MISSION
The mission of the Orleans Public
Education Network (OPEN) is to bring the full New Orleans community together
for a respectful and informed dialogue about the future of public education in
the city. Beginning with the basic questions of what quality education means
and does in New Orleans, this process will create a framework for a
sustainable structure of excellence and equity that will offer every child in
the city access to a world-class public education. OPEN will then collab0orate
with the community in creating a permanent citizen-based entity to monitor,
advocate and hold accountable individuals, institutions and policy--makers
responsible for sustaining universally high levels of student achievement.
VALUES
The values OPEN brings to this mission are:
- Every child has the capacity to learn and succeed.
- The purpose of all education is to make students life-ready: fully
capable of realizing continuing education and/or career choices, and
prepared to be productive, engaged citizens.
- A well-educated citizenry is a requirement for, and will lead to, a
happy and prosperous city.
- Community support and ongoing engagement is necessary to sustain
excellence and equity in public education.
- There is a tremendous amount of wisdom contained within the New
Orleans community.
- Civic engagement can transform the performance of public systems.
- A successful process includes working positively with,
though not under the control of the existing education and political
establishments.
OBJECTIVES
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Engage a broad cross section of the community in sustained dialogue and
learning about the conditions, challenges and possibilities regarding
quality public education in New Orleans. This includes historical
successes and failures in New Orleans as well as current best practices
from around the world.
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Develop a common, community-wide definition of quality public education in
New Orleans.
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Build the capacity of local residents and groups to collect and analyze
data and make policy recommendations using a participatory research
model. Residents will be engaged in identifying the information they need
to be effective participants in this process; will help frame the research
questions; and will participate in the research itself.
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Develop a structure that will enable the community definition of quality
public education to be delivered and sustained for every child in New
Orleans.
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