Mayor?s Education and Workforce Development Summit in San Antonio provided an opportunity for Mayor Phil Hardberger, with the assistance of former Mayor Howard Peak, to lay out an ambitious agenda for improving education to better meet the needs of the workplace of today and tomorrow. The summit drew 380 citizens, educators and nonprofit and business community leaders on a Saturday in June.

Mayor Hardberger issued a call to action, noting that, ?business, government, education and community groups must unite behind a plan and ensure that it is carried out for years to come.?

In intensive, three-hour work sessions, groups of summit participants developed community statements of expectations and resources needed for three main topics: early childhood education, pre-kindergarten through college education, and ongoing workplace skills. The work session statements forged a consensus on major strategies and goals for the city and region.

City and mayor?s office staff ensured transparency and ongoing discussion through development of a website, www.saedsummit.com/index.htm, containing full proceedings from the summit.

Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi?s High School Transformation Forum took place in September, shortly after the start of the school year.

Notably, the forum drew superintendents and representatives from all five school districts serving city students, as well as teams of educators, students and parents from nine high schools. As in San Antonio, working sessions of these teams provided a chance for dialogue about transforming city high schools into institutions geared for the 21st century.

Mayor Henry Garrett placed an emphasis on economic development in his introductory remarks, recounting a lesson he learned as police chief that most companies considering relocation to Corpus Christi or other cities touch base with the school superintendent in order to be assured of school quality.

Students gave the reports for several of the high school teams following the work sessions. The plans developed by each team emphasized improving instruction through continuing curriculum streamlining and staff development efforts, as well as outreach to external partners in the community.

In addition to Mayor Garrett, City Manager George ?Skip? Noe lent extensive support to the planning of the forum through his role as a board member of the local public education fund Citizens for Educational Excellence.

San Jose
In San Jose, the Mayor?s High School Parent Summit, also held in September, brought more than 400 parents, students and representatives of school districts and nonprofit organizations to the new downtown City Hall for a day of discussion and information sharing.

Mayor Ron Gonzales kicked off the event, noting that ?by bringing parents together, we can make them aware of all the opportunities that are out there for their children.?

During the summit, National Hispanic University President Dr. David Lopez drew numerous connections between school and future success in his keynote address.

The summit?s agenda provided opportunities to rotate through workshops on three topics ? truancy and gang awareness, college and career opportunities, and school and parent relationships.

Details: To learn more about how mayors and other municipal leaders can mobilize communities toward improving public schools, see the Nation?s Cities Weekly Sept. 25 special report on Engaging Cities. For more information, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Lucinda Dugger at (202) 626-3052 or dugger@nlc.org.