United Way report aimed at education action
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2011 AT 4 A.M.
On display
The “Voices for the Common Good” report at a reception at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Westfield Mission Valley shopping mall. An outdoor photo installation featuring larger-than-life images of San Diego kids with a call to action for adults will be on display outside Nordstrom Rack and Michaels.
Saying the nation has reached a turning point in education, United Way of San Diego County is releasing a report Saturday it hopes will galvanize individuals and businesses to take steps to get involved and improve schools in the region.
The report, a mix of national and local voices developed after parents, students, business leaders and educators were interviewed in nearly 40 communities around the country, finds that people overwhelmingly believe the country is failing its schoolchildren, that education is a key to success and that communities need to focus more on the needs of children.
As part of the project, the local United Way took a close look at data about San Diego County’s public schools. Among the troubling results they highlight: about a third of the fourth graders in