Over the last few years New York has reached a tipping point: building upon the foundation laid by a cadre of organizations and activists long committed to improving public schools, the Empire State has emerged as one of the most important sites for education reform in the nation. But realizing the promise of New York’s new educational landscape will require a coordinated and professional advocacy movement that spans the entire state.

Meanwhile, for several years across the border in Connecticut, ConnCAN has harnessed the tools of modern issue campaigns to build a statewide reform movement capable of securing and sustaining fundamental education reforms. Reflecting on our results, Jon Schnur, founder of executive director of New Leaders for New Schools, stated, “every state in the country should have a ConnCAN.”

Heeding Schnur’s call, in 2009 ConnCAN Chief Operating Officer Marc Porter Magee began the process of launching a new nonprofit, 50CAN: The 50 State Campaign for Achievement Now, which recruits and supports local leaders who build citizen movements in their states to ensure that every child has access to a great public school. 50CAN has four state campaigns operating in Maryland, Minnesota, New York and Rhode Island.

NYCAN launched in January 2012 with Founding Executive Director Christina Grant at its helm. The three-person team is based in Albany and supported by a growing national 50CAN staff headquartered in New York City.