May 29, 2020 3:11 pm

Grassroots Education Network- May 2020 Newsletter

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The NPE Conference has been rescheduled for April 24-25, 2021. Here is a message from Conference Co-chairs Lavelle Jones and Anthony Cody and from Executive Director Carol Burris.

First and foremost, we care about you. When we realized that 43% of our registrants were in a higher-risk group for Covid-19, we knew we had to reschedule, and so we moved our conference to November.

As COVID-19 continues to devastate our nation, we decided that even November might be too high a risk.

We, therefore, have, with hope, rescheduled for April 24-25, 2021. Our conference hotel, the Philadelphia Doubletree, has been a wonderful partner.

We are so disappointed that we will not see you in 2020, but we look forward to seeing you next spring. If you have a reservation we will hold it. unless we hear otherwise. If you feel you must cancel and cannot donate your ticket please contact dcimarusti@networkforpubliceducation.org . If you did not get a ticket and might want to attend in April 2021, we will open up ticket sales a few months before.

Stay healthy and take care of those you love.

The NPE Grassroots Education Network is a network of over 145 grassroots organizations nationwide who have joined together to preserve, promote, improve, and strengthen our public schools. If you know of a group that would like to join this powerful network, please go here to sign on. 

If you have any questions about the NPE Grassroots Education Network please contact Marla Kilfoyle, NPE Grassroots Education Network Liaison at marlakilfoyle@networkforpubliceducation.org

Notes from Marla

I hope this newsletter finds you all safe and healthy.  Despite the devastation of COVID 19, organizations in the network continue to forge ahead to step up for their communities.  We are seeing, across the nation, how public schools are acting as hubs for their community by providing meals and shelter.  Our teachers, parents, and students are working together like never before to make sure that children continue to get what they need in this unprecedented time.  As you move through this newsletter, you will pick up ideas for your organizing, and be in awe of the ingenuity that people have to make the world a better place for our children, even as the fear of COVID 19 remains strong in the nation.  I want to take this time to say thank you to everyone and to say to you that our children are watching, and learning, from the best! 

National Organizing

The Network for Public Education has been hosting Conversations with Diane on Wednesday evening. They are a huge hit and are filled to capacity within hours.  To see the archived conversations go here.  Monitor the NPE website for future conversations.  NPE is still mounting an email campaign to tell Congress to stop DeVos from using emergency funding to advance her privatization agenda. DeVos took $180 million in federal coronavirus relief funds and is using the money to create a competition for states to get millions for voucher-like grants and for private virtual, online education. To share the email campaign go here. Defending the Early Years will be holding their conference on a virtual platform this summer (July 21-24). Information will be coming soon on how to register. DEY has published a series of videos to help our youngest children, and their families, navigate the COVID crisis. In the second series they featured author, psychologist, and award-winning ventriloquist, Susan Linn, Ed.D., and her puppet, Audrey Duck. In the Public Interest article Front-line workers need more than thank-yous. They need Congress to save states and localities, it is a must read and share.  The Journey for Justice Alliance podcast On The Ground, hosted by Jitu Brown, airs every Monday at 6 PM CST. J4J has also postponed their annual conference. Go here for more information. Journey for Justice Alliance, the Schott Foundation, and the Baltimore Algebra Project held a powerful webinar this month.  The webinar, Education Equity or Else: The Danger and Opportunity for Public Schools in an Era of Covid, can be viewed here. Fairtest joined parents and students in suing the College Board this month for failures on computerized AP exams. Fairtest publishes a newsletter each week about the misuses and flaws of standardized testing. They are a valuable resource and clearinghouse for everything testing and test reform. Fairtest has published a list of test-optional universities and colleges.  Rethinking Schools featured the work of artist and academic, Kim Cosier, on their Facebook page. Kim writes about art builds — how they are practices of resistance and solidarity, and celebrations of joy and justice to fuel advocacy movements. The Parent Coalition for Student Privacy partnered with the New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) in writing a letter to NY Gov. Cuomo. Gov. Cuomo announced this month he was partnering with the Gates Foundation to reimagine education in New York. To read that letter go here. The Parent Coalition for Student Privacy is also asking everyone to send an email to their Representative in Congress to protect the privacy of your internet use and phone records from the government without a warrant. To read more about this campaign, and send your email, go hereParents for Public Schools National shared an adorable teacher appreciation video from their San Francisco affiliate. Parents Across America founding member, and author, Dora Taylor published a powerful article in The Progressive called Coronavirus Capitalism is Coming for Public Schools. To read the article go here. Parents Across America President Khem Irby was interviewed on Fox 8 this month about Teacher Appreciation and the COVID crisis. The Schott Foundation president and CEO, Dr. John H. Jackson published an article in The Hill. COVID-19 exposes America’s broken social safety net was published on May 9th. To read, and share, the article go here

