CLOSING THE ACHEIVEMENT GAP ON MLK DAY

The San Francisco Unified School District [SFUSD] has the largest achievement gap, by race, when compared to the seven largest school districts in California. SFUSD has had a racial achievement gap for over 30 years and it continues to widen. Public Allies is joining Marcus Bookstore on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to launch a city wide education initiative embracing the literary heritage of San Francisco’s Latino, Asian Pacific Islander, and African American communities. This is an opportunity to promote understanding of grade level skills and begin closing San Francisco’s academic achievement gaps.
Since 1992, Public Allies has been developing a new generation of diverse leaders and promoting innovative leadership practices that meet the demands of changing times. Forty Public Allies members will join Marcus Bookstore on January 18, 2010 to host various activities from 1:00pm – 4:00pm for the general public. These activities will be age-specific discussions of social justice and will engage youth in literary explorations. The event will formally begin at 11:30am at Marcus Bookstore on 1712 Fillmore Street with an Opening Reflection. San Francisco community members of all ages are encouraged to attend these events as participants or volunteers.