Title
National Civic League's 2022 All-American City Award
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for and, if selected, accept the National Civic League's All-American City Award for 2022.
Report
Summary
The National Civic League's All-American City Award has celebrated the best in American civic innovation since 1949. The annual award recognizes communities that create innovative solutions to pressing issues through inclusive civic engagement and collaborations among residents, businesses, non-profit organizations and local governments. Phoenix has been honored with this national recognition five times, in 2009, 1989, 1980, 1958 and 1950.
The 2022 All-American City Award, in partnership with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, will recognize the resilience that communities across the country have shown as people come together to respond to the learning and equity challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's theme is: Housing as a Platform for Early School Success and Equitable Learning Recovery. The ceremony will be held virtually July 18-22, 2022, during Grade Level Reading (GLR) Week.
This year's application focuses on innovative, inclusive, and data-driven efforts that seek measurable improvement around one or more of the following focus areas:
- Digital equity (internet access, individual devices, technical assistance);
- Relational support (tutors, mentors, coaches);
- After school, summer and out-of-school learning opportunities;
- Transforming non-school places and spaces into learning-rich environments;
- Promoting school readiness, regular attendance and summer learning;
- Parents succeeding as essential partners in the healthy development and early school success of their children; and
- Parents succeeding in their own journey toward sustainable self-sufficiency.
The offices of Innovation and Youth and Education are leading the process in collaboration with City departments including Housing, Information Technology Services, Human Services, Parks and Recreation, Library, among others. The team has begun conducting research and compiling data to inform the application process. The next steps include working with staff members, community partners and residents to focus on key, successful initiatives that have been implemented during the pandemic. The final application is due March 1, 2022.
Financial Impact
There is no financial impact to the City.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Karen Peters, Inger Erickson and the Offices of Innovation and Youth and Education.