In Abbott’s Battle of Traditional vs Charter, Real Students Lose

The toilets might not always work, scissors may be in short supply, and the occasional mice may run through the cafeteria, but despite its heavy satire, there’s something truly magical about the world created by the TV sitcom Abbott Elementary. America has fallen in love with the deeply caring, resourceful, and committed educators and staff of this fictitious Philadelphia public school.

Perhaps that’s why it has felt especially heartbreaking to see the ways in which Abbott Elementary has vilified public charter schools this season—forcing a false choice between traditional and charter public schools and reinforcing misperceptions about a public school model serving 3.7 million students nationwide. 

Spoiler alert – the storyline for season two pits Legendary Schools, a local public charter network, against Abbott—with problematic asides about public charter schools peppered throughout the season. Characters say that public charter schools see “scores not students,” hurt teachers, and even quip that the head of Legendary should be “somewhere shutting down an orphanage.”

These comments undermine the choices of parents and families and perpetuate stereotypes about public charter schools that fuel distrust and division. 

For more than two decades, parents–particularly Black and Latino parents and those from lower-income backgrounds—have demanded more public school options so that they have the opportunity to choose the best environment for their individual children. The privilege of having options has long existed for more affluent families who have the necessary resources to exercise public school choice by relocating to a different zip code. To say the least, other parents and families want that same level of choice when deciding upon their own children’s educational and social needs. 

In my family like most, education was always a priority. My parents emphasized time and again that a strong education opened doors and opportunities, and I was fortunate enough to be able to choose a public  high school that best met my academic needs—paving the way for me to get two masters degrees, including one in education. But too many families, particularly those in historically-marginalized communities, have been denied this chance. 

Thankfully, in New York and in other parts of the country, public charter schools have started to change that narrative and that’s why parents are clamoring for more of them. In New York City, 141,000 students attend public charter schools—more than 80% of whom are considered economically disadvantaged. Recent polling from Morning Consult and my organization, Democrats for Education Reform NY, found that 64% of parents support raising the arbitrary cap so that they can create more public charter school seats in the city. 

Most importantly, New York’s public charter schools have been effective in helping to raise student achievement. New York City’s public charters must adhere to strict State authorization standards, or they risk being closed.  In fact, 2022 test scores show that students attending public charter schools continue to outperform state averages in math and reading.

Recently, our organization joined with over 500 parents, school leaders, students, and advocates to rally at City Hall in support of more high quality charter schools for New York students. The event reflected how instrumental public charter schools have been in building fruitful futures for New York students and families, and how their successes have inspired elected officials. 

When public schools are pitted against one another—even in fiction—our students are always the losers. I applaud Abbott for celebrating excellent educators as the everyday heroes that they are, but I hope the writers can find a new antagonist that won’t stigmatize real world students and families. 

Jacquelyn Martell is the Executive Director for DFER New York.

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2022 in Review: Looking Back on Our Impact

2022 Election Victories

In 2022 DFER spent $6.1 million to help elect 125 Democratic leaders, including six US Senators, 23 U.S. Representatives, Governors in Colorado, New York, and Connecticut, Mayor Bowser in Washington D.C., and legislative champions in 15 legislative bodies across the country.

Additionally, eight alumni of our Leaders of Color program proudly ran in the midterm elections in Louisiana, New York, and Washington, D.C, with six candidates claiming victory. Taken together, these newly elected leaders join 17 Leaders of Color who have been elected or appointed across program sites this year!

See a full summary of all DFER and ERNA-supported wins here.

Launched DFER Texas

In August, we proudly launched our newest state chapter in the Lone Star State. Last month, DFER Texas and its aligned PAC, Legacy 44 (L44), successfully won three of the four general election races for the Texas House, in addition to successful victories by L44 supported primary candidates in safe Democratic districts. The 2022 investments made by DFER and L44 have helped solidify and expand the bloc of pro-education reform Democrats at the Texas Capitol as we approach the next legislative session. 

Protected Public School Choice

DFER co-led an effort to protect $440 million in federal funding for public charter schools serving 3.4 million students nationwide. Specifically, when anti-charter forces proposed a $40 million cut to CSP during the Appropriations process, DFER met with and mobilized key Members to restore funding to the full $440 million including influential Members on both the House Appropriations Committee, and the House and Senate Education Committees. Similarly, during the regulatory fight over proposed rules that would restrict charter access to federal funds, we met and appealed to multiple senior Biden Administration officials directly. This group effort convinced the USDOE to roll back the most harmful rules and to respond in a way that, while not optimal, is workable to ensure that high-quality charters continue to access federal funds. Furthermore, we’ve laid the groundwork to protect an additional $440 million in federal funds for next year’s (FY23) budget. DFER partner chapters in Colorado, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut all secured wins to make funding for public charter more equitable, and our teams in Massachusetts, and Louisiana defeated anti-charter legislation.

ARP Advocacy: Reports & Resources 

Leveraging a report focused on understanding how states are allocating educational funds earmarked by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), ERN’s national team worked with representatives in five states to strengthen their ARP plans to better serve students. In the analysis, states were assigned a “traffic light” rating in five categories along with a composite rating. Only seven states earned the highest “green” rating, and a whopping 19 state plans were designated a concerning “red light.”

To help navigate important federal COVID relief funds—designated by ARP—ERN put together a curated toolkit, to highlight and streamline a selection of resources from a host of organizations, including ERN, that help state-level officials, families, communities, schools, and district leaders better understand how ARP education funds are being allocated. You can download the ARP Resource Document, or explore the toolkit for more information on ERN’s involvement and more.

Addressed Literacy Gaps

Following on ERN Connecticut‘s landmark “Right to Read” legislation last year, the team worked to ensure a strong ally was appointed as Director of the state’s new Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, the hub of this statewide literacy effort. Implementation has now begun in earnest, with the release of a state-approved list of early literacy curricula, from which every public school district must choose next year. Earlier this month, Director Amy Dowell appeared on a panel on the Science of Reading with Emily Hanford, Dr. Kymyona Burk, and other leading experts.

