Elorza highlights commitment to Democratic principles and unity as guiding principles forward

(New York, NY, July 14, 2024) — Today, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) CEO Jorge Elorza released the following statement in response to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump:

“Democrats for Education Reform unequivocally denounces the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Such acts of violence must be rejected outright—not only as direct threats to individuals but as fundamental assaults on the democratic process our nation was built upon.

It is incumbent upon leaders from all backgrounds to explicitly condemn this incident—and all attacks on democracy—and tirelessly work to bridge the divides that threaten our unity. In this critical moment, I urge my fellow Democratic leaders to prioritize a commitment to our nation over ideological divides. As advocates for democracy, our North Star has always been protecting a vibrant and resilient system that allows for robust participation without fear of retribution. Let us therefore uphold this guiding principle and steadfastly work to protect a healthy democracy in which citizens shape the future with their votes and voices, not with violence and intimidation.

Democrats for Education Reform remains dedicated to fostering an environment where democratic principles thrive, ensuring every American feels empowered to freely express their views and safely engage in a civic-minded ethos that upholds the values of inclusivity, peace, and democratic integrity.”

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The proposed budget cuts threaten essential education programs, undermine student support systems, and jeopardize the future of America’s students.

(New York, NY, June 28, 2024) — Today, in response to the latest FY25 funding bill passed by House Republicans, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) CEO Jorge Elorza released the following statement, condemning the proposal for its harmful consequences for American students, labeling it a dangerous step backward for public education.

“Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) strongly opposes the partisan Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill that was passed out of the Subcommittee today by House Republicans. Once again, House Republicans have advanced a reckless and destructive set of proposals that would undermine the interests of our nation’s students and families. Today’s hurried process, reminiscent of past failed attempts, also neglects crucial discussions and good-faith negotiations necessary to create a fair and impactful bill. 

This proposal represents the latest attack on public education, at the moment when we need to unite around helping students recover from the learning loss experienced during the pandemic. 

The Republicans’ proposed cuts are a direct attack on the future of our nation’s students. These reductions in funding will severely disrupt the support systems that help ensure all students can prepare for college, careers, military service, and beyond. This budget proposal not only jeopardizes critical education programs but also reveals a distressing lack of commitment by Republicans to supporting our nation’s students.

Among the most damaging provisions, the bill proposes severe cuts to K-12 education, including critical programs like Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies. These cuts threaten to undermine the ability of schools and educators to support our nation’s most in-need students and further exacerbate historical disinvestment in under-resourced communities. Additionally, the proposed budget would significantly reduce funding for programs supporting English Language Learners and other essential initiatives that have historically received broad bipartisan support due to their vital role in promoting student success.

Higher Education is not safe from Republicans either, with the proposed decreases in federal student aid programs, including stagnant funding for Pell Grants and cuts to work-study and grant programs, which will make it harder for low-income and minority students to access and afford college—further perpetuating opportunity gaps. The elimination of support for programs like the Augustus Hawkins Centers of Excellence and reductions in funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) threaten initiatives vital to educational innovation and diversity in the teaching workforce. Finally, Republicans seem to erroneously think that the relaunch of the simplified FAFSA this year went well, since they have decided to cut funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid at the very moment when it needs greater support to ensure all Americans have access to the grants and loans that make postsecondary education possible for millions of people.

This bill is a disservice to our nation’s commitment to preparing students for their futures. Now more than ever, we need to support our educators and students with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. Our focus should be on setting high expectations  for all students and providing the necessary tools to those who educate them, not cutting their resources. Instead of slashing funding, we should be working to strengthen programs that support high-quality, data-driven educational innovations.

While the bill proposes a modest boost in funding for public charter schools—which has garnered additional bipartisan support—this meager increase neither offsets nor alleviates the strains placed on the program by stagnant funding since FY19, such as, ever-growing waitlists of families for charter schools, rising facilities costs, and the burden of inflation. This, in addition to the overall detrimental effects of the proposed budget, underscores the bill’s failure to address the pressing needs of public education.

DFER emphasizes the need for Congress to reject this harmful bill and instead prioritize investments that strengthen public education, promote inclusive learning environments, and empower educators to deliver an equitable high-quality education to every student. It is crucial to uphold high standards for student achievement, ensure accountability for educational outcomes, and foster innovation to address the evolving needs of our education system.

DFER urges fellow Democrats to hold policymakers accountable and advocate for an education budget that reflects our party’s commitment to supporting every student’s success, regardless of their background. We call on the full House to reject this harmful bill and work collaboratively with the Senate and the Administration to create a budget that invests in our students and educators.”

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DFER’s Regional President, South Congratulates Georgia Candidates on Primary Races

With the latest victory secured in the June 18 runoff by RaShaun Kemp,
DFER maintains an 8:2 winning record.