The Badass Teachers Association (BATs) blog has featured some powerful writing this month about teacher experiences with remote learning.  Trinational Coalition to Defend Public Education (USA) has a public Facebook group that features information from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. about how communities are navigating the worldwide COVID crisis. The Ontario (Canada) Secondary School Teachers Federation put out a call for focus group participants to work in collaboration with the White Ribbon Campaign on a project aimed at the prevention of sexual exploitation. Wear Red for Ed has an active open Facebook page which tracks the Red for Ed movement nationwide. It is also tracking education issues that are surfacing due to the shutdown of our schools. Find out what Save our Schools March is up to by following their open Facebook page. First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley published a powerful article last month in Medium.  Building a Better America and World for Our Children, is a must read and share. Kinderchat continues to host their popular twitter chat every Monday night at 9 PM EST. The chats are informative and provide great resources for teaching kindergartners during school closures. Check them out on twitter at #Kinderchat. Instituto Nueva Escuela are sharing daily Lee Conmigo (Read with Me) which is a virtual storytelling event. Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood created a resource for grandparents on how to visit your grandchildren virtually. CCFC also continues to host important virtual discussions to help parents and students navigate distance learning.  Their next discussion will be on June 1 at 4PM ET. Audrey Monke and Lenore Skenazy talk strategies for keeping your school-age kids active and yourself sane in a summer without camp. Register hereEqual Opportunity Schools is partnering with Seattle Public Schools and the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color on a webinar to discuss healing centered engagement to trauma. To learn more about this event go here. When Public Schools Open organizes in a closed Facebook group.  Please join if you would like to engage in conversation about what our school should look like when they reopen. They will hold many events to open the conversations about what we want our schools to look like when they reopen.  On May 29th they held a conversation with Dr. Theresa Mayer Snyder.  We will have the archived video in our June newsletter. 

State Organizing 

Please use this clearinghouse to encourage people to join organizations in their state and support their work! Call on family, friends, and colleagues to join the fight to save public education. The state organizing section is also a place to get great ideas for organizing and actions. 

Alabama

SOS (Support our Students) shared that Alabama State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey stated that the Department of Education is preparing for more twists and turns in regard to reopening school. Right now a group is working on a 2020-2021 road map that is scheduled to be released June 19. Mackey says he is asking districts to consider pushing back their start dates.

Arkansas

Arkansans for World Class Education joined the network in late March.  They are currently working on booting up a website and media.  We will share that in our next newsletter. 

Arizona 

Voices for Education are asking their Facebook followers to spread the word about a survey that  the University of Arizona Education Policy Center (EPC) is currently conducting to better understand the implementation and impact of remote learning in the state of Arizona. EPC is asking public school teachers to fill out the survey below in hopes of understanding remote learning in Arizona with the goal of reporting the results to teachers, parents, district leaders, and policymakers. Arizonans for Charter School Accountability update their website frequently about charter corruption across the nation and in Arizona.  Beth Lewis, cofounder of Save our Schools Arizona, had an opinion piece published in the Arizona Capitol Times. To read it go here. Arizona Educators United celebrated the two year anniversary of their historic walkout last month.  Here is an article which highlights their walkout. 

