How We Learn - Education

"nearly 70 years". 2022-1954 = 68

It may be worth noting that Alachua County Public schools did not desegregate until much later, I think around 1969.

There has to be better engagement and support for our community's long-term goals by two of our largest employers, UF and Santa Fe. These entities too often operate apart from the community in which they're based and, given their governance structure, have very little accountability. The differences in response to Covid by our school board and elected municipal officials as compared to UF and Santa Fe are only the latest examples of this divergence. The City (and County!) must use whatever leverage it can to help make these institutions more accountable.

I hope that this includes GRU. I have recommended via the Utility Advisory Board that GRU establish a local "pipeline" by identifying jobs where they are foreseeing future shortfalls (e.g., lineworkers) and collaborating with local training programs to help lead especially youth from low-income communities toward those future job opportunities.

What about disparities in both performance and educational progress for low-income students as well as children in special education? In our family's experience, schools vary considerably in how well they deal with this -- based not only on resources devoted but also how much attention is paid to it. One of my children who is physically impaired was based in a classroom in the back of the school and literally by the dumpster. How is that for a message to those children and their families????!!!!!!

Instead of Black maybe use communities of color