Earlier this year, ERN D.C. successfully advocated for the passage of the “Structured Literacy Training Action Plan” into law. This legislation requires structured literacy training for D.C. Public School teachers, provides a $2,000 stipend for those who complete the training, and creates a task force to expand training and support to public charter schools. ERN D.C. also partnered with Decoding Dyslexia D.C. to hold a two-day Right to Read Literacy Conference with 17 speakers, including D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, State Superintendent Dr. Christina Grant, and Ward 2 Representative Allister Chang. As a result of the literacy conference, ERN D.C. and partners proposed several recommendations for improving literacy in the District of Columbia.

Maintained Statewide, Annual Assessments

ERN’s federal policy team led a coalition of civil rights and reform advocates that successfully lobbied the US Department of Education to prevent the issuance of blanket assessment waivers to states. In our states, ERN Colorado worked to ensure schools and districts could access necessary supports and interventions based on post-pandemic summative assessments; DFER affiliate ERN Massachusetts successfully lobbied the state’s Education Committee to reject all anti-accountability bills; and DFER affiliate ERN Louisiana fought to prevent a potential waiving of statewide graduation requirements.

To combat the misinformation that abounds when it comes to annual, summative assessments, ERN also created the Essential Assessment Toolkit: a go-to guide for families, advocates, district and school leaders, and State Education Agencies. The resources created were intended to support critical conversations on why students take an annual, summative assessment, why this assessment matters, and how districts and states can improve their assessment systems to better support student achievement.

Fought for Fairer College Admissions

In March, ERN National and our New York chapter joined New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblywoman Latrice Walker to introduce The Fair College Admissions Act (Senate Bill S8498), which is aimed at banning legacy preference and the binding early college admission policies that discriminate against racial minority, working class, and low-income students. ERN and Leaders of Color co-hosted a press conference with Senator Gounardes and Assemblywoman Walker to discuss the bill and its impact on improving access and equity in higher education, during which several Leaders of Color fellow and alumni spoke. 

ERN Connecticut supported the introduction of a bill that would put an end to the practice of using legacy preferences during the college admissions process in their state. ERN CT also advanced a bill to end the withholding of college transcripts from students with debts. Last year, ERN Colorado helped make its state the first in the nation to ban legacy preference in higher education.

In addition, ERN released a series of three issue briefs identifying areas (Early Decision, Legacy Admissions, Transparency & Accountability) of the admissions process at selective colleges and universities that demand reform. Admissions reform to expand access and opportunity for underrepresented students and to increase diversity on campuses is long overdue, but it has become imperative in light of the likelihood that United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) will strike down the use of race-conscious admissions policies in its current term. The reports received coverage in USA Today, Forbes, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, NPR and Education Dive, among others.

Following the SCOTUS hearings on affirmative action, ERN hosted a debrief on the hearing, with record-setting attendance. The conversation was moderated by The Chronicle of Higher Education reporter Eric Hoover, and featured:

  • Marie Bigham, Founder and Executive Director, ACCEPT,
  • Art Coleman, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, EducationCounsel,
  • Genzie Bonadies Torres, Associate Director for the Educational Opportunities Project, Lawyers, Committee for Human Rights under Civil Law,
  • Michaele Turnage Young, Senior Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and
  • James Murphy, Senior Policy Analyst, Education Reform Now.

Advocated for Resource Equity

One big highlight of ERN’s work to address resource equity comes from ERN D.C. who successfully advocated for the passage of three pivotal bills:

  • D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson included two new concentration at-risk weights in the per student funding formula for a total of $10.4 million in recurring funding for D.C. Public Schools and public charter schools that serve high populations of students furthest from opportunity. 
  • ERN D.C. successfully advocated for the passage of the “Uniform Per Student Funding Formula Adequacy Study” into law, which studies the costs and expenses associated with operating D.C. Public Schools, and public charter schools, included and excluded from the per student funding formula. 
  • ERN D.C. advocated for ways to retain educators in the District. This work culminated in the passage of the Educators Housing Incentive Amendment Act of 2022, which expands a current homeowner financial assistance program to educators.

Hosted 7th Philos Conference

Last month, over 180 policymakers, advocates, donors, and reporters attended ERN’s seventh Philos Conference in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme, “Leading Forward: From Crisis to Opportunity,” challenged attendees to take action to turn the crisis of the pandemic and the longtime crisis of inequity in our education system into opportunity for students.

Honorees included:

  • Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser
  • National Urban League President Marc Morial
  • National Parents Union Founder and President Keri Rodrigues 
  • U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres, and
  • Massachusetts Representative Chynah Tyler.

Panelists included U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, CNN Senior Political Analyst Ron Brownstein, DGA Executive Director Noam Lee, New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Banks, D.C. Superintendent Dr. Christina Grant, and CT Senator Patricia Billie Miller.

Above (left to right): Politico Reporter Juan Perez, Jr., CNN Senior Political Analyst Ron Brownstein, DGA Executive Director Noam Lee, Impact Research Principal Molly Murphy, and Voto Latino Vice President Kenny Sandoval. 
Below (Clockwise from top left): New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Banks, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington, D.C., State Superintendent Dr. Christina Grant, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.

Leaders of Color

To date, Education Reform Now’s Leaders of Color program has grown to include:

  • 210 alumni of the program
  • 82 leaders in non-elected positions of influence
  • 26 Fellows appointed to community / non-profit boards
  • 34 Fellows involved in active advocacy campaigns
  • 6 Fellows who have founded own non-profits

Leaders of Color 2022 Advocacy Highlights:

  • Leaders of Color D.C.: Charter parent and Leaders of Color D.C. alumna LaJoy Johnson-Law worked in collaboration with Vice President Harris to expand broadband access to over 11.5 million low-income households.
  • Leaders of Color Louisiana: Alumni led a successful initiative for a new property tax measure that will fund pre-K at $20 million over the next five years and create more than 1,000 early childhood seats for children from low-income families. 
  • Leaders of Color New York: Alumna Natasha Cherry-Perez led a project to inform, train, and support over 400 parents who are a part of the New York State Charter Parent Council to meet with and promote charters to elected officials across the state; testify at City Council and State hearings; and send close to 30 letters to NYS Regents (and counting) in support of charters. Additionally, Cherry-Perez’s group registered 140 voters.
  • Leaders of Color Memphis: Among many achievements, alums Sheleah Harris and Frank Johnson both fought for public school choice by voting against the closure of four charter schools in Memphis, keeping the schools open. 

