Formed in 1995, Speak Up Summit is a partnership of local community leaders, business owners and concerned citizens who believe that an excellent public school system is vital to the well-being of the entire community. As advocates for the city’s public schools, we believe:
An excellent school system is central to maintaining property values and to preserving our city as a superior place
in which to live, work and raise a family;
Our public schools must be competitive with the best districts in the state in terms of key educational benchmarks, including facilities, class size, classroom technology, curriculum development, extracurricular activities and, in turn, scholastic achievement. Public school excellence can and must be maintained in a financially responsible fashion;
A quality educational experience must be provided for the children of all residents - and that the diverse student populations our schools enjoy should be reflected both in our curriculum and in the educational support services provided;
Quality school- and community-based extracurricular programs are central to ensuring a successful public school experience; and,
Decisions about educational policy and school funding must be protected from political in-fighting.
