As part of a “Strategic Education Framework,” Mayor Alvin Brown’s Education and Children Transition Committee proposes a campaign to spur citywide involvement and investment in Jacksonville’s children called HOME Works for short.
It stands for “Hope and Opportunity, Maximized through Education” and the challenge is, “What works? HOME Works! Be a Community Investor.”
The committee calls on Brown to hire a “Chief Education Officer” to promote and support the program.
Brown already has appointed Jacksonville University Professor Donald Horner as his education commissioner.
Also, the committee calls for Brown to convene a citywide summit about education.
Brown’s Education and Children Transition Committee organized its 19-page report under eight headings, including a “Pre-K-20” narrative and template and a “Partnerships” narrative, template and addendum.
“Our mayor can make a difference in education through involvement with local schools by exercising leadership in multiple ways,” said the executive summary.
“By using his influence and authority over public safety, health and social service agencies, parks and recreation facilities and a host of other resources, he can make a positive and direct impact on the lives of children — and improve their educational outcomes — without becoming directly involved in the governance of the school system,” said the summary.
The committee recommended that Brown promote, support and advocate for children’s initiatives, such as early learning, out-of-school youth programs, workforce development efforts, social services, library services and cultural programs.
The report asks Brown to consider two pivotal questions as mayor:
• What is my role as Jacksonville’s chief elected official to ensure every child has the opportunity for a quality educational experience?
• What can I do to align, influence and focus Jacksonville’s children and family support services to best provide that educational opportunity?
The Strategic Education Framework identifies three focus areas.
The role of the mayor and chief education officer in improving education and the well-being of children and families.
The committee reports that as the “education mayor,” Brown takes the lead as the voice for quality educational opportunities, stating that “Article IX of the Florida Constitution clearly articulates the role and responsibilities of the Duval County School Board as the governing body for public schools.”
It said the chief education officer reports directly to Brown and carries out the mayor’s vision and initiatives.
Brown should emphasis five themes, it said: Supporting the public schools; linking neighborhoods as “One Vision, One City”; championing mentoring and volunteerism; strengthening best practices; and advocating for school funding, aggressively pursuing federal, state and foundation grant opportunities.
Partnerships: A Citywide Master Education/Children Campaign.
The committee developed the HOME Works campaign for Brown to raise awareness of the importance of the community to work toward a common “One Vision, One City” goal.
The chief education officer would promote and support the campaign by connecting with organizations to participate. HOME Works would be the vehicle for Brown to use to ask retired teachers to serve as tutors and mentors, for example.
Brown also could encourage employers to support continuing education and he could encourage teen parents to continue their education, the report said.
The committee calls for City contracts for companies doing business in Jacksonville to include support of education as a “significant evaluative criterion.”
The chief education officer also should work with nonprofits, faith-based organizations, community and civic groups, colleges and universities and the military to create partnerships.
Annually, it recommends that all of the involved organizations should be recognized at an annual event, similar to The Florida Times-Union EVE Awards.
Issues impacting children, youth and young adults (pre-kindergarten through ages 20-24)
Brown and his chief education officer should create a P-16 Council to seek outside funding to address areas of concern, including retention; promotion and graduation rates; college or career readiness; teacher recruitment and retention; early learning and literacy; and a “universal community child identifier” to “enable better understanding of program impacts and success.”
The executive summary concludes that Brown “is uniquely positioned to establish himself as Jacksonville’s ‘education mayor.’”
The summary concludes that Brown should take three specific actions:
• Appoint a P-16 Advisory Council, “bringing the community and the mayor’s office together for objective, action-oriented” analysis of Jacksonville’s educational challenges, issues and concerns.
• Appoint a chief education officer to be the liaison with the P-16 Council and the community on educational policies and initiatives. Brown has given that title to Horner.
• Set the vision and agenda for “continuing, expanding and improving the work of the community’s many private and public organizations and agencies focusing on the education and well-being of our children.”
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Education and Children Transition Committee
Co-Chairs: Betty Burney and Kerry Romesburg
Members: Carol Brady, Terrie Brady, Albert Buckner, Toni Crawford, Trey Csar, Evan Daniels, Deborah Gianoulis, Constance Hall, Carol Hazouri, Debra Lynch, Ben MacKay, Tom Madjanics, Kenneth Reddick