The NPE Grassroots Education Network is a network of over 195 grassroots organizations nationwide that 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 ma***********@ne***********************.org
Notes from Marla
The 2023 NPE Action/NPE Tenth Anniversary Conference is now open for registration. Set in our nation’s capital, we promise this will be our most important conference of all. We will meet in the beautiful and historic Capital Hilton for two days of workshops, inspirational speakers, and a celebration of ten years of the Network for Public Education founded and led by Diane Ravitch.
Our conference theme, Public Schools: Where Democracy Grows, could not be timelier as we fight for the freedom to teach with honesty and integrity and support our democratically elected school boards that serve even when their every decision comes under fire.
And as always, we will discuss how we can fight for our democratically controlled schools, owned and governed by the public, not by privatized interests.
If you go to our conference site, you will find links to:
· Register for the conference.
· Reserve your hotel room.
Following the conference, we will visit our representatives in Congress on Monday to discuss the importance and needs of our public schools. Please stay and join us! Discounted rooms are available for Sunday night as well.
We can’t wait to see you this upcoming October as we celebrate our tenth anniversary together.
National Organizing
Exciting news! The Network for Public Education is growing, and we are looking for a devoted advocate of public schools to join our NPE team. The successful applicant should have a working knowledge of art production tools such as Photoshop and In-design. The applicant should also have a working knowledge of WordPress-based websites. Strong writing, organizational and research skills are also a plus. This will be a part or full-time position, depending on the candidate’s skill set and preference. Hours are flexible. The work site is home-based. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and resume to cb*****@ne***********************.org. Also, in early 2023 Network for Public Education released two reports. In Chartered for Profit II: Pandemic Profiteering we again focus on the world of charter schools run for profit, a world both hidden and misunderstood. We focus on how for-profit operators expanded their reach and enrollment during the Pandemic years so that one in every five charter school students attends a school controlled by a for-profit corporation. You can access that report here. We released an expose by author and academician Maurice Cunningham. Maurice pulls back the veil on the players, their tactics, and their funders. This must-read report identifies the who, how, and why behind Merchants of Deception: Parent Props and Their Funders. Defending the Early Years Podcast with Kisha Reid interviewed Sylvan Taylor about her unique role as the Enrichment Teacher in a public school. Sylvan shares her unique perspective on how to leave space, time, permission, and materials for true play in public school with school-age children. Be sure to visit In The Public Interest’s website, specifically their section on charter schools. The Journey for Justice Alliance delivered water and supplies to the people still dealing with the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi. Go here for photos of their trip. The Schott Foundation continue their #PublicSchoolGrad into 2023 campaign. Go here to see this inspiring campaign. Rethinking Schools stood in solidarity with the thousands of Florida teachers who continue to #TeachTruth and is raising money to send copies of Teaching for Black Lives to Florida classroom teachers who request them. The Parent Coalition for Student Privacy published a press release with New York partners NYSAPE about the appointment of John King as SUNY Chancellor. You can read that statement here. Parents for Public Schools, Inc. hosted a virtual conversation about parent-led racial equity movements this month.
Parents Across America has a fantastic website full of resources for parents across the country. The Badass Teachers Association (BATs) members reject racially and socially oppressive profit-driven education reform. To learn more about their work visit their website. 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 attempt to privatize public education. The Ontario (Canada) Secondary School Teachers Federation is making a commitment to celebrate Black History Month all year. Go here to check out their campaign. Wing Li from Support Our Students Alberta exposed that the Alberta social studies curriculum is pushing religious exceptionalism. The founder of the Wear Red for Ed movement Donna Mace passed away late 2022. We mourn her loss and are grateful for all of her good work. Opt Out Florida Network co-founder Sandy Stenoff wrote this tribute to Donna, who taught elementary school students for 35 years, then became an outspoken activist for public schools and against the overuse of standardized testing. Uniting to Save Our Schools (USOS) hosted a Demoralization vs. Burnout webinar in late January. You can view that video here. They also hosted a webinar on Examining the Moral Injuries and Oppressive Impacts of High Stakes Tests; Dialogue on Alternatives and Actions in February. We will post that video in our March newsletter. First Focus Campaign for Children launched their Big Ideas 2023 report in late 2022. The new report curates innovative solutions on child homelessness, education reform, economic justice, and children’s healthcare from scholars, advocates, and other experts from leading organizations around the country.