2022 Elections Wrap Up

FEDERAL

Through the work of DFER partner Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), this election season, we helped secure several crucial wins, both at the federal and local levels, including the re-election of longtime DFER Champion Sen. Patty Murray in Washington state, the re-election of DFER supported Sen. Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire, the election of Wes Moore to the Governor’s mansion in Maryland, and the re-election of Rep. Sanford Bishop of Georgia.

DFER also continued to invest in and develop voter targeting, polling, viability analysis and tactic selection which resulted in winning 47 of the 52 races the campaigns team supported or directly managed. DFER produced candidate research, turnout analysis, campaign finance summaries and polling across more than 100 races.

COLORADO

DFER Champion Governor Jared Polis secured a second term by a nearly a 20 percentage-point margin, while fellow DFER Champion Michael Bennet, a longtime friend of education reform, retained his seat in the US Senate by a 15 percentage-point margin. Longtime DFER Champion Brittany Pettersen made the jump from the state legislature to the US House of Representatives, winning her bid for the Congressional District 7 seat. Education ally Yadira Caraveo also moved from the state to US House, winning her race for Congressional District 8. This means that in Colorado, both US Senate seats, five of eight Congressional Seats, and all of the statewide offices are held by Democrats.
 
Additionally, Democrats were able to retain and expand their control of the State Board of Education with a 6 – 3 majority by re-electing Board Member Rebecca McClellan, electing Kathy Plomer to a new at large seat, and electing Rhonda Solis to the new Congressional District 8 seat.
 
Democrats also unexpectedly expanded majorities in the State House, and the State Senate in a highly competitive election year. Democrats now control the State House with a 46-19 majority. DFER celebrates the wins of Representatives Julie McCluskie, Regina English, Marc Snyder, Lindsey Daugherty, Meghan Lukens, Brianna Titone, Sheila Leider, William Lindstedt, Jenny Willford, Ruby Dickson, David Ortiz, Tisha Mauro, Mary Young, and Barbara McLachlan. Dems now have a 22-13 seat majority in the State Senate with the DFER supported election success of Senators Nick Hinrichsen, Dylan Roberts, Tony Exum, Lisa Cutter, Kyle Mullica, Faith Winter, and Tom Sullivan.
 
DFER Colorado looks forward to working with these returning champions and new members to do what’s best for kids in the upcoming session!

CONNECTICUT

Democrats swept in Connecticut, securing reelection for Governor Ned Lamont and US Senator Richard Blumenthal, winning all five US House races, and taking all races for the constitutional offices—Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller, and Attorney General. In addition, the outcomes of the state legislative races expanded Democratic majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly.

For DFER partner ERNA CT’s part, the team sent 224,000 Get Out the Vote (GOTV) text messages to targeted voters, including voters under 30 and voters of color in four key counties. These regions included Jahana Hayes’ highly competitive US House seat won by just 1,961 votes, or less than 1%, and several legislative races that were high priority flips and seats Democrats saw as very competitive. ERNA CT also conducted polling by SurveyUSA this election season to help candidates understand voter sentiment on education and intersectional issues- supporting their work as they campaigned. ERNA CT sees themselves in an extremely strong position with these electoral outcomes to continue the systemic changes we have been at the center of for several years.

WASHINGTON, DC

Seven DFER DC-supported candidates won their respective races in the DC November General Election! These wins are crucial for the continuation of DFER DC’s education agenda. We look forward to working with all elected officials to ensure the District advances policies that are just and equitable and put our student’s education first.

DFER DC WINS:

  • Mayor of the District of Columbia: Muriel Bowser
  • Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia: Phil Mendelson
  • U.S. Representative of the District of Columbia: Oye Owolewa
  • At-Large Council of the District of Columbia (D): Anita Bonds
  • At-Large Council of the District of Columbia (I): Kenyan McDuffie
  • Ward 3 State Board of Education: Eric Goulet
  • Ward 6 State Board of Education: Brandon Best

LOUISIANA

DFER LA saw the re-election of Troy Carter to Congress, a longtime DFER Champion whom DFER LA has worked closely with in support of students and parents at the federal level. DFER LA also celebrated the election of Royce Duplessis to the state Senate, and looks forward to working with him in the upper chamber. 

DFER LA WINS: 

  • Baton Rouge School Board:
    • District 2: Incumbent Dadrius Lanus wins re-election.
    • District 3: Carla Powell, a first time-candidate and educator was elected to the district’s open seat.
    • District 4: Shashonnie Steward replaced Dawn Collins.
    • District 5: Cliff “Coach” Lewis bested long-term incumbent Evelyn Ware-Jackson.
  • Orleans Parish School Board District 1: Leila J. Eames, previously appointed to fill the seat upon John Brown’s resignation, wins her special election.
  • U.S. Congress, LA District 2: Troy A. Carter handily won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • State Senate District 5: Rep. Royce Duplessis won his special election to the Louisiana State Senate.

Furthermore, first time candidate and criminal justice professional Shashonnie Steward is scheduled to partake in a runoff later this month.

MASSACHUSETTS

Longtime DFER champion and former Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell won the race for Attorney General, becoming the first Black woman to win statewide in Massachusetts one year after placing third in the Boston mayoral contest. Additionally, the Commonwealth elected a nearly all-female slate to fill the state’s Constitutional offices, including its first elected woman and first LGBTQ governor, current Attorney General Maura Healey, and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll as Lieutenant Governor. Massachusetts and Arkansas will be the first states in the nation to have women serving as both governor and lieutenant governor come January. Furthermore, when the state legislature is sworn in on Jan. 4, it will also make history by being the most diverse group ever to take office, proving that thoughtful and strategic redistricting every 10 years can yield positive results for historically underrepresented communities.

