The READY Report

September 2024

Welcome to the New School Year!

Already, a new school year is upon us and we’re READY to spotlight quality schools and transform local education for Rochester's children.

In our city, just 10 percent of students have access to a quality school but we know that education is critical to our students' ability to secure meaningful careers that can pull them out of poverty and allow them to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

We support the increase of quality schools by developing local educator talent, informing and activating parents and families, and creating resources that help connect students with the education that's the best fit for them. Our goal? Ensure 10,000 more students have access to the education they deserve over the next ten years.

We’re doing exactly that through a number of signature programs and tools, including the READY School Finder, READY Liberation Teaching Academy, Parent ACTION Academy, and READY School Incubator. Additionally, we’ll be adding new resources, including a brand new website with enhanced, interactive features, a “READY to Talk” monthly series with education experts and stakeholders and, as always, spotlighting our work with parents and students every step of the way.

The new school year is here and we’re READY! Are you?

Yours in service,

Shanai Lee, MBA, EdD

Founder and Executive Director

READY, Inc.

"Knowing what schools we have available to us and how they are performing is the key first step to getting the high-quality school system we want and that our children deserve."

—KAMARIAH DOUGLAS

READY School Finder Parent Leader

READY Liberation Teaching Academy

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the READY Liberation Teaching Academy (RLTA), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming education in Rochester.

The RLTA is designed to address the critical need for more Black and Latino educators in our schools, with the goal of closing the teacher-student demographic gap and ensuring that all students have role models who reflect their own experiences and identities.

The RLTA is a yearlong afterschool and summer program designed to strengthen high school students’ cultural identities, explore their career interests, and build community with peers. RLTA provides middle and high school students with a structured opportunity to explore their interest in teaching. The "apprentices" will earn college credit through coursework focused on methods of highly effective instruction rooted in positive racial identity. The experience will culminate in a summer practicum where apprentices teach elementary students in a rigorous early literacy program. In 2024, the program will serve high school students at University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men (UPrep).

Through RLTA, we are not just preparing educators; we are cultivating a new generation of leaders who are dedicated to reimagining and rewriting the narrative of education in Rochester.

We look forward to sharing more about the impactful work happening in RLTA and the difference it’s making in our schools and community!

Parents taking ACTION

Too often, parents and guardians are left out of the local education conversation. Yet, we know families are on the front lines of the local education fight and they see firsthand what students need. READY’s Parent ACTION Academy is seeking passionate parents who can advocate for the solutions our students need. The nine-month fellowship will help parents gain the tools, knowledge, and support needed to become an effective advocate for your child and community. This is particularly useful for parents who want to become more involved, whether at the personal level with their child’s teacher or at the community level.

Parents will be equipped with knowledge about education history, system change, and how to drive meaningful impact in our schools. Whether you're brand new to advocacy or experienced in this work, this program is designed to activate your power to make a difference.

READY to take action? Apply today to join a community of like-minded parents committed to transforming education in Rochester!

Apply Today!

READY School Incubator's Design Studio

We’re excited to announce the launch of the READY School Incubator's Design Studio in partnership with Moonshot edVentures. Our two-part program starts with the Design Studio, which is focused on fostering a new wave of educators and community leaders committed to reimagining and transforming our local schools. The Q&A below dives into detail, exploring the origin of the Studio and what we hope to achieve:

Q: Where did the idea come from and can you explain a bit more about the READY School Incubator?

Our goal to increase the number of quality schools in Rochester is ambitious and can’t happen overnight or with one silver-bullet strategy. The READY School Incubator, in partnership with Moonshot edVentures, is one pathway to reimagine, design, and launch school models that respond to the needs of our community.

The Incubator is an initiative designed to propel forward-thinking school ideas toward success. The Incubator was created in response to READY’s pledge to continuously engage communities to advance educational outcomes for Rochester's children. The Incubator offers comprehensive support for innovative, equity-driven educators to develop the school models that Rochester families want and need. It will feature two programs– Design Studio, a part-time program for early-stage entrepreneurs to design and launch pilots for a new school model; and Launch, a full-time opportunity for leaders ready to start a promising new school (beginning Fall 2025).

Q: How were Rochester parents and caregivers involved in the design of the READY School Incubator?

In January 2024, READY convened a core group of 17 parents, caregivers, and students for a four-month process to learn the principles of vision-setting and collaboratively shape a community-driven vision for the next generation of Rochester schools. With support from our national partner, Transcend, and input from other community-stakeholders, these change-makers identified four pillars to guide the future of education in our city. Candidates for the School Incubator had to align their proposed school design to that community vision of student success.

Q: Can you explain what you’re hoping to accomplish with the Design Studio?

Our Design Studio is dedicated to nurturing the bold and innovative ideas of educators in Rochester, equipping them with the skills and resources needed to create collaborative, equity-driven solutions that address systemic inequities in education. Our goal in particular is to help them develop the solutions they view as key to bridging major gaps in our community.

We look forward to sharing more about the progress and impact of the Design Studio as we embark on this journey.

Stay Connected: Follow READY on Social Media!

Want to stay up-to-date with all the latest news, events, and initiatives from READY?

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