Kinderchat continues to host its popular Twitter chat every Monday at 9 PM EST. The chats are informative and provide great resources for teaching kindergarteners. Check them out on Twitter at #Kinderchat. Kinderchat also has a fantastic website full of resources. Instituto Nueva Escuela announced that the first public Montesorri festival will be held in May in Tao Baja, Puerto Rico. Fairplay hosted a webinar late last month called “Who’s Raising the Kids? How Big Tech is co-parenting our kids (and what to do about it)!” To view that webinar go here. Equal Opportunity Schools launched their Student Insight Card which identifies indicators of readiness for advanced courses as well as barriers that could prevent them from enrolling. Uniting for Children and Youth (Canada) held a series of events to honor the United Nations International Day of Education. National Educators United was started by a group of educator leaders of statewide activist groups in over ten states. After launching on December 14th, 2019, they now have thousands of members and their nationwide network is growing fast. To learn more about their work, visit their website. The Saphron Initiative shared their Saphron impact across the US in 2022 on twitter this month. Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico hosted a virtual conversation called Detrimental Effects of Charter Schools- Escuelas Alianza this month. They also commemorated the XV Anniversary of the Magisterial Strike of 2008. Juan Camacho, retired teacher, talked about the 1974 Teachers’ Strike and Rafael Feliciano recounted a historic account of the road leading to the 2008 strike. Mercedes Martinez, President of the Federation, topped the 2008 strike with the current struggles of the organization and the magisterio. Defense of Democracy hosted a workshop discussing where right wing extremists find their funding. The workshop given by Ali Collins was held early this month.
State Organizing
Please use this clearinghouse of information to inform people in the various states about the NPE Grassroots Education Network organizations. Please encourage people to join them and support their work! Call family, friends, and colleagues to join the fight to save public education. This section is also a place to get great ideas on organizing and actions.
Alabama
SOS (Support our Students) shares information about the Corporate Education Reform movement and Common Core. Be sure to visit their Facebook page for updated information.
Arkansas
Grassroots Arkansas is a coalition of activists dedicated to fighting for an equitable Central Arkansas. They want to bring an end to social, economic, political injustice and inequality by transforming the power relations and structures that create and hold them in place. They place education at the democratic center of this struggle that reaches every aspect of our lives. To learn more about their work visit their website.
Arizona
Voices for Education is working hard to update the public on news regarding public education in Arizona. Be sure to visit Arizonans for Charter School Accountability website which offers resources that compare charter school and public school spending. Save Our Schools Arizona OpEd in the Arizona Capitol Times describing Arizona’s universal voucher fiasco Arizona Educators United #RedForEd movement is about educators coming together in solidarity for students, schools, colleagues, and communities to fight for the schools our students deserve. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter to follow their movements in AZ.
California
California Educators United is a rank-and-file-led network of educators and supporters of public education. They are part of the movement for racial equity and social justice, fully funded public education through progressive taxation, and pro-public education and anti-privatization. To follow their movements, go here. The Public Core program, Between Two Teachers, is informative. To view all their archived programs, go here. The Association of RAZA Educators worked hard in California to mandate ethnic studies for High School students. You can read about that here. Bay Area Collective Keeping Privatizers Away from Community Schools (BACKPACS) is an organization dedicated to strengthening and protecting public education in the Bay Area. Go here to follow what they are working on. Educators for Democratic Schools-Oakland open Facebook page reports all that is happening in the Oakland Unified School District. Parents Supporting Teachers asked the public to take action to help Baldwin Hills ES students get full access to all the academic, social and emotional programs they deserve but are unable to because of Charter co-location. To share this action go here. The San Francisco Berniecrats Education Justice Committee held a successful art festival this year. Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco hosted a Digital Equity program this month, which aims to increase digital literacy to help close the opportunity gaps present in communities of color or low-income communities.
Colorado
Pueblo Education Coalition’s goal is to represent educators, parents, community members, students, and all stakeholders to achieve positive change for Pueblo’s public education. To keep up with their movements, go here. Taxpayers for Public Education works hard to stop voucher expansion in Colorado. To keep up with their work be sure to visit their website. Our Denver Our Schools exist to support and promote a high quality public education for all Denver children by engaging parents, students, educators, and the broader community in education issues and empowering people to take action to ensure our students have the schools they deserve. If you live in Denver subscribe to their Facebook page to keep up with all of their events and actions.
