DFER D.C. Endorses Oye Owolewa for U.S. Shadow Representative in the June 21 Primary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joshua Hodge, jhodge@dfer.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.(June 9, 2022) – Today, Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC) announced its endorsement of Rep. Oye Owolewa. Owolewa is running for reelection as United States Representative in the Democratic Primary on June 21.

“We are proud to support Rep. Oye Owolewa for re-election. He is a champion for D.C. residents’ civil rights, a passionate advocate for our students and families, and a dutiful community servant,” said DFER DC Director Jessica Giles.

During his first term as a United States Representative, Rep. Owolewa admirably and honorably fought for D.C. Statehood. He wants to reinvent our public education system. He believes investments in early professional mentorship programs and career development pathways will help ensure every student reaches their fullest potential. He supports many critical issues for students and families, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) and gender-affirming health care. He has previously served as a Ward 8 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and volunteers his free time at a neighborhood elementary school.

About DFER DC
DFER DC is dedicated to eliminating racial inequity and discrimination in the D.C. public education system by supporting leaders who champion student-centered policies. More information can be found on our website here.

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The Boston Globe: Massachusetts teachers unions push for the right to strike


“The failure of the Boston Public Schools to provide a quality education to tens of thousands of Boston’s children has lasted for decades. The depth of the dysfunction was chronicled in detail in the latest state audit of the system.

“The district has failed to effectively serve its most vulnerable students, carry out basic operational functions, and address systemic barriers to providing an equitable, quality education,” the state concluded.

Now the question comes: What will be done about it? At the moment, the city is spending all its energy trying to fend off a state takeover. Meanwhile, the state is tiptoeing around how intrusive it needs to be in the operation of a badly broken school system.”

Read the rest of Mary Tamer’s op-ed in The Boston Globe.

CommonWealth Magazine: Why the long delay spending fed education funds?CommonWealth Magazine:

“THANKS TO A windfall of $1.8 billion in the latest round of federal COVID relief funding intended to help schools recover from the last two years of interrupted learning, we have an historic opportunity to transform public education in Massachusetts.

Yet millions of federal dollars sit untapped in the state’s coffers, and if funds aren’t used by 2024, they expire. Unless there are plans set in motion – today – for this money to support students, we will continue to deny them the education they deserve after two of the most challenging years of their lives.

This isn’t an opportunity to be squandered, especially when decades of data prove that Massachusetts should not rest on its laurels of topping national lists for educational outcomes. The most valuable lesson of the pandemic may be the need for greater urgency in addressing the stark and disparate outcomes for students of color, low-income students, English learners, and students with disabilities across our great state.”

Read Mary Tamer’s full op-ed in CommonWealth Magazine.

The Boston Globe: Should homework be largely eliminated in the Massachusetts public schools?

“For the last two decades, I’ve survived thousands of my children’s homework assignments.

Some of the more creative ones held not only their attention, but mine. I fondly recall a third-grade project to create a diorama of the Museum of Science’s Theater of Electricity, reimagined with a styrofoam ball, Model Magic, and paper clips turned into “electric” zigzags.

Others, like the numerous word searches favored by one eighth-grade science teacher, did little beyond creating 45 minutes of nightly frustration.

We took the good assignments with the bad, and often lamented during the high school years how much time was spent — to the detriment of sleep and socialization — on homework.”

Read the rest of Mary Tamer’s positioning on the issue, and the rest of the article, in The Boston Globe.

DFER DC Announces A Key Endorsement for the June Primary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 5, 2022) – Today, Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC) announced its endorsement of Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is running for reelection in the June 21 Democratic Primary.

“Muriel Bowser delivered on her promise to be the education mayor,” said DFER DC State Director Jessica Giles.

Mayor Bowser promised to safely reopen schools fully during the pandemic so families could get back to work. Schools are open five days per week. In response to her pledge to improve child care in the District, she’s invested more than $200 million in early childhood learning. Mayor Bowser said she would ensure all schools are well-funded; she delivered on that, too—increasing the education budget year after year since she’s been Mayor. In the fiscal year 2023 alone, she proposed $2.2 billion in public education, a historic 5.9% increase to the base foundation of the per-student funding formula, and funding to increase student behavioral health supports.