ATLANTA, GA (June 20, 2024) –Today, DFER’s Regional President, South, Alisha Thomas Searcy, released the following statement congratulating DFER endorsed Georgia Primary candidates for their respective hard work and hard won victory:

“In our first Southern political races, we’ve laid a strong foundation for education reform,” said Thomas Searcy. “RaShaun Kemp’s thrilling victory in Senate District 38 made history as he will become the first openly gay man to serve the Georgia State Senate. Both RaShaun’s win and Valencia Stovall’s resilience during a difficult campaign taught us invaluable lessons for future Southern races. We’re proud of all of our candidates this Primary season and are excited to continue to support education reform champions who seek a future where all students thrive.”

The Georgia Primary Elections ended on the Primary Runoff on June 18^th, 2024. The official results are as follows:

• Senate District 38: Public charter schools champion Rashaun Kemp was elected with 60% of the vote.
• Senate District 35: Incumbent Donzella James was re-elected to the district’s seat with 75% of the vote.
• Senate District 33: Incumbent Dr. Michael Rhett was re-elected with 69% of the vote.
• House District 60: Incumbent Sheila Jones was re-elected with 80% of the vote.
• House District 61: Educator Mekyah McQueen was elected to this district’s seat with 65% of the vote.
• House District 74: Robert Flournoy edged out his challenger with 51% of the vote for the seat.

The following candidates are DFER Endorsed and did not face opposition in this election cycle.

• Senate District 6: Jason Esteves
• House District 59: Phil Olaleye
• House District 76: Sandra Scott

In total, of the 13 endorsed candidates, DFER maintained an 8:2 winning record. 

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Of 8 contested races, DFER candidates won 3 incumbents spots, 2 new House seats; and 2 candidates running for open Senate seats are bound for June runoff

ATLANTA, GA (May 23, 2024) – Today, DFER’s Regional President, South, Alisha Thomas Searcy, released the following statement congratulating DFER-endorsed Georgian candidates for their victories in both House and Senate races:

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to these successful DFER candidates, and applaud both their dedication and well-earned victories,” said Thomas Searcy. “The successes of these education champions reflect voters’ demands for leaders who will advocate for a more innovative and equitable public education system for students, families, and teachers. We are proud to stand with each and every one of these legislators and look forward to working with them to build a stronger future for Georgia’s families.”

The official results are as follows:

• Senate District 35: Incumbent Donzella James was re-elected to the district’s seat with 75% of the vote.
• Senate District 33: Incumbent Dr. Michael Rhett was re-elected with 69% of the vote.
• House District 60: Incumbent Sheila Jones was re-elected with 80% of the vote.
• House District 61: Educator Mekyah McQueen was elected to this district’s seat with 65% of the vote.
• House District 74: Robert Flournoy edged out his challenger with 51% of the vote for the seat.
• Additionally, two DFER champions running for open State Senate seats both were top vote getters and will proceed to the runoff on June 18th, where 50% +1 is required for a win.

In total, of the 13 endorsed candidates, DFER maintained a 7:1 winning record. Moving forward, Thomas Searcy will continue to support the two candidates in their runoffs, and is preparing a convening of DFER endorsed Georgia candidates together to continue building DFER’s Southern network of Ed Reform Champions.

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These candidates signal the first slate of endorsements for DFER’s new Southern region

ATLANTA, GA – Today, Democrats for Education Reform’s (DFER) Southern Region—currently covering Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina—announced its endorsement of thirteen education leaders running for seats in the Senate and House primaries in Georgia. DFER’s Regional President, South, Alisha Thomas Searcy, a former six-term State Representative from Cobb County and the 2022 Democratic nominee for State School Superintendent, released the following statement:

“We’re proud to support each one of these strong DFER Champions in their races,” said Searcy. “These candidates are prioritizing education issues that are focused on implementing and investing in the Science of Reading, ensuring we have a well-built and well compensated teacher pipeline, accountability in our schools, and ensuring parents have the ability to choose the schools that work best for their children within the public school system. We are proud to be aligned with such strong education reformers, and are looking forward to continuing our support throughout the duration of their campaigns.”

The thirteen candidates officially endorsed are:

• Senate District 38: Rashaun Kemp
• Senate District 34: Valencia Stovall
• Senate District 33: Dr. Michael Rhett
• Senate District 35: Donzella James
• Senate District 6: Jason Esteves
• House District 60: Sheila Jones
• House District 74: Robert Flournoy
• House District 59: Phil Olaleye
• House District 76: Sandra Scott
• House District 75: Michael Glanton Jr.
• House District 61: Mekyah McQueen
• House District 57: Stacey Evans
• House District 150: Patty Stinson

DFER is looking forward to continuing to expand our presence in the Southern region, and is dedicated to electing Democratic champions for education reform up and down the ballot.

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Concerning Trend and Real Opportunity for Democratic Leaders Ahead of 2024 Election Season
New Data Reveals Shift in Parental Priorities Towards Quality Education, Democrats Must Emphasize Outcomes in Education Policy Agenda

NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 18, 2024) – Today, Democrats for Education Reform partner Education Reform Now Advocacy released results from an extensive study in collaboration with Impact Research and BSP Research. Seeking to better understand voter sentiment ahead of the 2024 election season, the findings reveal both a concerning trend and a significant opportunity for Democratic leadership.