Connecticut
Connecticut Public Schools Advocates Children have a YouTube channel where they have hosted two important conversations about public education in Connecticut. Children Are More Than Test Scores founder Dr. Jesse Turner is hosting education content on the Tom Fickin show. Go here for more information and to see who he hosted last month. Re: public Ed informs Connecticut residents about the 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.
Delaware
The Friends of Christina School District is a group of parents and community members who advocate for excellent district schools. Head over to their open Facebook page for upcoming events in the district and surrounding areas.
Florida
Fund Education NOW’s website is full of information and resources for Florida residents who want to keep up with education news. Florida BATs and Broward BATs post the latest updates on what is happening in education. Go here and here for updates. Pastors for Florida Children exists to provide care to local schools, and to advocate for children by supporting our free, public education system to promote social justice for children, and to advance legislation that enriches FL children, families, and communities. Go here to keep up with any events they are planning. The Florida Council of Churches held a I Desire Mercy advocacy day at the capitol this month. Opt-Out Florida Network has been working hard to educate the public on book banning in the state. Head over to their Facebook page for more information. Pinellas Parents Advocating for Public Schools are collecting discussion questions for Superintendent Hendricks. If you are in Pinellas County go here to submit your discussion topic. 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, go here. Miami-Dade County Public School District Parents is a grassroots group giving a voice to parents of students in any Miami-Dade County Public School. Go here to keep up with any events they are holding in the Miami-Dade area. UnitED for Florida Children has a website full of resources and information. Go here to check it out. Hillsborough Public School Advocates is very busy this month working on their grant applications for Community Schools. HPSA is also pulling together parent leaders from the Hillsborough County boundary changes. Finally, to hold off on the awful voucher bill (HB1) that is traveling through the state legislature, HSPA is asking Floridians to send an email to state lawmakers to vote down HB1. Democratic Public Education Caucus of Florida advocates for better public education policies by educating voters through data driven messaging and challenging false narratives. To keep up with all their work and events go here. Families for Safe Schools’ published their recap of 2022 and a look forward to 2023. Americans United for the Separation of Church Atlantic Coast Chapter co hosted a Book Banning panel this month with Palm Coast Democratic Club. Support our Schools, USA asked Sarasota community members to show up at the Sarasota County special board meeting this month. The School Board will hear an appeal to have the book “Stamped” removed from the book shelves. This is a library book, not a textbook or other instructional material. National Organization for Women Jacksonville published a powerful graphic that shows the difference between public schools, charter schools, and voucher schools. Help Out Public Education (“HOPE”) joined the network this month. To learn more about them go here. The Florida Freedom to Read Project joined the network this month. To learn more about them go here. Families for Strong Public Schools joined the network this month. To learn more about their work please visit their website.
Georgia
Public Education Matters Georgia would love Georgians opinion on the Georgia State School Superintendent – who do you think is the most public education-friendly candidate, Woods or Searcy? And why? Moms and Dads Now Enduring Surrealistic Stupidity (MADNESS) goal is to build awareness and support for actual school improvement strategies like community schools and more broadly for the meaningful benefits of an equitable and viable public education system that strives for good schools for all Georgia children. MADNESS has a vibrant open Facebook page where discussions about education in Georgia take place. If you live in Georgia go here to join the discussion. 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. The Georgia Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) is an organization of Georgia educators, scholars, and community activists committed to social justice through education. To keep up with their events, or to connect, visit their open Facebook page. The Georgia Youth Justice Coalition for Action rallied at the capitol with hundreds of Dekalb students this month. Students and their allies stood against politicians who want to ban Black history, censor truth in education, and steal their right to read and to LEARN.
Hawaii
Parents for Public Schools Hawaii is a coalition of parents, community members, and educators committed to ensuring all children in Hawai`i have access to a quality public education. Head over to their website to connect and support their work.
Illinois
Congratulations to Illinois Raise Your Hand who received the 2022 Power to the People Award from the Chicago Lawyers Committee. Illinois Families for Public Schools joined a virtual public forum hosted by Network 49, where people learned about how the Invest in Kids voucher program works, why all types of voucher schemes increase education inequity and harm the public good, and what can be done to work together to make sure public funds are for public schools in Illinois.
