Acknowledgments

Many people contributed to this report. Dianne M. Piché is the Executive Director of the Citizens’ Commission on Civil Rights and served as the principal author of this report.  Phyllis McClure, a consultant to the Commission reviewed state Ed-Flex plans and contributed her expertise to the analysis of state assessment plans.  Pamela M. Cherry, directs the Commission’s Title I Project and served as principal investigator, assisted with some of the writing and editing of this report, and made other important contributions to this project.

William L. Taylor, Acting Chair of the Commission provided expertise and helped edit the report.  Khara Minter provided valuable administrative support to the author and editors during the preparation of this report.

All persons interviewed in the course of the Commission’s research were generous with their time and forthcoming with their answers to questions.  Special thanks and acknowledgment are due to colleagues at the United States Department of Education for their assistance and cooperation as we “looked over their shoulders,” including but not limited to, Michael Cohen, former Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Mary Jean LeTendre, former Director, Compensatory Education Programs, and Judith Johnson, former Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.

The Commission would also like to express its thanks and appreciation to Kathy Downey for her assistance and advice in connection with this project.

This work would not have been possible without the financial support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.