FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Leslie A. Dunbar

"The National Urban League’s school reform agenda is premised on what we know can work — individual public schools that are given the wherewithal and room to succeed," Price said. "Our agenda parts company with the failed efforts to reform urban school systems. "

In a speech titled, "The Aim of Urban School Reform: Successful Schools, Not Systemic Reform," Price proposed the following:

1. Assert no-nonsense state leadership–and responsibility "No longer should poor and minority children be held hostage to communities with low tax bases, weak commitments to quality education, and skinflint taxpayers who oppose providing adequate support for local schools. No longer should children be crippled by school districts with unqualified teachers, insufficient books and antiquated schools. Having imposed high standards on all children, the states must step in and guarantee high quality education for every child."
2. Charterize" all urban schools "Grant each school a revocable contract–or charter– to operate for ten to fifteen years and make it accountable for seeing that, say, 75 percent of its students meet the state’s real-world proficiency standards. If the school meets this standard, it retains its charter, which can be renewed. If the pass rate falls below this threshold, place the school on watch and require it to deliver an improvement plan. If performance continues to falter, revoke the charter."

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To Save Urban Education…Page Two

3. Professionalize the teaching profession "Increase salaries to levels comparable with other professions and offer attractive inducements like generous student loan write-offs for graduates entering the profession. Special incentives should only be available to educators with masters’ degrees who are certified by the state and who sign up to teach for at least five-to-ten years in low-income communities. If they leave the profession early, the loan relief would cease."
4. The 21^st century superintendent -- accreditation, not operation "The role of the local school superintendent should be converted from operations to accreditation. In other words, the school superintendent should be responsible for awarding -- and revoking -- the charters and reporting to the public on whether the individual schools meet their targets. If they do, the superintendent can extend the charter. If they fall short, the superintendent can monitor the school’s revitalization plan, revoke the charter if need be, and award it to a new educational team. "

For the full text of Price’s speech, contact the League at (212)558-5438.

Founded in 1910, the National Urban League remains the premier social service and civil rights organization in America. The League is a non-profit, community-based organization headquartered in New York City, with 115 affiliates in 35 states and the District of Columbia.