Indiana
Members of The Indiana Coalition for Public Education (ICPE) showed up this month to support SB 260. SB 260 is a State tax credit for the public school foundation and it provides a 25% state tax credit for contributions made to a public school foundation for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2023, and before January 1, 2026. Indiana Coalition for Public Schools – Monroe County joined with ICPE in making sure the children of Indiana did not get “sucker punched” by the legislature this year. Go here to view that campaign and a powerful graphic. The Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education publishes their most popular posts on Facebook each week. Keep up with the trends in advocacy for public education in Indiana by checking them out. Northwest Indiana Coalition for Public Education shared an action alert to stop SB 305, an attempt to pass an Education Scholarship Account bill. Go here for more information. Washington Township Parent Council Network also shared action alerts for SB 305 and SB 188, which is a partisan school board election bill. If you live in Indiana go here for more information. Jefferson County Public Schools Advocacy Group organizes in a private group on Facebook. If you know anyone in Jefferson County who is concerned about the anti-education movement, go here to join.
Iowa
Iowans for Public Education administrator Randy Richards provided some important legislative updates for Iowa this month.
Kansas
Game on for Kansas Schools shares information relating to public education and public education funding advocacy in Kansas and to encourage parents and other concerned community members to “get in the game”. To learn more about their work visit their website. The Personnel Association of Lawrence- Communication Workers of America continues to support their Food Service workers who are fighting for higher pay and to shed light on the lack of food service workers in the district.
Kentucky
Dear JCPS is a stakeholder advocacy group seeking accountability and transparency from the Jefferson County School District. To learn more about their work visit their website. Schools our Schools Kentucky fixed a marketing sign that was on display in their capitol this month. The sign was sponsored by the EdChoice folks. If you live in Kentucky please be sure to give Pastors for Kentucky Children a follow on Facebook.
Louisiana
Step Up Louisiana co-sponsored a Fat Tuesday celebration this month.
Maryland
The Baltimore Algebra Project is a youth organization that works to end the school to prison pipeline. To learn more about them, go here.
Massachusetts
Citizens for Public Schools executive director Lisa Guisbond was quoted in this article about post pandemic recovery in education. The New Bedford Coalition to Save our Schools is a coalition of families, educators and community leaders advocating for high-quality public education for all students in New Bedford. To keep up with their events and activities go here.
Michigan
The Michigan Network for Equity in Education advocates for equitable, democratic public education in the state of Michigan by building coalitions and sharing information and research. To learn more about their work, go here. Save Michigan’s Public Schools goal is to connect parents, students, educators, and communities across Michigan and raise awareness of threats to public education. To connect with their organization, check out their Facebook page. Give Michigan Parents for Schools a follow on Twitter to keep up with all their events and activities. MI Ed Justice is on Instagram. Check out their Instagram page here. Trusted Voices ED is a nonpartisan advocacy group of educators who are focused on building collaborative partnerships among teachers, administrators, and policy-makers to ensure every Michigan learner receives the highest quality of education. To learn more about them and to connect with their organization, visit their website. Support FHPS (Forest Hills Public Schools) along with Michigan Education Justice Coalition believe that LGBTQ+ youth need support right now and they want the Michigan community to consider populating a statewide petition of support. They want everyone to learn more about the real, tangible effects of ongoing bullying and harassment by adults on Michigan students. Go here to read the stories.
Minnesota
Parents for St. Paul Schools is a grassroots organization started by parents of public school students. They are in favor of an immediate moratorium on the expansion of existing charter schools in St. Paul and the creation of any new charter schools in St. Paul. To learn more about their organization, go here. Minnesota Collective for Educational Equity is a grassroots group of passionate educators and researchers who have organized to promote educational policy and practice that will address the alarming opportunity gaps in Minnesota.
Mississippi
Parents for Public Schools – Moss Point has a public Facebook page that lists all education and community events. If you are a resident of Moss Point, or know someone who is, go here for daily updates. Parents For Public Schools of Greenwood and Leflore County strengthen public schools by engaging, educating, and mobilizing parents in their community. To keep up with their events go here. Give Parents For Public Schools of Philadelphia a follow on Twitter if you live in their area. They post updates for education and community events. 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
Keep up with the Missouri BATs by giving them a follow on Twitter.
