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Connected Communities' Kara Brown contributes this month's REF Community Blog which underscores the need for thorough and accurate information on Rochester's education landscape.
It’s an issue of equity
When it comes to education, Connected Communities believes that the journey starts at the beginning of a child's life, in the home. It is why we promote community-centered educational supports and have cultivated partnerships with Beechwood and EMMA Early Childhood Facilities, School No. 33, and East High School to promote community schools as viable school choice options.
Connected Communities is also equally invested in focusing on connecting with families to make every family engagement opportunity education-driven. Through our Family Engagement Surveys, we have found that families rarely have in-depth knowledge about their children’s academic programs, successes, policies, or academic standing.
To create equity in resource accessibility, we partnered with the Rochester Education Fellowship and its development of the READY School Finder. This tool aligns with the belief that families benefit most when their concerns are met with knowledge and the tools to make informed choices. It will be used to educate Rochester’s families on their options when selecting an ideal school for their children.
At our first READY School Finder information session I witnessed the Fellow educate families through relationship building while developing “trust through truth.” Our families engaged in dialogue about accountability data, school system budgets, and the future of our students in a city that is currently facing challenges. I am excited to see how the READY School Finder will strengthen the knowledge of our families on the performance of our schools and serve as an essential tool for the broader community that elevates the education of our children as a joint priority.
KARA BROWN
Education Project Manager
Connected Communities
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