President English’s Op-Ed about the B3 Program appeared in the Baltimore to inform readers about the impact the work of our 40 teachers and paraprofessionals, B3 Advocates, had communities throughout Baltimore City.
“In challenging times, we must always acknowledge the power of utilizing the voices around us. That’s when our Baltimore community came together as students, parents, educators, religious leaders, community groups and city leaders to fight for our public schools.
A group of 40 teachers and other school-related staff were carefully chosen through an interview process, were trained as B3 advocates and tasked with canvassing targeted neighborhoods to speak with families about enrolling or re-enrolling their children into Baltimore Public Schools. They knocked on more than 36,000 doors and held more than 6,200 conversations for a contact rate of 17 percent, higher rates than that of many political campaigns. Their results were nothing short of amazing, with 329 new students enrolled in pre-K and 17 former drop-outs now re-enrolled.
Not only are the B3 advocates dedicated to positive growth in our public schools, they are proactive toward achieving goals and passionate in supporting our leaders of tomorrow. Whether greeted with smiles or opposition, the advocates started each conversation just as enthused as the first. That’s because serving as a B3 advocate is more than a task, it is a responsibility to be at the forefront of progress.”