She has also built on the progress made in education over the last 15 years, with D.C. Public Schools continuing to be the fastest improving urban school district. The District saw public school enrollment grow for 11 years, and graduation rates rose for all D.C. students from 58% in 2010 to 70% today.

The next four years under Mayor Bowser’s leadership will allow her to continue to deliver on this promise to students and families. She will move the District forward and ensure every student has a just and equitable education.”

About DFER DC

DFER DC is dedicated to eliminating racial inequity and discrimination in the D.C. public education system by supporting leaders who champion student-centered policies.

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DFER D.C. Announces A Key Endorsement for the June Primary

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 12, 2022) – Today, Democrats for Education Reform D.C. (DFER D.C.) announced its endorsement of Chairman Phil Mendelson, who is running for reelection in the June 21 Democratic Primary.

“DFER D.C. is proud to fight for all students, particularly students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, in traditional public schools and public charter schools across all eight wards of Washington, D.C. As Chairman of the Council, with the jurisdiction of all education matters, Phil Mendelson has been an undeniable public education champion,” said DFER D.C. State Director Jessica Giles.

Working with his colleagues on the D.C. Council, he spearheaded several policies that are beneficial for students, educators, and schools in the District. He increased funding for expanding the School-Based Behavioral Health program so that all traditional and public charter schools can have a behavioral health clinician during the COVID-19 pandemic. He introduced and passed a policy making the My School D.C. lottery more equitable so that students designated as “at-risk” have a greater opportunity to get into the public school of their choice. He funded a teacher pipeline program at the University of the District of Columbia. He spearheaded a plan to send thousands of child care workers in the District one-time cash payments to raise wages. He also increased the charter facilities allotment in the fiscal year 2024 and beyond so that all students have safe and educationally appropriate buildings. Last but not least, he is committed to ensuring our public education system is held accountable to parents and families.

“Chairman Mendelson is a proven leader who has already delivered powerfully for students in D.C. I am confident that he will continue to do so when re-elected for another four years,” said Giles.

About DFER D.C.
DFER D.C. is dedicated to eliminating racial inequity and discrimination in the D.C. public education system by supporting leaders who champion student-centered policies.

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DFER Announces New State Director for Massachusetts

Democrats for Education Reform Announces New State Director for Massachusetts

Mary Tamer Tapped for Her Commitment to Educational Equity

APRIL 4, 2022 – Democrats for Education Reform announced today that Mary Tamer has been named the next State Director for DFER Massachusetts and its affiliate Education Reform Now Massachusetts. Tamer is a longtime education advocate and Democratic activist who is a product of the Boston Public Schools, a former BPS parent, and a past member of the Boston School Committee.

Tamer will lead the chapter’s mission to develop a student-centered policy agenda rooted in educational equity and excellence. The most pressing opportunities and challenges include amplifying issues faced by historically marginalized and underserved students, elevating several key pieces of legislation such as universal pre-k, expansion of early college programs, and support for charter public schools, and fighting for improved education for all students and families – including those impacted by the pandemic.

“Mary brings a broad base of experience and passion for this critical work, including her four-years on the Boston School Committee under Mayor Menino, where she helped pass a new weighted student funding formula so each student would be funded based on their unique needs rather than a static level of funding, and led the first Inclusion Task Force to oversee the district’s efforts to expand high-quality inclusive options for more than 12,000 Boston Public Schools students with disabilities, among other achievements” said DFER National President Shavar Jeffries. “At the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, Mary launched an online application that tripled the number of applications to Boston’s charter schools to 35,000—increasing access to families across the city. She has a demonstrated dedication to educational equity, and we look forward to her continued leadership on behalf of Massachusetts’ students.”

Prior to joining DFER, she worked for SchoolFacts Boston as the Education Research Director conducting reviews and leading dissemination of key metrics related to the Boston Public Schools, including oversight of the $1.3B budget, enrollment trends, and student outcomes and opportunities, with a primary focus on low-income populations, students of color, students with disabilities, and English learners.