Nebraska
This month Stand for Schools celebrated Nebraska’s Teacher of the Year, Lee Perez. Nebraska Loves Public Schools is known for their powerful short films that are focused on the power of public education. You can access all of their films at this link.
Nevada
Educate Nevada NOW is a multi-year campaign aimed at securing school finance reform and improving education outcomes in Nevada. To learn more about their organization go here.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Leaders for Just Schools are NH public school educators dedicated to the mission of creating more equitable and just learning environments. Give them a follow on Twitter to keep up with what they are doing. 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 Executive Director Julie Borst took part in a webinar with leaders from other grassroots organizations. The webinar called “Time’s Up: The Urgent Need to Appoint Members to Expired Seats on the New Jersey State Board of Education.” was part of a campaign to remedy an expired SBOE and press Governor Murphy to fulfill his legal obligation to properly manage the state’s public school system. Be sure to visit The Newark Students Union events tab on their Facebook page. The posted events provide an excellent template for student organizing. Delran Education Association thanked the Delran Middle and High School PTA for sponsoring a Soup Bar for their teachers. If you are a resident of Elizabeth, ask to join the Elizabeth Parents, and Students Care closed Facebook group to connect. Give Montclair Cares About Schools a follow on Facebook to find out what is happening in Montclair education. Give Our Children Our Schools a follow on Twitter to keep up with any future 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 join the group here. Paterson Education Fund helped to set up and serve a Thanksgiving Luncheon at Al Tambua Moody Academy this month. Parents Educating Parents host events for the Newark community. Be sure to check in with them on Facebook for all their latest events. The New Jersey Community Schools Coalition continue to celebrate the work of their community partners who also work hard to forward the power of community schools.
New York
Class Size Matters, the New York Allies for Public Education and LI Opt-Out sent out an action alert this month urging the Governor and NY Legislature to not raise the cap on charters. The coalition is asking that NYC not give them space and require more accountability. Go here to take part in this action and to share it with other New Yorkers. NYC Opt Out is a coalition of parents and educators concerned about high-stakes testing in the City. Their Facebook group provides a supportive space for parents, educators, and citizens to discuss, share and network around this issue. If you live in NYC or know someone who does, here is the link to connect. The Alliance for Quality Education supported The Children’s Agenda this month as they spoke boldly in the State Capital of Albany on the Solutions Not Suspensions bill (S.1040).Change the Stakes has valuable resources on its website about testing and opting out for NYC and NY parents. NY BATs organize in a private group on Facebook. If you are a NY educator or education advocate, ask to join. Give FUSE (New Rochelle Federation of United School Employees) a follow on Twitter to find out how they are navigating the school year. MORE-UFT hosted a NY Health Act Town Hall this month to answer questions about the NY Health Act. Jackson Heights People for Public Schools has so much information on their discussion Facebook page that you need to head over to see what the community of Jackson Heights is up to. Check it out here. Parents for Public Schools- Syracuse works to support and sustain public schools and promote parents’ involvement in public schools and their children’s education. They reaffirm and work to preserve the American tradition and ideal of free, open, non-discriminatory, publicly funded, democratically governed public schools. You can follow their work here. 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 stop the privatization taking over their schools. If you live in the North Country of New York, consider joining their closed Facebook group to connect. Visit the Rochester Coalition for Public Education co-sponsored an important in-person education conference this month called Motivation for Your Journey: Opportunities for Self-Reflection and Growth.
North Carolina
Public Schools First NC are keeping a close eye on NC’s version of “Don’t Say Gay” SB 49, which is moving quickly. Public Schools First NC noted that it is awful that the legislative leadership has prioritized a bill that has the potential to be incredibly harmful to their LGBTQ+ students. To learn more about this awful bill go here. North Carolina Families for School Testing Reform are working together to bring legislative change to the NC Public School Testing program. To keep up with their activities go here. Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods Organizers Circle this month focused on how neighbors can work together to create real change. Pastors for North Carolina Children was on Jones Street this month sporting #RedForEd because the NC General Legislature needs to know North Carolinians of faith from all corners of our state believe public education is a public good and is worth investing in. NC Legislators need to be watching their mailbox to see all the Mission Amplify postcards that are coming their way. Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County Executive Director Kylene Dibble toured some of the district schools and highlighted the wonderful things that PCPS does for children. Go here to see the tour highlights and schedule. Every Child NC shared their Have a Heart Campaign by asking lawmakers to fund Leandro. Go here for this magnificent campaign.
