America's "first" suburbs, those suburban communities built next to America's urban centers, were once the birthplace of the American Dream. Driven by a desire to escape the smokestacks of the central cities, and a housing shortage following World War II, thousands of suburban homes were rapidly constructed and middle class families flocked to them. A New Metropolis, which will be aired on public television in the fall, illustrates how many of these original suburbs are now facing a crisis: A dwindling tax base, population and business loss, declining public services and decaying infrastructure, increased demographic tensions and middle class flight.

Advocates have spent the past year working in their communities to uncover the successful examples of how the new school funding formula has benefited students, schools and communities. On June 2, they expanded upon that work when more than 100 community leaders gathered in Harrisburg for a summit that gave them the opportunity to work in groups to uncover ideas and strategies for how to improve their schools at the local level. Groups focused on topics including teacher quality, adequate state funding, curriculum and learning tools, students supports and legal tools to improve public education. Attendees at the summit also heard from a distinguished panel of educators and professionals working in the field that included Pennsylvania Secretary of Policy Donna Cooper, NAACP Policy Advocacy specialist Dr. Don Clarke, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Millersville University Dr. Melvin Allen, and Paul Weckstein, director of the Center for Law and Education in Washington, D.C., among others. At the end of the day, leaders came away from the summit with new ideas and innovative tools to add to the arsenal they use to advocate and work toward a more effective system of public education for students, schools and communities in Pennsylvania. Check our website soon for a video of the day and a follow-up powerpoint presentation.

The stories highlighted throughout this E-Update underscore how important protecting Pennsylvania's investment in public education is during budget negotiations in Harrisburg. Be sure to contact your legislators and ask them to protect Pennsylvania's new school funding formula when considering the basic education line item in the 2009-10 budget. We should use this time to stabilize our communities, not further undermine them.

Furthermore, legislators have an opportunity to complete the reforms enacted last year by improving the way Pennsylvania funds and supports special education. House Bill 704, sponsored by Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster), has garnered 65 co-sponsors in support of special education funding reform. Ask your legislators to join them in applying sound school funding principles to special education.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle." That was the theme of Dave Smith's remarks as he accepted the Champion of Diversity award from the Urban League of Lancaster and the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry on June 18. Dave was nominated to receive the award for his nearly 10 years of advocacy work for Good Schools Pennsylvania and for his community service to the Lancaster region. "To be a true champion, you have to grow in three areas," Smith said during the ceremony. "You have to make a conscious departure from ignorance; you have to find the voice that will speak to injustices and that will work to build community; and you have to take action, lead, inspire, and challenge the status quo."