Grassroots Education Network- April 2019 Newsletter
The NPE Grassroots Education Network is a network of over 125 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 up.
If you have any questions about the NPE Grassroots Education Network please contact Marla Kilfoyle, NPE Grassroots Education Network Liaison at marlakilfoyle@networkforpubliceducation.org
General Announcement from Marla
I was honored to begin my position as the NPE Grassroots Education Network Liaison on February 1. Since that time we have had the pleasure of adding some amazing organizations to The Network for Public Education’s Grassroots Education Network. As we continue to grow and adapt, I would like to formally welcome our new network members: Oregon BATs, North Carolina Families for Testing Reform, Support our Students Alabama, Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education, Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee (OKPLAC), California Educators Rising, Virginia Educators United, Ohio BATs, Broward BATs, Schools and Communities United Wisconsin, New Bedford Coalition to Save our Schools, Badass Teachers Association, Washington BATs, NYS BATs, Missouri BATs, Kentucky Pastors for Children, Northwest Indiana Coalition for Public Education, CFISD Community Leadership Committee (Texas), Arizona Educators United, Washington Paramount Duty, Virginia BATs, FUSE (New Rochelle Federation of United School Employees), Pueblo Education Coalition Colorado, Trinational Coalition to Defend Public Education (USA), and Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (Ontario, Canada).
National Organizing
NPE Grassroots Education Network national organizations are on the move for public education. Defending the Early Years is calling all early childhood educators! Registration is now open for DEY’s first Early Childhood Summer Organizing Leadership Institute July 7-10, 2019 at the Eaton Hotel in Washington, DC. Check it out!
In the Public Interest offers their weekly privatization report. This is a must follow and share. The Journey for Justice Alliance made a trip to Washington, D.C. on April 9th for a Senate briefing over their report Failing Brown v. Board of Ed. You can view their briefing here. Fairtest assessment reform advocate Lisa Guisbond and SOS NJ Executive Director Julie Borst wrote a powerful op ed in the NJ Spotlight over why New Jersey should seize the opportunity to step away from graduation tests.
The Parent Coalition for Student Privacy continues to expose Summit in this powerful blog post entitled – McPherson KS Students Join the Rebellion vs. Summit and Depersonalized Learning and Win the Right to Opt Out. PCSP co-chair Leonie Haimson also participated in a press conference in NYC to tell the Mayor to stop stalling and cease violating student privacy by giving charter schools access to student information to help them market their schools.
Parents for Public Schools National wrote an informative article supporting the work of their Hawaii branch. The article highlighted equitable funding and how the Hawaii school district is unlike any other in the United States. Read that piece here. The Schott Foundation will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday May 7th, 2019 2:00 – 3:00pm ET – Investing in Safe, Supportive and Police-Free Schools. You can register here. The Badass Teachers Association is listing and following teacher actions across the country. To keep up with BATS nationwide go to their open Facebook page. Trinational Coalition to Defend Public Education (USA) joined the NPE Grassroots Education Network this month. Trinational Coalition to Defend Public Education (USA) is an organization created by people in the educational systems of the countries of Mexico, Canada, and the US. The NPE Grassroots Education Network is also excited to welcome the Ontario (Canada) Secondary School Teachers Federation. Currently the Federation is battling cuts to education. To learn more about their work visit their open Facebook page.
The Network for Public Education released our Asleep at the Wheel report which describes the U.S. Department of Education Charter Schools Program’s waste and fraud. The report estimates that waste to total one billion dollars since the program’s beginning. Several members of the House quoted from that report when questioning Betsy De Vos. For example, Michigan representative Haley Stevens (See Rep. Stevens at 5:18) of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education referenced the report when questioning DeVos. DeVos subsequently dismissed the report during her testimony. Carol Burris, Executive Director for NPE and Diane Ravitch, President of NPE responded to the Secretary in the Washington Post. You can read their response here. CONTINUE READING: Grassroots Education Network- April 2019 Newsletter - Network For Public Education