California

California Educators United joined UTLA last month in demanding that the LAUSD School Board enact a moratorium on new charter school co-locations for the 2020-21 school year. The Public Core program, Between Two Teachers, had a discussion this month with the former Mayor of San Pablo Genoveva Calloway – check it out. Association of RAZA Educators, through collaborative processes, have developed their own Ethnic Studies/Social Justice professional development model that combines theory and practice (PRAXIS). They will be holding a PRAXIS Institute June 18th and 19th. To learn more about this event, and to register, go here.  Check in with Bay Area Collective Keeping Privatizers Away from Community Schools (BACKPACS) on their website.  They continue to fight charter spread in the Bay Area. 

Colorado

Pueblo Education Coalition supported the #EducationEquityOrElse Live Town Hall on April 23rd. To view the archived Town Hall go to their open Facebook page

Connecticut

Children Are More Than Test Scores held a watch party this month on Facebook to read books to children. Re:public Ed informs Connecticut residents about state, local and federal education policies that impact teaching and learning. New London Parent Advocates updates their open Facebook page weekly with all that is happening in the New London Public Schools.

Florida

Fund Education NOW, Florida BATs, Pastors for Florida Children, and the Florida Council of Churches partnered with 16 other Florida organizations in a letter to Florida Governor DeSantis. The letter called on the Governor to use $770 million to fund the neediest students in the state. Broward BATs organize in a closed/private group on Facebook. If you are a teacher in Broward County, or know someone who is, send them this link to join and connect. Opt Out Florida Network is mobilizing parents in the state to share their concerns about returning to school. Pinellas Parents Advocating for School Improvements organizes in a private Facebook page. If you know of anyone in the Pinellas area, have them join to connect. Protect Our Public Schools, Manasota believes that free, quality public education is a right for all children and is necessary for the optimal functioning of a democratic society. To keep up with their movements during the COVID-19 crisis go here

Georgia

Public Education Matters Georgia is collecting feedback on how parents feel about remote learning.  They are also collecting feedback on which school districts are requiring teachers to go back to school despite a stay at home order. Moms and Dads Now Enduring Surrealistic Stupidity (MADNESS) has a vibrant public Facebook group that discusses how education in Georgia is going during the COVID crisis. If you are interested, here is the link to that public group.  Opt Out Georgia organized the opt out movement in Georgia via a closed Facebook group of over 8,000 members. If you live in Georgia, or know someone who does, encourage them to connect with this group. 

Hawaii

Parents for Public Schools Hawaii testified in front of the state Board of Education this month. PPS Hawaii discussed two topics: 1) to advocate for no reductions to teacher pay at this time when teachers are still struggling with low pay relative to cost of living and teacher salaries elsewhere, in addition to the challenge to learn new ways to teach, to communicate, and new systems given the pandemic. 2) to alert the board to family distress at inconsistencies in technology availability, communications, learning activities, and parental availability to supervise given other essential work. 

Illinois

Illinois Raise Your Hand thanked the 1000+ parents at 281 schools who completed their remote learning survey.  RYH created a great map to check the results by school. Illinois Families for Public Schools continue to pursue their Right to Play Bill. To keep up with their actions and movements on this issue go here

Indiana

Indiana Coalition for Public Education created a call to action this month regarding funding for public schools. Go here to view that action and make sure you share it with anyone in Indiana. Indiana Coalition for Public Schools – Monroe County shared with followers of their Facebook page that State Superintendent, Jennifer McCormick, would not be following the guidance of the USDOE which called for more coronavirus relief funding to go to private schools. The Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education continue to share important information to support school districts in northeast Indiana. Here they share information about material pick up and drop off. Northwest Indiana Coalition for Public Education reported the resignation of Valparaiso superintendent Julie Lauck. 

