ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is a nation-wide, multi-issue organization composed of neighborhood-based chapters that organize communities to advance the interests of low- and moderate-income families. Its areas of emphasis include affordable housing, living wages, community reinvestment, and improved public education. New York ACORN, founded in 1981, has members residing in half of the New York City’s 32 community school districts. In 1988, NY ACORN established a Schools Office to advance the organization’s education goals, both through work at the community level and also through participation in citywide and statewide coalitions aiming to influence city and state education policy. NY ACORN’s organizing strategies have been shaped by the serious inequities in educational opportunities available to low-income communities of color and by opportunities to increase equity through the establishment of new, autonomous community-based schools. This report looks at the accomplishments of NY ACORN in the indicator areas of equity, leadership development, community power, and high quality curriculum and instruction. Major accomplishments include: the publication of a series of studies exposing inequities in students’ access to magnet and other gifted programs, higher level coursework, and experienced, highly qualified teaching staff; helping to bring about changes in the school system and at the state level to begin addressing many of those inequities; and establishing the ACORN Community High School and supporting improved curriculum and facilities in two other community high schools.
Strong Neighborhoods, Strong Schools: Case Study: New York ACORN
Elaine Simon , Marcine Pickron-Davis , Chris Brown
Date: March 2002
Related Publications
Publication
Examining the Impact, Implementation, and Cost Effectiveness of Completion Coaching in a Statewide College Promise Program
Dae Y. Kim, Karin Gegenheimer
Publication
Children’s Literacy Initiative’s Blueprint for Early Learning: Evaluation Report
Alyn Turner, Jill Pierce, Kendall LaParo
Publication
Virtual Approaches Hold Promise for Expanding Afterschool Art Programming
Wendy McClanahan, Tracey A. Hartmann
Publication
Small but Mighty: Lessons from Black Teachers’ Experiences in Allegheny County
Siettah Parks, Kevin Burgess, Leana Cabral, Mary Eddins, Alita Robinson
Publication
Allegheny County Teacher and Student Demographics: 2022-23 Update
Mary Eddins, David Lapp, Anna Shaw-Amoah
Publication
Top 5 Insights from RFA’s Community Research Partnership: Becoming a Community-Engaged Research Organization
Kate Callahan, Saxon Nelson
Publication
Exploring the Diversity and Supports for School District of Philadelphia English Learners as they Prepare to Transition to High School
David Bamat, Sean Vannata, Lindsey Liu, Molly Schlesinger, Alyn Turner
Publication
Setting the Stage: Practical Ideas for Implementing High-Quality Afterschool Arts Programs
Tracey A. Hartmann, Wendy McClanahan, Jill Pierce
Publication
Pennsylvania School Funding and School Staffing Disparities
David Lapp, Anna Shaw-Amoah
Publication
State Funding to Support Out-of-School Time Programming in Pennsylvania
Mark Duffy, Tracey A. Hartmann
Publication
“Worn & Weary” Black Teachers’ Storied Experiences and Recommendations around their Attrition and Retention in Philadelphia Schools
Leana Cabral, Lynnette Mawhinney, Jill Pierce, Carmina Hachenburg
Publication
Changing the Finish Line: Implications of new graduation requirements in the School District of Philadelphia
Sean Vannata, Anna Shaw-Amoah, Molly Pileggi, Molly Schlesinger, Theodore Wills, Roland Reyes, Alyn Turner