Tamer ran as a first-time Boston City Council District 6 candidate in 2021, raising more than $185,000 and receiving more than 11,000 votes in the highly competitive race.

Tamer is the daughter of an Arabic-speaking English Learner, the sister of a high school dropout, and a Boston Public School student eligible for free lunch during Boston’s desegregation efforts, all of which shaped her worldview as well as her deliberate path toward education equity. Her two children also attended Boston Public Schools.

“My family’s lived experience within Boston Public Schools some decades ago, and more recently, is all-too relevant today—whether in Boston or across our Gateway Cities—as we continue to see disparate outcomes, treatment, and classification for students of color, low-income students, English Learners, and students with disabilities,” said Tamer. “The urgent need to address these stark disparities and inequities will drive my service as DFER’s State Director, where my professional, policymaking, and political experience will serve as a catalyst for constructive change for students and families across the state.”

About Democrats for Education Reform
Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that increase educational equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. It is affiliated with Education Reform Now, a non-partisan, nonprofit think tank and advocacy organization that promotes increased resources and innovative reforms in K-16 public education.

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DC Pens Letter to Mayor Bowser Urging Continued Progress Toward Educational Equity

Mayor Muriel E. Bowser
The Office of the Mayor
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004

Dear Mayor Bowser:

Thank you for continuing to prioritize public education in the budget. Your proposed investments: 5.9% increase to the base of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) for all schools, $36 million in stabilization funding for D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools, a salary increase for substitute teachers, and an updated budget model for DCPS with initial budgets for individual schools – will not only help schools bridge the gap in learning but strive for new heights in public education and supports for all students.

For the past two years, our students have been through extraordinary circumstances which have caused unfinished learning and diminished well-being. As we look to recover from the effects of the pandemic, even more should be done to continue the progress we’ve seen in public education for the past 15 years. Therefore, we respectfully urge you to ensure funding equity, provide educator support, expand access to high education, and invest in behavioral health supports for all students. Our FY2023 budget priorities are the following:

PROVIDE EQUITABLE RESOURCES TO ALL SCHOOLS.

  • Raise the at-risk weight of the UPSFF to .37 or higher as recommended by the 2014 adequacy study to provide more significant support to students designated as ‘at risk’—those who qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are experiencing homelessness, are in the District’s foster care program or are one year or more older than expected for their grade in high school.
  • Increase the public charter school facilities allotment by 3.1% beginning in FY 2023. The District government must ensure that all students have safe and educationally appropriate buildings.
  • Conduct an adequacy study every five years to ensure the UPSFF increases adequately for all students.

ENSURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION THAT IS HIGH-QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE.

  • Study, expand, deepen, and reform our current dual enrollment opportunities to, at a minimum: expand access to all interested students, particularly students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities; make the application process more efficient; and ensure students receive maximum dual enrollment credit hours for both high school and college classes.

INVEST IN SAFE, STABLE, AND POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

  • Build on past years’ investments in the School-Based Behavioral Health (SBBH) program by investing in the following:
    • $300,000 for a cost study to determine what it truly costs to implement the SBBH program now and in the future;
    • $2.4 million to stabilize community-based organization grant funding each year; and
    • Adequately funding the Community of Practice, building a workforce pipeline, and expanding information-sharing and family engagement efforts.
  • Maintain the current investment of $920,000 for SY 2020-21 for restorative justice; provide school-wide technical assistance and individual capacity building in DC schools.

ENSURE ALL EDUCATORS RECEIVE HIGH-QUALITY TEACHER PREPARATION AND SUPPORT.

  • Provide sufficient funding so that all PreK-5 DC leaders and teachers can receive free and accessible structured literacy training with incentives in three years. In 2019, 70% of DC students were not proficient in reading in fourth grade, according to NAEP. The District must ensure all students read at grade level by third grade regardless of where in the city they live, what school they attend, and their ability or language-learning status. They should be confident in their independent reading abilities and enjoy reading.
  • Support educators with housing by creating housing and tax incentives, implementing housing affordability programs, and ensuring eligible educators are connected with the existing programs that can reduce the cost of homeownership.