Iowa

Iowans for Public Education shared guidance from the Iowa Department of Education on schools closing for the rest of the year.

Kansas

Game On for Kansas Schools signed onto a letter with other advocacy groups in Kansas to tell Congress to support federal funding for education during the COVID-19 crisis.

Kentucky

Dear JCPS provided a recap of the Louisville PTO meeting which had a variety of powerful speakers.  Go here for more information and the link to listen. Kentucky SOS shared how public schools are over and over again answering the call for their students during this pandemic. Pastors for Kentucky Children posted some wise words by Jennifer Hawks, from the Baptist Joint Committee, regarding vouchers.

Louisiana

Step Up Louisiana joined the network this month.  We are so honored to have them and celebrate that they are the first organization from Louisiana to sign on.  We look forward to honoring, and supporting, all their great work. To learn more about Step Up Louisiana go here.  Follow them on Twitter and Facebook.  Finally, if you know anyone from Louisiana share the links so they can connect with this amazing organization. 

Maryland 

The Baltimore Algebra Project took part in the Education or Equity Live Event on May 14th with Journey for Justice Alliance and the Schott Foundation.  To view that event go here. The Baltimore Algebra Project is also calling on all Baltimore city students to fill out this survey. Please send this to any Baltimore city student you may know. The data collected will  help The Baltimore Algebra Project advocate for needs in the future. 

Massachusetts

Citizens for Public Schools mourned the loss of CPS Board Member Jose A. Soler. CPS will be hosting a virtual town hall on Wednesday, June 10. To register for  “Healing our Students and Schools: A Community Conversation to Resist High-Stakes Testing and Reclaim Public Education” go here. The New Bedford Coalition to Save our Schools also mourned the loss of Jose who was their co-head and shared a virtual celebration of his life.  New Bedford SOS has also been working on a series of community forums to further translate research to the lay public on a number of issues raised in this statement.  The purpose of the forums is to raise community dialogue and move towards concrete actions.  In addition to forums, NBSOS is launching a series of workshops/dialogues directly with educators as a way to bypass the irrelevant forms of “professional development” carried out by the school system.  Dates will be listed in our June newsletter. 

 Michigan

The Michigan Network for Equity in Education encouraged community members to listen to the state board of education meeting and to submit comments. Save Michigan’s Public Schools provided information on the Detroit literacy lawsuit. Michigan Parents for Schools continues to share information and background on the potential budget crisis in Michigan. MI Ed Justice felt the outline that the Michigan Department of Education produced to reopen schools was outrageous. See why hereTrusted Voices ED joined the network this month.  To learn more about them head over to their website.  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter

Minnesota 

Parents for St. Paul Schools reported that in mid March the SPFE (St. Paul Federation of Educators) strike has been tentatively settled. One of the agreements was to call for a charter school moratorium. PSPS is excited to now officially have district administration on board with this necessary action. 

Mississippi

To support their community Parents for Public Schools – Moss Point is posting free COVID testing sites on their open Facebook page. Parents For Public Schools of Greenwood and Leflore County continue to strengthen public schools by engaging, educating, and mobilizing parents during the COVID crisis.  Make sure to check out their events calendar for upcoming events in the area. Parents For Public Schools of Philadelphia advocate for children and schools in the Philadelphia Public School District. Make sure you give them a follow on Facebook. Parents For Public Schools of Starkville is a local organization working to strengthen public schools in Starkville. They promote the great work being done in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

Missouri

Missouri BATs have an active twitter feed. To keep up with education movements in the state, give them a follow. Columbia Parents for Public Schools promotes parent engagement to improve education and build public support for public schools in Columbia. 

