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Peace and Justice Commission Recommends That the Berkeley City Council Adopt the 2020 Vision for Berkeley’S Children & Youth (See Attachment 1, Below)

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Peace and Justice Commission Recommends That the Berkeley City Council Adopt the 2020 Vision for Berkeley’S Children & Youth (See Attachment 1, Below) Peace & Justice Commission North Berkeley Senior Center Regular Meeting June 2, 2008 MINUTES The meeting convened at 7:05 pm with Chairperson Bob Meola presiding. ROLL CALL Present: Donald Brody, Patty Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman, Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman (excused); Phoebe Anne Sorgen; Jonathan Wornick (excused) COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Community members (11) regarding: John Yoo Zimbabwe elections ACTIONS TAKEN Item # 5: 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children & Youth (Commissioner Winkelman) M/S/C: (Winkelman, Cohen) The Peace and Justice Commission recommends that the Berkeley City Council adopt the 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children & Youth (see Attachment 1, below): /////////////////// Ayes: Donald Brody, Patti Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman Noes: None. Abstain: None. Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman, Phoebe Anne Sorgen, Jonathan Wornick Item # 6: Zimbabwe Election Justice (Commissioner Lippman) M/S/C: (Lippman, Meola) The Peace and Justice Commission recommends that the Berkeley City Council adopt the recommendation on Zimbabwe Election Justice (see Attachment 2, below): /////////////////// Ayes: Donald Brody, Patti Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin, George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman Noes: None. Abstain: None. Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman, Phoebe Anne Sorgen, Jonathan Wornick Item # 7: Discussion on former Deputy US Assistant Attorney John Yoo (Commissioner Lippman) M/S/C: (Lippman, Meola) Establish a Subcommittee on John Yoo (with first meeting to be held on Saturday, June 14, 2008 @ 1pm). /////////////////// Ayes: Patti Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin, George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman Noes: None. Abstain: None. Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman, Phoebe Anne Sorgen, Jonathan Wornick Donald Brody (out of room during vote) NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting will be on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the North Berkeley Senior Center with a deadline of Friday, June 27, 2008 for submission of agenda items and materials for the July agenda packet. Dates are subject to change, please contact the Commission Secretary to confirm. The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, _________________________ Eric M. Brenman, Secretary Peace & Justice Commission ATTACHMENT 1 RECOMMENDATIONS for the Berkeley City Council regarding 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children & Youth Whereas the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission has often voted in support of racial and educational equality, Whereas the 2020 Vision is a public declaration that sets a goal for the elimination of what is commonly known as the “achievement gap” by the year 2020, when Berkeley Unified School District children who entered kindergarten in September 2007 are scheduled to graduate from Berkeley high schools, Whereas ensuring equitable outcomes for all children of color in Berkeley schools is a problem larger than any single institution can deal with alone and the 2020 Vision proposes a “total community approach” to address this urgent need, Therefore Be It Resolved that the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission recommends that the Berkeley City Council adopt the 2020 Vision for Children and Youth, and authorize the City Manager to develop plans and models for internal and cross-jurisdictional collaboration to remove barriers to learning and to promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth. DRAFT ACTION CALENDAR June 15, 2008 To: Members of the City Council From: Mayor Tom Bates Councilmember Darryl Moore Councilmember Max Anderson Councilmember Linda Maio Subject: 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children and Youth RECOMMENDATION: That the Berkeley City Council adopt the 2020 Vision for Children and Youth, and authorize the City Manager to develop plans and models for internal and cross- jurisdictional collaboration to remove barriers to learning and to promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth. BACKGROUND: The 2020 Vision is a public declaration that sets a goal for the elimination of what is commonly known as the “achievement gap” by the year 2020. 2020 is the year when our children who entered kindergarten in September 2007 are scheduled to graduate from our Berkeley high schools. The 2020 Vision recognizes that there are many dedicated and outstanding efforts and programs in our schools and in our community that are working to advance our children. We need to continue to build on and support them each and every year. However, Berkeley schools as a whole also have one of the greatest equity gaps between African American and Latino students and White and Asian students. That cannot continue! Ensuring equitable outcomes for all children of color in our schools is a problem larger than any single institution can deal with alone. The 2020 Vision proposes a “total community approach” to address this urgent need. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: May require new and/or redirected funding. CONTACT: Mayor Tom Bates 981-7100 Councilmember Darryl Moore 981-7120 Councilmember Max Anderson 981-7130 Councilmember Maio 981-7110 RESOLUTION NO. XX,XXX N.S. ADOPTION OF THE 2020 VISION FOR BERKELEY’S CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHEREAS, The Berkeley Integrated Resources Initiative, a partnership among BUSD, COB, UCB, local community organizations and key stakeholders, was created in 2006 to identify and weave public and private resources together to effectively address barriers to learning and promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth; and, WHEREAS, United in Action, a community-driven multi-ethnic coalition, formed in 2002, and consisting of Latinos Unidos, Parents of Children of African Descent, Berkeley Federation of Teachers, Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action, and Berkeley parents and residents have been advocating to eliminate racial and ethnic inequities in educational opportunity and achievement in Berkeley Public Schools; and, WHEREAS, The Berkeley Unified School District created the Office of Integrated Resources in 2005 to weave culturally relevant school and community programs and services together, launched the Universal Learning Support Systems to provide early and coordinated intervention services for students, and in 2008 launched a district process to develop a comprehensive plan to address the achievement gap within the schools; and, WHEREAS, The City of Berkeley is committed to the elimination of health inequities which are directly correlated to educational achievement; WHEREAS, The City of Berkeley in 2007 created a Youth Services Coordinator in the Office of the City Manager to lead an Interdepartmental Youth Services Team and collaborate with community agencies to improve the coordination and utilization of City resources for youth. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Berkeley City Council join together with the Berkeley Unified School District and the community in a call for urgent action to make educational success and equity for all Berkeley’s youth a communitywide priority, removing the barriers to learning, providing opportunities and creating an environment where all children can reach adulthood with the knowledge, skills and values to realize their full potential and participate meaningfully in the world. NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Berkeley City Council, join with the Berkeley Unified School District and community to adopt the 2020 Vision for Children and Youth: That all children, regardless of race, ethnicity and income, who enter Berkeley public schools beginning in 2007 (and remain in the district), will achieve equitable outcomes with no proficiency differences by the time they graduate in June, 2020; and that all children born in Berkeley in 2007 and beyond, receive a healthy start and are equally ready to learn and succeed in the Berkeley public schools. The 2020 Vision for Children and Youth calls for the following: 1. Create a comprehensive action plan to address educational success for all Berkeley’s children that articulates specific models, goals and measurable outcomes toward achieving the 2020 Vision. 2. Develop a comprehensive action plan to promote healthy child development and articulate specific models, goals and measurable outcomes to ensure school readiness for all children entering the Berkeley schools 3. Establish a culturally inclusive professional development and recruitment plan for teachers, administrators, and city youth-service and city-funded agency employees, that builds on the strengths of youth and family and that focuses on removing the barriers to educational success. 4. Lead a parent/guardian, and youth engagement process that amplifies the voice of typically under-represented youth, family and community, understanding that schools do not exist in isolation, and that community and family engagement and well-being are critical to achieving educational success. 5. Implement a community engagement process that brings together key stakeholders, including Berkeley City College, UC Berkeley, the local business community and community-based organizations to create clear and accessible pathways for career development and/or higher education for all Berkeley youth. 6. Leverage local, state and national public and private resources: Develop a coordinated effort with the City of Berkeley, BUSD, and other stakeholders to coordinate revenue
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