Ohio
Be sure to keep up with the Ohio BATs on their open Facebook page. It Takes A Village To Tackle HB70, and It Takes A Village are joining other pro public education groups across Ohio to stop the attempts by the Governor to take over control of their State School Board. Northwest Ohio Friends of Public Education is a citizen-driven, non-partisan movement to inform and engage Northwest Ohioans at the community level to support and strengthen public schools. To keep up with the issues they are working on, go here. Visit the Parents For Public Schools of Greater Cincinnati website for updates on their events and resources. Northeast Ohio Friends of Public Education has a fantastic website full of information that is centered around public education in Ohio. Be sure to follow the #VouchersHurtOhio hashtag on Twitter which is a current campaign most Ohio groups are involved in this month. Public Education Partners (PEP) shared that those who support Ohio’s public schools must focus on three priorities: (1) advocating for the full phase-in of the Fair School Funding Plan which was embedded in the biennial budget in June of 2021 but never established in a stand-alone law; (2) opposing the vast expansion of EdChoice private school tuition vouchers; and (3) opposing the Legislature’s plan to politicize the Ohio State Board of Education by eviscerating its primary functions and moving them into a cabinet Department of Education and the Workforce under the political control of the governor.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee launched a Call to Action this month. The OK Virtual Charter School Board met on 2/14 and on the agenda was a presentation by the Archdiocese about their application to open a statewide virtual charter school. If this should be approved, OK could be the first state in the country to allocate public taxpayer dollars directly to a religious school. Public school advocates were encouraged to attend this meeting. We will put a follow-up in the March newsletter on this. Pastors for Oklahoma Children continue to successfully fight the School Choice movement with powerful graphics on their social media platforms. Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education/Oklahomans for Public Education have a private Facebook group of over 31,000 people. If you live in Oklahoma or know someone who does, share this link to connect. 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 Oklahoma to 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
Community Alliance for Public Education (CAPE)’s goal is to raise awareness and build community around public education issues, as well as support an informed citizenry in having input into public education policies and practices. Oregon Save Our Schools is a group of parents, grandparents, teachers, students, support staff, and community members joining together to defend public education in Oregon. Go to their open Facebook page to get involved with their actions. Oregon BATs organizes in a closed Facebook group. If you are an Oregon teacher or community member, ask to join and connect. Community & Parents for Public Schools of Portland (CPPS) is the Portland chapter of Parents for Public Schools, part of a nationwide network of grassroots organizations focused on increasing parent, family and community involvement in public education. Launched in January of 1999, CPPS is part of the only national organization that actively recruits parents to public schools and advocates for parents taking a role in decision-making, school improvement, and accountability. Visit their website to learn more about their work and upcoming events.
Pennsylvania
The Keystone State Education Coalition publishes a daily PA education policy roundup. Pennsylvania School Board Association will be taking part in the 2023 Spring Advocacy Day, which will be virtual. They are asking all PA citizens to join them on April 18 to connect with fellow school directors, school business managers and superintendents to advocate on behalf of public education. The Pittsburgh Task Force on the Right to Education promotes important events for the Pittsburgh community, specifically focused on special education and students with disabilities. Go here to share the events or to register for them. Education Voters PA has a fantastic website full of education-related resources for PA citizens. The Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools has a powerful new blog post on their site. The Board Must Deny All New Charter Applications from Global Leadership, Aspira and Perseverance is a must read and share if you live in the Philly area. Teacher Action Group Wilmington is a member of the Network of Teacher Activist Groups, a national coalition of grassroots teacher organizing groups. They work together to build an education movement for liberation, locally and nationally, through shared analysis, political education, mutual support and learning, and joint projects. BASD (Bethlehem Area School District) Parents are educating parents and their community about issues that impact their public schools. They hold monthly meetings and post important information on their Facebook page. DASD Parent Partners (Downington, PA) are committed to meeting the needs of all Downingtown students and developing working groups to take action around their set priorities. To learn more about their work and priorities, go here.