Nebraska

Stand for Schools warned that despite a global pandemic with devastating and widespread economic implications, some Nebraska lawmakers have inconceivably continued pushing two false narratives about school finance. Nebraska Loves Public Schools shared a video, Live with Omaha Parents Peter and Stacy Scherr. Peter and Stacy, with their daughter Olivia, discuss difficulty with homeschooling. 

Nevada

Educate Nevada NOW partnered with other local organizations to create a video which asked the question, where did $1.2 billion in taxes meant for teacher raises and student achievement go? Watch the video to get the answer to that question.

New Hampshire

Barrington Educators Association is the local chapter of the New Hampshire-NEA.  You can view updated work here.  To contact them about issues happening in NH, go here

New Jersey

Save our Schools NJ continue to provide important information on their open Facebook page for parents. SOS NJ heard from many parents about being asked to sign a document waiving the rights of your child’s IEP and related services. SOS NJ advised that the NJ Department of Education has released guidance AGAINST this practice. The Newark Students Union is a powerful youth led group. Please give them a follow on twitter to keep up with their news and events. Delran Education Association are sharing some amazing videos that their teachers are doing for students learning remotely. If you are a resident of Elizabeth, ask to join the Elizabeth Parents and Students Care closed Facebook group to connect. Montclair Cares About Schools exposed the Sunlight Policy Center (a privatization organization) which is trying to get involved in their local elections. Give Our Children Our Schools a follow on twitter to keep up with their movements and events. South Orange-Maplewood Cares About Schools organizes in its closed Facebook group. If you live in this area, or know anyone who does, please ask to join the group here. Paterson Education Fund are happy to report that their school budget passed but that community members would continue to fight for more state funding. PEF also provided information for students to receive free online tutoring. 

New York

Class Size Matters Executive Director Leonie Haimson had an article posted in the Gotham Gazette.  To Reopen Schools, The Mayor Needs Smaller Classes – Here’s $570 Million in Potential Department of Education Savings to Get Him Started is a must read and share. NYSAPE, LI Opt Out, Class Size Matters, and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy responded to Governor Cuomo’s plans to reimagine public education with the Gates Foundation. This month NYC Opt Out encouraged their Facebook membership to take part in the Senate’s Committee on NYC Education Town Hall. On May 8th The Alliance for Quality Education sponsored an education virtual Town Hall with Teens Take Charge and CEC13. We will have the archived video in our next newsletter. Give Change the Stakes a follow on Facebook to keep up with what is happening in NYC education during the COVID crisis. NY BATs share important developments in NY education on their open Facebook page. Keep up with FUSE (New Rochelle Federation of United School Employees) by checking out their news and views. MORE-UFT continue to hold numerous events around education and COVID’s impact on their community. Head over to the events tab on their Facebook page to keep up with their movements. Jackson Heights People for Public Schools has a public Facebook group that is posting all the latest information for people in the Jackson Heights community during the COVID crisis. Parents for Public Schools- Syracuse has published a list of resources for the Syracuse community. Croton Advocates for Public Education (CAPE) advocates for fair assessments, enrichment opportunities, and funding for their schools. The Port Washington Advocates for Public Education closed Facebook group is a place to connect and organize if you live in Port Washington, NY. North Country Alliance For Public Education works to end the reliance on high stakes testing and to stop the privatization that is taking over their schools. If you live in the North Country of New York consider joining their closed Facebook group to connect. Rochester Coalition for Public Education reported that the Rochester School District will be getting a new Superintendent. 

North Carolina

Public Schools First NC and Wake County NCAE are holding weekly events to help guide their community through the COVID crisis.  Check out the event tab on their open Facebook page for more events in the future. North Carolina Families for School Testing Reform also organize in a closed Facebook group.  If you know anyone who lives in NC who wants to make sure that education is not driven by tests, please share this link to have them connect with NC Families for School Testing Reform. Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods are holding Organizer Circles all this month.  Go here for dates and times. NBN also congratulated one of their grant recipients, Happy Hills Neighborhood Association for all of the amazing work they are doing in their community.  Pastors for North Carolina Children welcomed UMAPS  (United Methodists Advocating For Public Schools) to their organizing efforts in North Carolina. Pastors for NC Children are excited to have them join in this work on behalf of NC’s public schools and students. Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County  launched their Parent Engagement Program.  Here is Kylene Dibble, Executive Director, explaining the program. 