DFER MA WINS:

  • Attorney General: Andrea Campbell
  • First Essex District: Senator-elect Pavel Payano
  • Seventh Essex District: Representative-elect Manny Cruz
  • Sixteenth Essex District: Francisco Paulino
  • Fourth Essex District: Estela Reyes
  • Sixth Middlesex District: Priscila Sousa
  • Fifth Suffolk District: Christopher Worrell
  • Second Essex and Middlesex District: Senator Barry Finegold
  • Fourteenth Norfolk District: Representative Alice Peisch
  • Suffolk County District Attorney: Kevin Hayden

NEW YORK

DFER NY’s victories were headlined by Kathy Hochul, who became the first-ever woman elected Governor of New York after openly supporting raising the public charter school cap.

DFER NY also expanded its Assembly Champions Initiative, helping elect nearly a dozen candidates in the primary and general elections through its political action committee and independent expenditure committee, including newly elected John Zaccaro Jr., a charter school parent, who also spoke in favor of raising the charter school cap and investing in high quality schools.

Assembly Members Manny de los Santos, Brian Cunningham & George Alvarez join NYC Councilmember Oswald Feliz honored by NY State Director Jacquelyn Martell at Philos

In the state senate, DFER NY won 83% of its races, helping to elect five senators. DFER NY looks forward to working with these and all of our champions of education to reform and improve equity for all students in New York State.

  • Assembly District 43: Brian Cunningham, raised in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, son of Jamaican immigrants and attended traditional public schools, has multiple family members who have worked in NYC charter schools and is committed to supporting parent choice.
  • Assembly District 68: New York’s first formerly incarcerated Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs, the grandfather and primary caretaker of Success Academy students, was elected to a full term, after a hard fought primary, in which DFER NY worked diligently to secure his victory.
  • Assembly District 71: Al Taylor has been among the most passionate supporters of DFER NY’s Albany agenda.
  • Assembly District 78: George Alvarez, supported by Rep. Adriano Espaillat and New York City Councilmember Oswald Feliz, cruised to victory after upsetting a longtime incumbent in the primary. Alvarez is also a charter school parent.
  • Assembly District 80: John Zaccaro Jr. is the father of two charter school students and the former chief of staff to NYC Council Member Salamanca.
  • Senate District 6: Kevin Thomas won reelection on Long Island. He has championed education reform since he took office. DFER was the first education reform group to support Thomas in 2018 via an independent expenditure and has continued to support him in each election since.
  • Senate District 23: Jessica Scarcella-Spanton won a competitive race for an open seat to represent Staten Island and Brooklyn. Spanton was endorsed by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.
  • Senate District 56: Jeremy Cooney won a tight election to return to the state senate. DFER NY ran the only IE for Cooney and this support is a continued partnership including DFER NY’s IEs in both 2018 and 2020.

Backed by DFER’s national PAC, Rep. Joe Morelle won a third term representing the 25th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives.

TEXAS

Last month, DFER TX and its aligned PAC, Legacy 44 (L44), successfully won three of the four general election contests in races for the Texas House in addition to successful victories by L44 supported primary candidates in safe Democratic districts. The 2022 investments made by DFER and L44 have helped solidify and expand the bloc of pro-education reform Democrats at the Texas Capitol as we approach the next legislative session. 

DFER-TX/L44 ELECTION WINS:

  • Texas House District 22: State Representative-elect Christian Manuel Hayes
  • Texas House District 35: State Representative Oscar Longoria
  • Texas House District 74: State Representative Eddie Morales
  • Texas House District 124: State Representative-elect Josey Garcia
  • Texas House District 50: State Representative James Talarico
  • Texas House District 42: State Representative Richard Peña Raymond
  • Texas SBOE District 4: SBOE Member-elect Staci Childs 

LEADERS OF COLOR

The Leaders of Color program works to get more Black and Hispanic people in positions of power to advance education equity. Eight Leaders of Color proudly ran in the midterm elections in Louisiana, New York, and Washington D.C. The team is excited to announce that six midterm candidates have been elected. Taken together, these newly elected leaders join 17 Leaders of Color who have been elected or appointed across program sites this year!

LEADERS OF COLOR WINS:

  • East Baton Rouge School Board District 3: Carla Powell (Louisiana)
  • East Baton Rouge School Board District 5: Cliff Lewis (Louisiana)
  • DC Commissioner 8C02: Joyce Doyle (Washington, DC)
  • The Bronx Civil Court Judge: Yadhira Gonzalez-Taylor (New York)
  • ANC Commissioner 7E01: Katrina Norman (Washington, DC) 
  • ANC Commissioner 7E05: Timothy Howard (Washington, DC)
  • Memphis-Shelby County Commissioner District 6: Charlie Caswell
  • Memphis-Shelby County Commissioner District 12: Erika Sugarmon
  • Memphis-Shelby County Commissioner District 10: Britney Thornton
  • Memphis-Shelby County School Board District 7: Frank Johnson
  • Louisiana State Representative, District 101: Vanessa LaFleur

Not sure how the Colorado Caucus system works? We have all your answers.

When is Colorado’s Democratic Caucus?
This year caucus will be held over five days from March 1-5 and will be held either in-person, virtually, or hybrid so allow for greater participation. Check the timeline for your county’s list of scheduled caucuses here.

What is a caucus?
Precinct caucuses are meetings of registered Democrats within a precinct—which is based on your neighborhood. This year, caucus goers will:

  1. Elect two Precinct Organizers to represent their precinct,
  2. Sign up to be considered for an Election Judge position, and
  3. Elect Delegates to represent the Precinct at County Assembly.

Caucuses are held in locations across Colorado and are open to the public, although only registered Democrats are allowed to participate.

How will this year’s caucus work?
Because there are few contested primaries this year, caucus will focus less on candidates and more on party organizing. Like with previous years there will still be discussion, but anyone who has signed up in advance to be a delegate to the county assembly will automatically be elected.