Rhode Island
The Providence Student Union wrapped up Black Lives Matter at School Week with an in person member meeting. At the meeting participants learned about Fred Hampton’s organizing, and talked about what alternatives to safety look like. To keep up with what is happening in Rhode Island, please visit the Parents Across Rhode Island website.
South Carolina
The Quality Education Project posted a video of teachers, parents, principals and students advocating for a curriculum that works for all children. Go here to see that video.
Tennessee
Give Tennesseans Reclaiming Educational Excellence (TREE) a follow on Twitter to keep up with all that is going on in Tennessee education. Be sure to visit the Pastors for Tennessee Children website. It is full of valuable information and resources. Tennessee Strong continues to share articles written in the Tennessee Education Report. The latest article discusses how the Senate is advancing voucher expansion. Tennessee BATs organizes out of a closed group on Facebook with over one thousand members. If you are a Tennessee teacher or a supporter of public education in Tennessee, go here and ask to join their Facebook group to connect.
Texas
Pastors for Texas Children were featured in Newsweek this month! Their article, Pastors fight Greg Abbot over school choice highlights the passion of their fight for all children in Texas gives a great summary of their continued fight against school choice in Texas. You can read that article here. CFISD Community Leadership Committee are parents, business owners, and community members, partnering with the CFISD and lawmakers to enable the success of all children in their community. Visit their Facebook page to keep up with their events and activities. Members of 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 advocacy go to their open Facebook page. Check out what RootEd has been up to in their monthly newsletter. Parents For Public Schools of Houston is committed to building a network of diverse parent, family and community voices to ensure a high quality education for all children in the Greater Houston Area. Go here to keep up with their activities and events. Community Voices For Public Education participated in a rally to stop the takeover of the Houston school district. Go here to see that video. Our Schools San Antonio is a coalition committed to community-driven public education in the San Antonio Independent School District. The Coalition for Equity in Public Education has a fantastic website with resources for Texas parents and advocates. Texas AFT published an in depth breakdown of Dan Patrick’s very bad public education priorities. El Paso Alliance for Just Schools believes that public education should be a free, inclusive quality public service. If you live in the El Paso area, please fill out this form and join their organizing work. Public Schools First McKinney hosted a Q & A this month with school board candidates. The Coalition for Public Schools has a great website full of resources for Texas public education advocates. Go here to access their website.
Virginia
Virginia Educators United is a grassroots collection of pro-public school people who act to support Virginia Public Schools. They organize in a closed Facebook group. If you are a Virginia educator, please ask to join and connect. Virginia BATs also organizes in a closed Facebook group. If you are a Virginia educator, parent, or community member, please ask to join and connect. Support Our Schools-Shenandoah County organizes to fight for public education in that region. You can connect here. Virginia Public Education Partners is dedicated to supporting and protecting public education. They work to end school privatization maneuvers that undermine democracy and diminish available resources for public schools. Follow their events and actions here. Richmond For All is an independent organization that fights for people-first development, high-quality public education, housing justice, environmental justice, and public safety from police violence. They believe in multiracial, cross-generational, cross-class organizing that centers racial and economic justice. If you live in the Richmond area visit their website for more information on how you can join their movement.
Washington State
WA BATs organizes in a closed Facebook group. Go here to join and connect. Washington’s Paramount Duty has a website full of information and resources on education in Washington state.
West Virginia
West Virginia United Caucus are currently fighting HB 3548. The bill relates to a teacher’s duty-free lunch and planning periods. This bill changes the current requirement from “shall” to “may,” meaning teachers can lose their planning and duty-free lunch. What profession doesn’t get to eat lunch, or have a 15-minute break, or go to the bathroom? Teaching.
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Public Education Network kicked off Public Schools Week at their Capitol. Go here to see this amazing action. Schools and Communities United is a coalition of community, educator, student, labor, and religious organizations dedicated to defending and improving our public schools. To learn more and to join their movement, take a look at their website. Parents for Public Schools Milwaukee is a coalition of MPS parents, students and allies who created a strong, diverse, districtwide network of parent advocates for the children and schools in Milwaukee. They work with teachers, the superintendent, city and state officials to find and implement solutions that will help children receive the high-quality public education they deserve. To learn more about this organization, go here.
NPE Grassroots Education Network – Resources and Graphics
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.
