The organizers of the Say Yes to Education program—an urban education initiative that helps disadvantaged children achieve educational success—approached Harris Beach partner Anthony P. Marshall, a tax specialist, three years ago with an exceedingly ambitious proposal: Expanding what had been a highly successful program in some schools to the entire City of Syracuse school district.
The program had succeeded in key targeted schools in various cities, but on a scale of a few hundred students at a time. What if they targeted the entire Syracuse City School District and 22,000 students, and what if they promised all kids in city high schools a free college education if they earned admission?