Why does Colorado use a caucus system?
At one point in time, most states used the caucus system to vote. Colorado continues to uphold the caucus at a more local level due to the depth and intimacy the process offers voters. During more competitive years, caucuses attracted impassioned supporters of candidates who are ready and willing to discuss platforms and views at length with anyone in attendance—helping voters decide if a candidate matches their values. Yet even in years with a more simplified process, the caucus system allows for great community engagement in the election process.

How can I participate in the Democratic Caucus? 
To participate in caucus, you must be affiliated with the Democratic Party registered to vote in your current precinct 22 days in advance—this year that date was Feb. 7. State law and party rule also allow for participation of pre-registered 16- and 17-year-olds. You can read more on how to get involved as a delegate in your county’s specific caucus here.

What comes after Caucus?
After the precinct caucuses anyone who signed up to be a delegate to assembly will go on to that event. In some counties the Party Assembly will happen immediately after the precinct caucuses, in others the assembly will happen one to two weeks afterwards.

At the assembly, delegates will have an opportunity to select which candidates should appear on the ballot in contested House, Senate, and Congressional races for seats that are wholly in a county. If more delegates appear at the county assembly than the county is allocated for state assembly, the number of delegates are winnowed down.

If there are seats that cover more than one county, the assembly will advance delegates to a multi-county assembly for the same purpose – to determine which candidates should appear on the ballot. Usually determining candidates for multi-county seats, as well as congressional district seats, happens the night before State Assembly.

After the county assemblies, multi-county assemblies, and congressional district assemblies, the remaining delegates will go to state assembly on April 9th where they will help determine which candidates will appear on the statewide primary ballot in races where there are multiple candidates. As Democrats currently hold nearly all statewide seats the only possible competitive race at state assembly will be for the statewide State Board of Education seat.

DFER Highlights: 2021 in Review

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DFER TOPLINES
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Strengthened Relationships with New Administration

Both DFER and ERN were pleased by the confirmation of US Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona, and we have been proud to work with him—both in his previous role as Connecticut’s Commissioner of Education through our Connecticut chapter and post-appointment in his current office—to ensure equitable access to education and resources for all students.

Most notably, we successfully advocated to maintain statewide, annual assessments, require states to use recovery funds—which would specifically come from the $122 billion allotted to pandemic-recovery aid—to properly address learning gaps, and issue guidance prioritizing high-impact tutoring (HIT) as a proven intervention that falls within the recovery statute’s set-aside for “evidence-based” interventions. (Read more about these victories below!)

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Worked to Shape the Conversation on Education in the Midterms

In advance of next year’s critical state and federal elections, and following the upset victory of Glenn Youngkin over candidate Terry McAuliffe in the gubernatorial race in Virginia this fall, we conducted polling—in partnership with Murmuration—to better understand voters’ motivations. Next year DFER will be active in state elections in Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, and Washington, DC, working to protect federal champions including Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), and Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT). DFER states across the country will face critical elections at the gubernatorial and state legislative level that will determine the balance of power in their statehouses. It is crucial that we understand the role education might play in the upcoming midterm elections next year.

Results showed education was one of the primary issues voters considered when casting their ballot, largely due to parent frustrations and a desire to be heard. Republicans were able to turn a Democratic advantage into a Republican strength by capitalizing on this.

Top takeaways include:

  • 70% of voters who ranked education as a top issue (21% overall) voted for Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin, underscoring a concerning trend for Democrats who have ceded ground to Republicans on the issue.
  • Education issues were especially salient with Republicans, as well as voters who did not turn out in 2017, indicating the issue drove turnout for Youngkin.
  • Nearly two thirds of voters who ranked education as their top issue were Republican, and education ranked highest for voters who did not vote in 2017 (Youngkin won this group 57% to 40%).
  • 66% of all voters across demographics found Youngkin’s stated support to “invest more in schools, raise teacher pay, and demand better performance from our schools” convincing—including 28% of Biden voters.
  • 96% of Republicans noted that protecting parental involvement was an especially resonant message against incumbent Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe. 28% of Biden voters noted concerns over prolonged school closures based on unions, not science, as the most resonant argument against McAuliffe.
  • 28% of Biden voters—and 46% of voters who are parents—noted concerns over prolonged school closures based on unions, not science, as the most resonant argument against McAuliffe.

You can view the full results from the poll here.

The polling and its resultant conversation stirred up media attention—an outcome we hope will draw the attention of candidates and electeds.

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Moved the Needle in Elections

This year, we focused on elections—and election victories—in our states.

DFER Colorado supported Dr. Anne Keke who won her election to the Aurora Public School Board by a large margin, earning the most votes of all candidates, despite not being endorsed by the local association.

In Louisiana, we saw the four DFER champions win runoff races for Orleans Parish School Board, maintaining a reform-majority Board. DFER was also instrumental in supporting Rep. Gary Carter—the current Louisiana State Representative for District 102 and a staunch education champion—in the Louisiana Senate District 7 race.

DFER Massachusetts had several reform candidates win their elections, including DFER-supported Brian Worrell for Boston City Council, reformer Paul Toner for Cambridge City Council, DFER-endorsed Councilor Patty Nolan, and DFER-supported Councilor Brian DePena, who won the Lawrence mayoral race in a major defense of key reforms.

In New York, we congratulated Mayor-Elect Eric Adams on the success of his run in New York City. We look forward to working with Mayor Adams and Chancellor David Banks to prioritize educational equity and a relentless commitment to results for the city’s more than 1.1 million public school students.

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AFFILIATE ERN’S TOPLINES
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Advocated for Statewide, Summative Assessments

In coalition with various partnerships—we worked to ensure the maintenance of statewide, summative assessments in Spring 2021, and build support for the Spring 2022 administration of assessments.

DFER affiliate ERN applauded Sec. Cardona for standing firm on the administration of annual statewide, summative assessments, despite pressure from opponents. ERN’s K-12 policy team detailed the importance of not using local tests in lieu of statewide, summative assessments—as doing so would undermine clear parameters laid out in ESSA that state standards and assessments must be the same, statewide, for all students in order to legally adhere to legislative decree and to fairly collect accurate data.