Prior to Covid, Democrats typically enjoyed double digit advantages over Republicans on education, but that traditional advantage has continued to slide, as evidenced clearly in ERNA’s new polling. The data shows that while Democrats still lead by 15-percentage points in trust on initiatives that prioritize “caring” for students, such as ensuring equality and providing essential services like free lunch and after-school care, the advantage has significantly eroded—down to a 1-percentage point lead over Republicans—on education measures that “deliver” for students. Specifically, voters no longer view Democrats as the party that will educationally prepare kids for future economic success. 

The perception that Democrats “care” about education but do not “deliver” on education is shared across various demographics, including Independents and core Democratic voters. When voters were asked whether they believe that Democrats care about education and thereafter were asked whether Democrats will deliver on education, there was a striking dropoff:

• Independent voters: -16 points
• Latino voters: -10 points
• Black voters: -9 points
• Democratic voters, writ large: -7 points

“This is a wake-up call for Democrats,” said DFER CEO Jorge Elorza. “If Democrats want to deliver for their constituents and win back voter trust on education, they have to offer a vision that both delivers results and resonates deeply with voters.”

While voters are still primarily motivated by ongoing worries over the economy, with a significant majority of voters and parents (59%) believing that young people will be economically worse off than previous generations, the data also illustrates that voters believe education is the key to driving future economic prosperity. The survey results further showed broad bi-partisan support for public school choice and offered a clear path forward in addressing voters’ concerns: Democratic leaders need to embrace improved access to public school options and they must focus on delivering high-quality results that prepare young people for the economy of the future.

“Choice resonates deeply with voters,” Elorza continued. “Since COVID, several Republican states have adopted private school choice laws, but there has been no alternative education vision offered by the left. As such, we’ve lost ground on an issue that was historically a strength for us and continues to be incredibly important to our voter base. With important elections on the horizon, Democrats must embrace an education vision based on improved access to high-quality public school options.”

Matt Hogan, Partner at Impact Research who helped conduct the polling, reiterated Elorza’s cautioning, saying, “To make up the ground they have lost on education, Democrats need to meet voters and parents where they are by focusing more on ensuring that students are learning the skills they need to succeed as adults.”

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This study consisted of a series of three virtual focus groups and a nationally representative poll. The three virtual focus groups were conducted by Impact Research between December 5-6, 2023, consisting of swing voters between the ages of 25-55 with children in public school. The groups were split by race, with one group each of White, Black, and Latino parents. The sample size is n=1,200 with a credibility interval of +/- 3%. The survey was fielded online by BSP Research from February 2-12, 2024. The sample size is =2,500 registered voters in total, including: n= 1100 White; n= 500 Latino; n=500 Black; n=250 AAPI; and n=922 parents with children age 18 or younger. The questionnaire was conducted in either English or Spanish, according to preference, and results have been weighted to census estimates of the profile of national registered voters. There is a credibility interval of +/-2.0%.

You can view the summary memo here. Additional crosstabs available upon request.

New York, NY (March 6, 2024) – Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) announced today it is launching its Southern regional strategy with the hiring of Alisha Searcy as the Regional President, South—the first Regional President appointment—of DFER and its affiliate think tank Education Reform Now (ERN).

Searcy, who in 2022 became the Democratic Nominee for Georgia’s State School Superintendent, brings more than a decade of experience as an education expert and leader in Democratic politics—including making history as the first African American from Cobb County to serve in the Georgia House of Representatives, where she served six terms, and sat on the Education, Appropriations and Health and Human Services committees. During her tenure, Searcy coauthored Georgia’s Teacher and Leader Evaluation System, authored the state intra-district transfer law—allowing parents to choose the best public school within their district for their students, regardless of zip code—and coauthored the state’s constitutional amendment that created the State Charter Schools Commission.

“DFER is thrilled to welcome Alisha Searcy’s talents and deep experience to our team,” said DFER CEO Jorge Elorza. Alisha’s dedication to educational equity and proven track record make her an invaluable resource as we continue to expand our mission to ensure every student receives the high-quality public education they deserve. Her leadership will be instrumental in expanding our impact and continuing to advocate for Democratic values in education across the South.”

With the 2024 election season underway, DFER is focused on growing the number of Democratic education champions in the South and across the country, who will strive to advance and defend a student-centered education agenda. These priorities include implementing and protecting policies designed to hold schools accountable, driving innovative improvements in public education, and expanding public school choice so that all students can access high-quality schools that meet their individual needs.

“I am both excited and grateful to lead the work in the South to identify and support champions for public school choice, accountability, and innovation in our public schools,” said Searcy. “As a former state legislator, I know first-hand how critical it is for policymakers to know someone has their backs as they courageously advocate for and move policies that will change students’ life trajectories. I look forward to contributing to the movement in this meaningful way.”

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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 a partner organization of Education Reform Now Advocacy, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that supports DFER’s legislative and policy advocacy work. DFER maintains state chapters in Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C.  www.dfer.org.