Ohio

Ohio BATs have a closed Facebook group of over 2000 where they organize and share information.  If you know anyone in Ohio who is fighting for public education, teachers, students, or their community public school, send them here to connect. Public Education Partners (PEP) reported that the Ohio Supreme Court delivered a major blow to local community control of school districts and the rule of law.  It Takes A Village To Tackle HB70 encouraged Lorain community members to join the Zoom Meeting of the Lorain ADC (Academic Distress Commission). At this meeting the Lorain ADC would be selecting the next CEO. Northwest Ohio Friends of Public Education proudly published the work of Bill Phillis and the Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding lawsuit that would challenge vouchers in the state. Make sure to check in with Parents For Public Schools of Greater Cincinnati which post upcoming events on their open Facebook page. 

Oklahoma

Pastors for Oklahoma Kids Executive Director Clark Frailey issued a statement on the Senate’s approval of HB 3350 (Cost of Living Increase for Retirees). The Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee is fighting against SB 407, which raises the cap on tax credits for private school tuition which claims to help low-income students. OKPLAC notes this is disingenuous since 43 counties don’t even have a private school and the donors don’t need a tax credit to give to scholarship programs.  Angela Clark Little who runs the Facebook group for Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education & Oklahomans for Public Education was quoted in this story by NonDoc Media about key questions that hovered over the Oklahoma capitol. Oklahoma Teachers – The Time Is Now organizes in a private Facebook group of over 64,000 members. The purpose of the group is to unite all educators in the state of Oklahoma, so they can come together and educate, collaborate, and discuss what options they have moving forward to improve Public Education. If you know any Oklahoma educators send them to this group to connect. 

Oregon

The Community Alliance for Public Education (CAPE) wrote a guest view in the Register-Guard about the need to find a Superintendent who will embrace innovation and creativity, and who must inspire employees and the broader community to contribute inventive and enterprising ideas. Oregon Save Our Schools asked their Facebook followers a very powerful question: Rather than get to “normal”, how do we rebuild our primary, secondary, and higher education systems to be more equitable?  Go here for responses to that question. Oregon BATs organize in a closed Facebook group.  If you are an Oregon teacher, or community member, ask to join and connect.

Pennsylvania

The Keystone State Education Coalition provides the latest in the path forward for Pennsylvania education amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pennsylvania School Board Association has been hosting a Keynote Webinar Series over the past month and will have some in the coming months. Go here to see the dates and links for archived video. Pittsburgh Task Force on the Right to Education continue to share important resources for Pittsburgh families on their open Facebook page. Education Voters PA issued an action alert early this month to tell PA lawmakers to support funding for school districts in the state budget to prevent mass layoffs and catastrophic cuts in programs and services for students in their public schools. Lisa Haver, co-founder of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, wrote a powerful opinion piece in The Inquirer as to why Philadelphia needs an elected school board. 

Rhode Island

Providence Student Union announced on May 14th that Javier Juarez would become their next Executive Director.  To keep up with what is happening in Rhode Island give Parents Across Rhode Island Facebook page a follow. 

South Carolina

The Quality Education Project joined with the national group Student Voice for an inter generational dialogue concerning major issues facing public education this month.

