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Meeting
Minutes Don Scarl introduced Michael Kent, Long Island Coordinator for the Alliance for Quality Education. The Alliance, a state-wide organization is part of the Long Island Progressive Coalition. They would like to see increased representation from Long Island communities. Their informational brochure reads: "The AQE is a statewide coalition of 200 organizations of parents, children's advocates, schools, teachers, clergy, labor unions, business leaders and others who believe that every child in New York State deserves a quality education. We seek to unite everyone who cares about education around a common agenda: the needs of our children." The Alliance is working towards a new adequately funded school aid formula, small class sizes, more qualified teachers, clean, safe and technologically up-to-date schools and full funding of pre-kindergarten programs. They want to ensure that "schools use increased resources in ways proven to improve student achievement". The Alliance has been particularly active in the "Campaign for Fiscal Equity". This 1993 lawsuit was recently overturned Instead of providing funding which would ensure all districts throughout the state would be able to educate their students through the 12th grade, the latest decision makes the state responsible for providing the means to an 8th grade education. The Alliance will support the counter appeal when it is filed. More information can be found at www.cfequity.org The Alliance has organized rallies in New York City, Long Island, Buffalo and Albany and received considerable press coverage with celebrities such as Cynthia Nixon and Russell Simmons. A group will be attending a lobby day in Albany in March. A local committee is being formed in order to bring together many people for a large scale community dialogue with a focus on 5 or 6 Long Island communities. Don Scarl will attend the November 12th local committee meeting. Anyone interested is invited to attend the next local committee meeting on Wednesday, December 11 at 7:30 at the Long Island Progressive Coalition (90 Pennsylvania Ave., Massapequa). Minutes submitted by Helen Kotzky |