Funding Alert

The Abbott Leadership Institute of Rutgers University, Newark, (ALI) is adding an interactive website to its outreach and parent engagement effort. The launching of its website, www.abbottleadership.org, is the beginning of ALI’s Digital Information Campaign, with data, information and conversations about education issues, policies and practices as they pertain to Newark schools.

Over the past four years, the ALI has become a leader in Newark as a source for information for parents about public education in Newark. ALI is a division of the Department of Urban Education at Rutgers University, Newark. The goal of ALI is to facilitate parent engagement in effective urban school reform in partnership with education professionals.

ALI’s new website contains information about individual Newark schools (with some areas still under development) and provides the opportunity for visitors to the site to communicate directly with school officials. There is also a petition available to send to state officials calling for the state to maintain funding to Abbott districts under the Abbott v. Burke court rulings and to expand funding to other districts with similar needs.

Since its inception, ALI has taught 500 individuals the art and science of engaging parents as participants in the education of their children in free classes at Rutgers University, Newark. This past year alone, ALI reached another 1162 people at presentations at churches, conferences and other special events where engagement in schools and education policy is the watchword.

Funding to urban schools with poor, mostly minority populations, has made a significant difference in the educational achievement of these students. This funding is presently at risk as the New Jersey legislature considers a new public schools funding formula. The Abbott Leadership Institute wants you to voice your opinion in support of sound education funding. Good education costs money and all children, no matter where they live, should have the opportunities that a good education provides. Please join us in educating the Joint Committee on Public School Funding Reform about Abbott, and the need to expand, not retract, its benefits.

As we continue to grow, we invite you to join the ALI family by becoming a registered user at www.abbottleadership.org and look forward to the exchange of even more information, building more partnerships, producing more "Abbott Advocates."