Tennessee

The Momma Bears and Tennesseans Reclaiming Educational Excellence (TREE) shared great news with their community about education savings accounts.  Chancellor Martin upheld her earlier ruling. The injunction against ESA vouchers remains in effect. Pastors for Tennessee Children celebrated the ruling that the new voucher law was deemed unconstitutional this month. They also shared this beautiful Palm Sunday sermon by their partner, Reverend Dr. Ellen DiGiosia of First Baptist Church in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Tennessee Strong has a public Facebook group where they are currently sharing information about the state and how COVID has had an impact on children and communities.  If you know someone who lives in Tennessee, share the link so they can read and learn.  

Texas

Pastors for Texas Children Executive Director Rev. Charles Foster Johnson partnered with Dignity USA in an article published in the Washington Post which outlined their concerns about Pres. Trump’s promise to Catholic leaders that he would help their schools.  Pastors for Texas Children also welcomed Cameron Vickrey to their team this month.  Cameron will be leading Pastors for Texas Children in Communications and Community Engagement. Read this powerful article that she wrote about how online learning is not the future of education.  CFISD Community Leadership Committee joined Raise Your Hand Texas on a Zoom this month for an update on advocacy for Texas public schools. The CLC is energized, empowered and preparing for the next legislative session. The Coalition for Public Schools Texas is composed of religious, child advocacy, and education organizations representing more than 3,000,000 Texans statewide. If you are in Texas share their list of organizations so that people can connect. Texas Kids Can’t Wait are advocates for equitable and adequate funding for Texas public schools and for a sane assessment system. They strongly oppose the corporate takeover of public schools. To follow their movements go to their open Facebook page. RootEd published their monthly newsletter, The Branch, that lists all their activities and events. To read The Branch go here. If you know of anyone in the Houston community please have them connect with Parents For Public Schools of Houston. They post important activities for the Houston community on their open Facebook page. Community Voices For Public Education shared with their community that the Houston Independent School District board members should vote NO to the Energized Charter School contract this month. CVPE notes that the founder paid herself $12 million in “management fees” and her board forgave a $4.1 million personal loan to the penny in 2019. Our Schools San Antonio asked their Facebook community the following questions: How do you feel about starting summer programs in July and class in early August? What do you need to feel comfortable sending your children back to school?  To see the answers to these questions go here. Texas AFT noted that the Texas Education Association is urging districts to examine different tools for calendars…in other words planning for longer breaks during semesters and lengthening the school year.  Here is Texas AFT’s take on it. 

Virginia

Virginia Educators United and Virginia BATs published their concerns with the VA Secretary of Education’s COVID 19 Education Work Group. Support Our Schools-Shenandoah County organizes to fight for public education in that region. You can connect here.

Washington State

WA BATs has an active twitter feed full of powerful graphics. Check it out here. Washington Paramount Duty encouraged their community to contact Gov. Inslee about new funding the legislature recently approved in the 2020 session for more school counselors. WPD wanted the community to tell Gov. Inslee no cuts to public schools. 

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Public Education Network launched a campaign this month called Wisconsin School Stories. They also held a virtual Town Hall this month about the impact of COVID 19 on their schools.  To see an archive of this event go hereSchools and Communities United and Parents for Public Schools Milwaukee asked the Milwaukee community to help them gather valuable information, via a survey, which will be used to help the Milwaukee Public Schools and their community partners better support MPS families going forward. Answers are anonymous and all responses will be shared with Milwaukee Public Schools administrators and Board Directors. Survey and focus group in Spanish to come.  If you know anyone who lives in Milwaukee please share this survey with them. 

 NPE Grassroots Education Network – Resources and Graphics

The NPE Grassroots Education Network has compiled a list of resources to help communities navigate the COVID pandemic.  We created a list of c3 organizations you can donate to help others in need. We have created a space for resources to help educators and parents trying to navigate remote learning. Finally, we are collecting stories highlighting how Public Schools are helping their communities. 

Here is a link to our resources page. It will help you navigate resources covering a variety of topics.  This is a live document and will be updated so check back for new resources. 

Here is a link to our graphics page. It will provide powerful visuals for you to share on social media. This is a live document and will be updated so check back for new graphics.