Inside schools dot org needs our help

July 8, 5:41 PMNY Schools ExaminerKathleen Byrne

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I recently received this plea on one of my listserves:

A few weeks ago, many of us were shocked to read that Insideschools.org, the online resource with profiles of every public school in NYC, is in financial trouble. There were messages on many neighborhood email groups pointing out this problem and urging parents to help.

Pamela Wheaton, the director of Insideschools (and a local parent herself) posted an update a couple of days ago on their blog. They have raised barely more than half of the $10,000 they need immediately, and they need much more to remain a viable organization.

Given the million kids that attend New York City public schools, this should not be an impossible sum for them to raise. Without big grants from foundations, they will still have to cut back their valuable activities but at least the website will survive.

But if they can't raise the money, how will we be able to find an updated, independent report every time we need to check out a school? Where will we go for up-to-date information on the complex issues of the centralized admissions process that the city has instituted at every level and type of public education, from pre-kindergarten through Kindergarten, middle school, and high school, gifted and special needs classes, districts and regions and boroughs? How will we make sense of the current crisis caused by the expiration of Mayoral control of the schools in the face of the paralysis of state government?

Even if your child is just a baby, you need this resource to plan for your child's future as he or she grows closer to school age.

We urge you to contribute to insideschools.org. You can use this link. And if you know of any foundations or other funding sources that have some money to give to a truly great cause, send them to the insideschools website!