November 16, 2006
Dear Friend of ELC,
I am writing to ask you to support the Education Law Center (ELC), an organization with an outstanding record of expanding educational opportunities for all New Jersey children. This year we need your help more than ever.
Right now the New Jersey legislature is in the process of writing a new school funding formula that may reduce the amount of money going to the most disadvantaged children in the state. In addition, the Abbott school facilities construction program has stalled and many legislators have expressed an unwillingness to appropriate additional funds even though there are thousands of children in need of new schools.
We cannot let them turn back the clock. In just seven years, there have been some tremendous successes in the Abbott schools. Over 40,000 three- and four-year-olds are now enrolled in preschool programs. Every elementary school has a full-day Kindergarten program. Performance on Grade 4 math and literacy tests has improved significantly, cutting the gap between the Abbott districts and the non-Abbott districts in half. Any reduction in funding will surely set back this progress.
As the only voice for the Abbott school children, ELC has a duty to ensure that they continue to receive the money, programs and facilities to which they are entitled, but we cannot do it without your help. ELC receives no government funding, so we must rely on the generous contributions of individuals, corporations and foundations. To enhance your contribution, ask if your employer provides matching funds for charitable donations made by employees. All donations are tax deductible.
To make a contribution, you can either send a check made payable to "Education Law Center" to 60 Park Place, Suite 300, Newark, NJ 07102, attention Danielle Baynes, or click on the link below to make a credit card donation via our secure website.
Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at the 9th annual "Kids in Concert." KIC celebrates the artistic talents of urban school children. Please visit our website for further details: www.edlawcenter.org.
We wish you and your family a happy holiday season.
Sincerely,
David G. Sciarra, Esq.