If we believe education is a vehicle for social and economic mobility, looking at the wealth gap can be a good measure for whether we are living up to that promise. So, we must ask ourselves, what does the wealth gap look like in Rochester and how are our public K-12 schools working to close the gap?

Not only have Rochester parents identified the issue, but they are developing the solution!

Do you know what your school is budgeting for? Does it include what is most important to you? Are you interested in learning more about how funding decisions are made at the school and district level, how they impact your child, and how you can make your opinion heard?

Parent Leaders are empowering Rochester families to advocate for the best education for their family by providing information, tools, and resources to guide them through their school options.

Transparency is a necessary feature of a healthy school selection system. If we provide families with an accessible, easy-to-understand knowledge base about public school options, Rochester’s school selection and enrollment processes will be more equitable.

"What we don't know is affecting us greatly. Parents must be shown all their options concerning educational programs and services to make important decisions regarding their children." – Tianna Johnson, Parent Advocate

Are you READY for quality schools? Throughout the Fellowship I engaged with hundreds of you—students, parents, and educators. You’ve shared your hopes, dreams, and lived experiences, which has helped create the call to action for READY, a neutral, non-governmental, non-profit organization. READY will be laser-focused on our community-driven vision of increasing the number of children in quality schools in Rochester.

Hear from Camille Simmons, an elected official who believes in the importance of applicable learning and its ability to expand students' worlds. As a school board member, Camille is invested in listening to Rochester's children.

Hear how educator and lifelong learner Jeremy Smith is dedicated to helping Rochester's children thrive in schools. And, learn about the role of philanthropy in education from Maya Crane, MSL, Principal Consultant for Crane Solutions and Founding Executive Director of University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men Foundation.

Every student in Rochester has access to a great school — a school in which every educator has high academic expectations for every student, the power of parents is activated, and where every student feels supported to meet their college or career goals.

“I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.” – John Wooden

We can do this Rochester!

Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution.

How should we engage our parents? What does meaningful engagement look like? The time has come to view parent engagement from a different vantage point. Enter the new CRT—Communication, Relationships and Trust.

Parents are our children's primary educators, they have hopes and aspirations and ultimately know what's best in educating our children. This month I am amplifying the voices of Rochester's parents.

The goal of the Rochester Education Fellowship is to engage, empower, and mobilize Rochester’s students, families, educators, and community members to demand and advocate for high-quality education and highly effective educators. Using the strength of a powerful movement of activated community members, I am working to develop a shared vision for high-quality education, co-create priorities and goals, and design a plan of action to support and strengthen Rochester’s public school systems to provide more high-quality educational opportunities for our community’s students and families.

The Rochester Education Fellowship is in the process of engaging stakeholders—students, families, educators, and community members—to better understand concerns and priorities related to our educational landscape. We are working to gather community input via stakeholder interactions and surveys to co-create a bold and innovative vision for education in Rochester. The REF Community Survey aims to understand challenges, barriers, and viable pathways to a high-quality education.