OPEN’s staff, board, funders, and volunteers believe when people are informed and connected around common concerns and a shared vision, they will be effective advocates for equity and excellence in public education and ultimately transform our community. Based on this, OPEN, together with students, families, and others, is building an informed, empowered community to drive equitable access to quality public education in New Orleans by EXPANDING awareness of effective, best practice, and key policy issues, ENGAGING residents in a sustained dialogue around educational equity and excellence, and AMPLIFYING the voice of citizens to positively impact the future of local public education.