Thank you for all you do for our students and families! We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure we have a just and equitable public education system for all students.

In service,
Education Reform Now DC

Poll: Families prioritize many issues over “curriculum transparency”

Keating Research finds that families are concerned about real education issues, not Republican talking points

An education-focused poll released this week by highly reputable pollster Keating Research shows that Colorado families prioritize common-sense, student-focused issues over divisive, Republican-driven rhetoric and legislation in public education.

Keating’s “Colorado K-12 Issues” asked respondents to weigh in on the importance of issues impacting education – as well as bills in the state legislature to address these issues. The poll shows that Colorado families continue to prioritize increased resources for students and educators as schools regain their footing coming out of the two-year pandemic.

“Colorado K-12 Issues” shows Colorado families trust Democrats over Republicans on education issues. In terms of priorities within the education landscape, families first and foremost are demanding policies that address pandemic-related learning loss. They also want more resources for students, teachers, mental health and special education, as well as more funding to decrease classroom size and expanded concurrent enrollment programs.

Additionally, families want expanded free meals for students, security upgrades to schools, and policies that measure student academic performance.

The Keating poll refutes a recent Republican-backed “poll” that is really a cynical ploy to prop up red-herring arguments currently prevailing in right-wing circles. Specifically, the deeply flawed Republican poll purports to show that Colorado families are concerned with a national right-wing talking point called “curriculum transparency.”

That issue finished dead last in the scientific Keating poll.

The Republican poll – which did not provide respondents with real choices – is a weak attempt to buttress right-wing legislation that would require school districts to publicly post any and all curriculum materials. House Bill 1066, the definition of a solution looking for a problem, would be a back-breaker for schools and educators who are already strapped for time, resources, and money, and would do little to increase meaningful parental engagement.

Results of the Keating poll put out by Democrats for Education Reform and other Colorado education partners shows that families place many things above the non-issue of making school districts post every document related to curriculum.

Why would Republicans in Colorado support such wrong-headed legislation? It’s about creating confusion and controversy where there is none.

“I believe deeply in the importance of parental engagement and parental involvement in public education,” said UCLA education professor John Rogers in a recent Chalkbeat Colorado article. “What we’re seeing now is invoking that, but not for the purposes of creating a shared dialogue between parents and educators but to heighten conflict. Conflict becomes an intended outcome of a lot of these efforts.”

Families, legislators and activists must fight back against this Republican demagoguery masquerading as education policy. Let us instead focus on what families prioritize and pass legislation in the best interest of Colorado students.

DFER NY Congratulates Eric Adams on Mayoral Victory

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Nov. 2, 2021)—Democrats for Education Reform New York (DFER NY) released the following statement congratulating Eric Adams on winning the 2021 New York City Mayoral Election. Adams will be the second Black mayor in the history of the nation’s largest city and will run the largest school district in the country.

“We congratulate Eric Adams on his resounding victory in the New York City mayoral election and look forward to working together with him and the chancellor he appoints to prioritize educational equity and a relentless commitment to results for the city’s more than 1.1 million public school students,” said DFER National President Shavar Jeffries.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred one of the greatest education challenges of our time, exacerbating already yawning opportunity gaps and risking generational harm for historically underserved students. This moment requires both a bold investment in resources and innovative approaches that will catalyze transformational change.

We are pleased that Adams’ vision for education acknowledges the critical need of the moment and includes new ideas for utilizing the lessons of remote learning to expand digital access and options for students. In a welcomed departure from his predecessor, Adams has made clear that he will support all high-quality public schools, seek more customized approaches to meeting students’ needs in and outside school, and expand rigorous curriculum for students of color and students from low-income communities.

To make bigger and bolder progress, we urge the Adams administration to ensure that these customized approaches are targeted, grounded in evidence-based strategies, and incorporate systemic changes to literacy instruction based on proven methods. We also encourage him to pursue pipeline programs to improve teacher preparation and diversify the teaching workforce, which we know have a tremendous impact on student achievement.

When it comes to our children’s futures we must act with urgency, and DFER NY is ready to be a resource and partner for Mayor Adams and his chancellor in building a brighter, more equitable future for every New York City student.”

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