The Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)
The Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) was established in 1993 to promote social justice through human rights. In a world where systemic poverty and inequality deprive so many people of their fundamental right to live in dignity, CESR promotes the human right to housing, education, health, food, work, and social security. CESR connects local advocacy to the international human rights framework and promotes solutions to economic and social injustice based on international human rights standards. Our Right to Education Project works to integrate a human rights perspective into public education advocacy in New York City. For more information, visit our website at www.cesr.org
The Institute for Education and Social Policy (IESP)
The New York University Institute for Education and Social Policy (IESP) was formed in 1995 to improve public education so that all students, particularly in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, obtain a high quality education that prepares them to participate effectively in a democratic society. Our research, policy studies, evaluations and strategic assistance support policy makers, educators, parents, youth, and community groups in their efforts to improve public schooling. For more information, visit our website at www.nyu.edu
Civil Society and School Accountability was produced by CESR in collaboration with the IESP’s Community Involvement Program (CIP).CIP was initiated in 1996 to support community organizing for school reform. CIP provides strategic support and assistance to community groups organizing parents and young people to improve their schools, as well as to groups collaborating to shape more effective and equitable education policies in New York City.
Acknowledgements
This paper is informed by the thoughtful comments of many individuals and organizations in New York City that met with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Katarina Tomasevski, in October 2001 and participated in subsequent interviews. In particular, we are deeply indebted to Maggie Moroff at Advocates for Children; Samira Ahmed and Michael Rebell at the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE); Amy Prince at the City University of New York (CUNY); Cynthia Cummings, Megan Nolan, and Angelica Otero at New Settlement Apartments Parent Action Committee; Marc Lewis and Tara Niraula at the New York Immigration Coalition; Sandra del Valle and Alan Levine at the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (PRLDEF); Yvette Grissom at Queensbridge Community in Action (QCIA); James Mumm, Angelus Rowe and Czarina Thelen at Mothers on the Move; as well as Diane Lowman, Barbara Jones and Jimmy DeMoss.
A special thank you to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Katarina Tomasevski, for her visit to New York City and for serving as a catalyst for this paper, to the Rockefeller Foundation for hosting the meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur, and to New York State Regent Adelaide Sanford for her support and guidance. Thank you also to John Berman for his assistance in writing this paper. Finally, a special thank you to Sarah Sills for generously lending her tremendous talent for the design of this paper.