The group came together early in 2006, at a time when the report of the Citizens’ Task Force was drawing a great deal of attention to issues of CMS management and governance. We felt that issues more directly related to classroom education, such as teacher quality, were not receiving the attention they needed. We wanted to spark a broader discussion of these issues, and to promote effective action at all levels of the community.
The group’s formation was sparked by a diverse mix of people from different schools, neighborhoods and organizations. Participants have included Patsy Burkins, Pamela Grundy, John Minter, Danielle Obiorah, Dorothy Waddy, Cheryl Plonk, Carol Sawyer, Terry Taylor-Allen, Tina Wright and Louise Woods.