This summer, to lay groundwork that would help audiences better understand what exactly assessments are—and what they are not— our affiliate ERN’s K-12 policy team put together a series of webinars called “Assessment Bootcamp.” Built around the idea of informing and engaging, each webinar in the series featured expert panelists and hosted an interactive Q&A session with the audience.

You can read a full wrap up of the “Assessment Bootcamp” series and learn more about key findings from the webinars here.

Assessments were also a focal area for our states this year. In the spring, DFER affiliate ERN Colorado, working alongside Governor Polis, played a significant role in defending assessment administration, ensuring HB21-1125 to pause assessments for 2021 was replaced by HB21-1161, which would reduce the testing battery.

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Pushed for COVID Relief Funding that Incorporated DFER Priorities

In the spring, following the passage of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Shavar released a statement which marked the historic occasion and congratulated Congress on making a decision that will provide billions of dollars in vital funding to support school reopening, distance learning, and academic and social-emotional supports to help our children persist through these deeply challenging times.

To ensure that money from ARP is directly used for these purposes:

  • DFER affiliate ERN hosted “Pandemic Pods for All: Utilizing COVID Relief Funds for High-Impact Tutoring (HIT),” a webinar featuring an expert panel that discussed exactly how funds from ARPA can be used to implement HIT programs that would combat learning loss and accelerate student learning;
  • DFER affiliate ERN worked alongside other advocate organizations to persuade Congress to statutorily require states to set aside at least $28 billion (of the $122 billion in total education recovery aid) for “evidence-based” interventions to address learning loss;
  • DFER affiliate ERN urged the federal Education Department to require states to use recovery funds—which would specifically come from the $122 billion allotted to pandemic-recovery aid—to properly address learning gaps;
  • DFER affiliate ERN helped persuade the federal Education Department to issue guidance prioritizing high-impact tutoring (HIT) as a proven intervention that falls within the recovery statute’s set-aside for “evidence-based” interventions;
  • DFER affiliate ERN worked with state leaders in Colorado, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia to provide HIT to over 1 million students across these three states. The Colorado bill (HB-1234) serves as a model for states nationally, and was shaped significantly by our national and Colorado team; and
  • Our DFER affiliate ERN Connecticut team spearheaded landmark legislation that now requires districts to adopt the Science of Reading for literacy instruction, funded by ARP.

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Urged the Abolition of Legacy Admissions

In partnership with crucial collaborators, this year we were able to substantially progress our commitment to ending the unfair legacy admissions at colleges and universities, which gives priority admissions to applicants who are children or grandchildren of University alumni.

This spring in Colorado, we saw a massive victory in the fight against legacy admissions when, thanks to tireless efforts of DFER Colorado Policy Director Prateek Dutta who introduced the bill idea to state lawmakers, Governor Jared Polis signed HB 21-1173 into law. Colorado is the first state to ban legacy admissions at public colleges and universities.

Polling conducted by DFER partner Education Reform Now Advocacy showed that 67% of respondents oppose the legacy preference (13% have no opinion), indicating that it’s high time colleges do away with the practice and take actionable steps toward a meaningful commitment to diversity and socioeconomic mobility.

Building upon this polling and DFER Colorado’s success, DFER affiliate ERN joined forces with the education advocacy group Ed Mobilizer to launch #LeaveYourLegacy—a virtual campaign that calls on college students and alumni to pledge to withhold donations until their schools end the discriminatory practice of applying a legacy preference in university admissions—a privilege of birth worth the equivalent of a 160-point boost on the SAT that disproportionately benefits white and wealthy students.

You can read more on legacy admissions and our ongoing work to end them here.

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Called out Inequities in Virginia’s Higher Ed System

In the spring, DFER affiliate ERN’s Higher Ed team released an issue brief, “De Facto Segregation in Virginia’s Higher Ed System” that critiqued the state of Virginia’s higher education system. Their work found that, of the 15 worst public colleges and universities in America on working class and low-income student enrollment, one third are located in Virginia. The brief also noted that while 34% of Virginia 18-24-year-olds are Black or Hispanic, only three of Virginia’s 15 public four-year institutions of higher education enroll Black and Hispanic students at anywhere near a comparable rate—two of which are HBCUs.

Following the launch of the first report, ERN’s higher ed team also published deep dives on Washington and Lee University, the University of Richmond, James Madison University, and Christopher Newport University, calling out their lack of a meaningful commitment to diversity and their hypocrisy of inaction.

The team released a follow up with a second report that took a close look at the financial inequities in Virginia’s higher ed system. Additional publications include:

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Launched Philos Conversations

While we couldn’t meet in person this year, we kicked off our virtual webinar series Philos Conversations, engaging local and national leaders on pressing issues impacting education reform.

As our series continues, make sure to take a moment to catch up on our previous Philos Conversations:

  • Part 1: The Politics of School Reopening with Former Chief Education Officer of Chicago Public Schools Dr. Janice Jackson and DFER affiliate ERN’s National President Shavar Jeffries;
  • Part 2: Fighting Voter Suppression with Voto Latino’s founding president María Teresa Kumar, More Than A Vote’s Vice President of Election & Advocacy Jonae Wartel, Cofounder of Black Voters Matter LaTosha Brown, and DFER affiliate ERN’s National President Shavar Jeffries;
  • Part 3: Reforming School Discipline with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and DFER affiliate ERN’s National President Shavar Jeffries; and cohosted by DFER affiliate ERN Connecticut; and
  • Part 4: Education and the Midterms with National Parents Union’s Founding President Keri Rodrigues, Partner at Anzalone Liszt Grove Research Brian Styker, DFER National President Shavar Jeffries, alongside moderator Lauren Camera, education news writer at U.S. News and World Report.

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Expanded Leaders of Color Program

Leaders of Color identifies, trains, and supports community-based Black and Latino civic leaders, empowering them with the tools and resources to advance educational equity and the broader cause of racial justice. Since the program’s launch in 2018, the program has seen:

  • 116 community leaders graduate.
  • 72% of graduates serve in community leadership positions like working on nonprofit boards; and
  • 30% of graduates campaign for political office.

