We stand for a new kind of schooling. Conditions of learning and teaching must improve dramatically. Schools need smaller class size, better teacher-training, funding increases and funding equity. Racism's negative impact on our schools and within the education reform movement must be redressed. NCEA gives a high priority to multicultural and anti-racist efforts in all areas of its work from the composition of its conferences and organizational bodies to the issues it takes on.
Grassroots efforts are the key to successful school change.
In May of 1991, our first annual conference explicitly as NCEA was held in Toledo, Ohio. NCEA's newsletter , Action for Better Schools, was started and campaigns were planned around tracking and Rethinking Columbus. Subsequent annual conferences included institutes for parents and teachers. Research on anti-racism efforts in schools has been an ongoing priority. Another 3,000-3,500 people have some contact with our growing network.