In 2022, the Leaders of Color program is expanding its reach and impact. It will continue to serve its current sites: Memphis, New York, and New Orleans, while expanding to serve the entire state of Louisiana, and to Washington, D.C. The goal? Train 400 Fellows across the U.S. by 2023 to achieve increased education and wealth equity in Black and Latino communities.

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Defended Public Charter Schools Program

Along with coalition partners, DFER affiliate ERN mobilized supporters in the Senate—including several on the key committees—and persuaded the Biden Administration to seek $440 million in funding for charter schools, building on our work of well over a year to persuade the Biden team to chart a moderate course, despite aggressive efforts by charter opponents to eliminate federal charter-school funding.

We also released the third edition of our “Democratic Guide to Public Charter Schools“—an informative and in-depth report that gives the history of public charter schools in an effort to better inform audiences on the nuances of these institutions.

Our Colorado team delivered wins for the charter sector through the budgeting process that included $2M in mill levy equalization to Charter School Institute (CSI) schools and killed legislation that sought to roll back charter authorizing and appeals.

In DC, DFER affiliate ERN had several big public charter wins included in the fiscal year 2022 budget and financial plan, with critical investments that will see a fully-funded expansion of the school-based mental-health program to all traditional and public charter schools, and an increase in the public charter facilities allowance to 3.1% in FY 2024 and beyond so schools can have safe, well-maintained schools and enough space to learn.

Our Washington State Director Shirline Wilson published a piece in The Seattle Times which called on the importance of public charter schools as a necessary means of ensuring equitable education for Black students—who have historically been underserved and overlooked by traditional public school systems.

Reimagining Voting in DC Through An Equity Lens

In the District of Columbia, we collectively rail against the disenfranchisement of DC residents in the Congress, and rightfully so. We do not have a right to vote on federal laws, yet we are governed by those laws and taxed to pay for them. Politics based on specious constitutional arguments have largely silenced DC residents for more than two hundred years. While DC continues its fight for statehood, the DC government should take all available steps to ensure DC residents can exercise a meaningful right to vote locally regardless of the times or who sits in Congress.

While some states seized upon the vulnerability bred from COVID-19 to disenfranchise voters, the DC Board of Elections implemented many new, positive changes to the voting process, including mail-in ballots, ballot drop boxes, and super vote centers. One of the critical decisions arising from the pandemic will be how we ensure participation in the Democratic process moving forward. We should view this as an opportunity to connect with our community and bring about new ways to allow all DC voters to participate in our democracy safely now and in the future.

Through my work with Democrats for Education Reform (DFER DC), I have led teams of DC residents who have reached out to more than 100,000 DC voters. Our goal is always to understand voter priorities as they relate to students. Voters want the opportunity to be heard, and we have worked nimbly to meet their needs. Last year, we retooled our entire Get Out the Vote approach to bring information to voters in new ways, encourage DC residents to register to vote absentee, and provide voters with ballot pick-up services. However, during this time, we noticed some areas in which the DC Board of Elections could improve its voter outreach efforts.

As we reimagine our voting process in DC, one of our first updates should remove transportation and information barriers. The Board of Elections implemented ballot drop-off boxes and curbside voting, which was beneficial to voters. They should consider increasing the number of ballot drop-off boxes and initiate ballot pickup plans in low-income housing areas and particularly at senior centers. Some of the voters we spoke to shared that they spent much of their lives, or were the legacy of those who spent most of their lives, exercising their right to vote because they had grown up knowing the cost of disenfranchisement. As a result of the pandemic, barriers such as inconsistent transportation options took that opportunity from them.

Additionally, the DC Board of Elections should ensure all eligible voters receive their ballot by mail before election day. Last year, I received my mail-in ballot on election day. Because I am able-bodied and have a career that keeps me informed about elections, I could vote early in person. I shudder to think what the delay may have cost people who needed more time to make an alternative plan.

The DC Board of Elections should also consider more comprehensive voter education and communication concerning election day challenges and the benefits to voting early. While we certainly saw an increase in early voting, as did most of the country, those caught within the injustice of the internet divide and, therefore, without access to the internet or an internet-connected device had fewer opportunities to receive critical information.

Another recommendation is to over-communicate the importance of postmark deadlines through radio ads, text messages, and other innovative media forms. Thousands of voters and I received news about early voting but no clear messaging around vote by mail postmark deadlines. Voters who dropped their ballot in a mailbox after the last U.S. Postal Servicepick-up on election day, lost their right to vote. Too many of the voters we met were unaware that this was a factor.

As we face the uncertain future, one thing is clear: now, more than ever, to truly do right by our communities and ensure robust participation in our democracy, here in DC and across the country, all states must reimagine their local election processes.  We must safeguard all residents’ right to vote and provide the tools for every voter to choose a voting plan that best works for them as individuals and the architects of our nation’s future.

Erika Harrell is the Deputy Director for DFER DC.

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New York Voters Need to be Educated on Ranked Choice Voting to Ensure Their Ballot Counts This Election

The 2021 NYC primary elections are rapidly approaching—and as an increasing number of individuals file for candidacy each day, it is on track to be the largest municipal race that not only this city, but this country has seen. But there is another factor that makes this election historically significant—it will be the first time that the Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) method is used on a ballot in New York.

Another predicted historical stat for the race? It will have the dubious “honor” of bringing with it the lowest amount of voter awareness or understanding of the most critical part of an election: the voting process itself.

In RCV, voters are able to select multiple candidates that they support and rank their choices in descending order. Since ballots are counted through multiple elimination rounds until a candidate reaches a plurality of votes, each name a voter ranks could potentially be tallied.

This method has a significant impact on the way voters may engage with candidates and approach their ballots, and may be extremely confusing if the voter hasn’t been adequately educated on the process or given time to process the change. Yet, the only form of distributed education on this issue has been an FAQ sheet posted on the NYC Campaign Finance page—a place few voters would go to seek out information on an issue that almost half aren’t even aware exists.

In numerous statements, the NY Board of Elections and NYC Campaign Finance have mentioned the creation of education platforms and resources in order to best reach out to communities, especially those of color. But as of now, there have been minimal steps taken toward disseminating these resources en masse, leaving many people uninformed and ill-equipped to participate in the election process.

By moving forward with RCV without educating large portions of the population directly affected by this change, these officials are failing in their due-diligence and jeopardizing voters’ right to participate in a truly fair election.

Four of the biggest concerns around moving forward with Ranked-Choice Voting:

  1. The majority of the voters did not vote for the amendment in 2019. Although the actual ballot passed with over 70 percent of support from NY voters as noted on the NY Campaign Finance page, that 73.5 percent only accounts for 40 percent of registered voters that actually voted in that 2019 election—therefore this does not accurately represent the registered voter base in its entirety.
  2. There has been little to no education done on how the actual system works. The New York Board of Elections has stated that they hope to roll out an education platform alongside the New York Campaign Finance Board including the launch of a $1 million campaign that includes mailing postcards to voters—but this feels like too little, too late. Many prominent elected officials across the city have vocalized their opposition to starting the voting system in the upcoming special elections but have failed in changing the verdict after filing a lawsuit in early December.
  3. The system overall is confusing and is not well-publicized. The new method is a complete 180 from the widely understood concept of one voice, one vote. Without properly addressing this significant change, the new system will be a disadvantage to both the voters it’s made to serve and the system it’s meant to aid.
  4. Voter Turnout could be low due to the lack of momentum around RCV, especially in communities of color. Without properly reaching and educating these groups that have been historically discriminated against, the system is contributing to the disenfranchisement of black and brown communities and suppressing their voice—an all too familiar narrative that should not and cannot be repeated.

This is not to say that Ranked-Choice Voting shouldn’t someday be implemented and seen as a progressive shift in our democracy. Rather, it is to say that there isn’t enough education currently on this new voting method, which could lead to further complications for those who vote.

The reality is that many voters will simply be turned away if there isn’t adequate information provided and distribution of education administered to them in time. Primaries are already set to have a far less turnout than General Elections, especially in non-major election years, so the chance to lose more voters is not something we can accept.

Without a dramatic movement to educate and prepare all voters, the New York City Board of Elections should untether itself from continuing Ranked-Choice Voting for this upcoming year. This is a monumental change to the way voters use their voice, and how candidates win an election; so it needs to be done right, or not at all.

Joy Comes in the Morning

By Shavar Jeffries

‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.’

A fitting verse when I think of this week—a week where hope and possibility overshadowed the darkness.

Over the past few days, we’ve witnessed diverse and historic candidates appointed to some of the highest offices in this nation—including leaders with demonstrated records of advancing civil rights protections and racial equity.

President-elect Biden was certified as the 46th President of the United States, while Vice President-elect Harris was certified as the first woman and first woman of color to her office—a remarkable, and long-awaited moment for our nation.

Adding to a historically diverse 117th Congress, Rev. Raphael Warnock became the first Black Democrat from the South to be elected to the United States Senate and Jon Ossoff became the first Jewish senator to be elected to a southern state since the 1880s.

With their victories, Democrats took back the U.S. Senate, thanks to strong turnout—particularly among Black voters, paving the way for Biden to pass bold, progressive policies impacting education, voting rights, criminal justice reform, and other critical issues.

Yesterday’s key appointments to the Department of Justice also signaled Biden’s commitment to civil rights and racial justice, particularly with the appointments of Vanita Gupta as Associate Attorney General and Kristen Clarke as Assistant Attorney General for The Civil Rights Division—two of the most respected civil rights attorneys in America.

Clarke—who has secured landmark agreements concerning the school-to-prison pipeline, education discrimination, disability rights, gender inequity and LGBT issues— will be responsible for enforcing Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and protecting our nation’s students from harassment and discrimination.

After four years of a Trump administration that not only abdicated the federal government’s role of promoting accountability and compliance with civil rights laws, but actively rolled back these protections for women, communities of color, people with disabilities or LGBTQ people, Biden’s appointments signal a new day for our nation.

There’s no question that the road ahead will be challenging, but I am optimistic about the future, and fired up for the work ahead.

Shavar Jeffries serves as National President for Democrats for Education Reform. 

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When We all Vote, We all Win

We’re only four days into the new year, yet tomorrow will be one of the most important days of 2021.

With control of the U.S. Senate hinging on the Georgia special election, the results of these two races will determine whether President-elect Biden can enact the progress agenda our nation so desperately needs—with public education, and otherwise.

A victory by Rev. Raphael Warnock and John Ossoff could be transformational for the future of our nation, and for our students.

For instance, President-elect Biden’s campaign promises of debt-free college and student loan relief are even more critical now to ensure that the financial barriers of the pandemic do not prohibit millions of Americans from pursing an advanced degree that will help them access greater economic opportunity.

Alignment between Congress and the White House could increase the likelihood of passing other critical legislation to support improvements in teacher preparation, like Senator Booker’s (D-NJ) “STRIVE Act” that would make the teacher loan forgiveness program more generous, less backloaded, and better targeted to high-need schools, subjects, and specialty areas, and Sens. Hassan (D-NH) and Young’s (R-IN) “Fast Track to and Through College Act” that would facilitate dual enrollment programs and speed time-to-degree.

And that’s just within education. There are so many critical issues on the ballot.

A Democratic Congress could fundamentally improve how government works by expanding voting rights for communities of color—the very ones leaders like Stacey Abrams have been working hard for in Georgia—by passing the Lewis Voting Rights Amendment to combat voter suppression.

They could protect the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health insurance to 23 million Americans, including for children and young adults under the age of 26, or push through critical gun safety legislation.

Without Democratic control of the White House and Senate, we’ll continue to see the type of stalemate made famous by McConnell during the Obama administration, leading to a government that fights more with itself than for the people.

It doesn’t matter whether you live in Georgia; the results on January 5th will come with significant consequences for all of us.

If you do live in Georgia, be sure to vote. There’s still time to volunteer to help get the vote out in this critical, final day.

We believe in the Democratic vision for America—one of equity, opportunity, and security for all. We believe that if we show up for one another, we can build a country that serves everyone, especially those most overlooked and historically underserved. But we must start with each and every one of us doing our part. When we all vote, we all win.

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