AUSTIN, TX (Feb. 28, 2023) – Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) announced today that Garry Jones has been appointed Executive Director of Democrats for Education Reform Texas (DFER TX) and its affiliate think tank Education Reform Now Texas (ERN TX).
Jones, who most recently served as Political Director of DFER TX, brings more than a decade of experience as a strategist working in Texas Democratic politics, including serving as a Chief of Staff in the Texas State Senate. Under Jones’ leadership last year, DFER TX helped elect six Democratic education Champions to the Texas House of Representatives, and supported Staci Childs in winning her seat on the State Board of Education.
“The Democratic victories that Garry helped realize in Texas—particularly in such a short time—are remarkable,” said DFER Interim CEO Shakira Petit. “Given the current political environment, there is an urgent, critical need to invest in Democrats who will fight for a quality, equitable public education for Texas students and Garry has distinguished himself as the leader DFER TX needs to grow our chapter’s impact in the Lone Star State.”
With 2023 and 2024 elections on the horizon, DFER TX is focused on growing the number of Democratic education champions in the state legislature and in municipalities across the state, while also advancing and defending a pro-student education agenda.
These policy priorities include overhauling the community college finance system, protecting funding gains for public education, ensuring all public schools are treated equitably by local governments, and maintaining and perfecting policies designed to hold schools accountable to parents and taxpayers.
“It is an honor to take the helm at DFER TX to elevate the Democratic Party in this important work of advancing educational equity,” said Jones. “With the substantial budget surplus, Texas Democrats have a real opportunity to make historic investments in public education and solidify ourselves as champions for student-centered, common-sense policies. I look forward to working together with elected officials and partners across the state to make Texas a national example of Democrats leading on innovative public school reform policies.”
DFER TX was launched in 2022 to build on the organization’s prior work with Legacy 44, a volunteer-led state Political Action Committee (PAC) that invests in Democratic candidates for elected office in Texas who, following in the path of our 44th President Barack Obama, will promote a strong public education system.
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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.
DFER CHAMPIONS RECEIVE HISTORIC APPOINTMENTS
CONTACT: Victoria Fosdal
victoria@dfer.org
BATON ROUGE, L.A. (JAN. 6, 2023) – Democrats for Education Reform Louisiana (DFER LA) Executive Director Terrence Lockett released the below statement congratulating Dadrius Lanus and Carla Powell who were voted as president and vice president of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, respectively, yesterday.
Their appointments mark the first time that a Black individual has served as the president and vice president at the same time in modern history.
“We are pleased to see that the Baton Rouge School Board shares DFER LA’s confidence in Dadrius and Carla’s ability to lead on behalf of the district’s students. Both Dadrius and Carla bring their experience as educators to their roles, along with a deep commitment to improving public education outcomes.
I look forward to working with both Dadrius and Carla, along with the rest of the school board, in our continued advocacy of a high quality, equitable education for Baton Rouge children.”
DFER LA’s partner organization, Education Reform Now Advocacy, a 501c4 organization, ran independent expenditure campaigns during the general election in support of both Lanus’ and Powell’s campaigns.
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In Part 2 of the 2nd Edition of our Democratic Guide to Public Charter Schools, we highlight how key Democratic leaders, past and present, at all levels of government, have been instrumental in creating, funding, and advocating for public charter schools. The list includes former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, leading Congressional Democrats such as Senators Patty Murray and Cory Booker, and Governors like Andrew Cuomo and Jared Polis.
Of particular note: Part 2 includes an exclusive DFER analysis of grants awarded under a program created by President Obama to fund the replication and expansion of high-quality schools run by Charter Management Organizations. In less than a decade, this program has provided funding to support nearly 1,000 new public charter schools and more than 500,000 additional seats in high-performing charter networks across the country.
Stay tuned as additional chapters from our DGPCS continue to be released throughout the week.
Also see: Part 1, Origins and Public Opinion Research.
The Obama Legacy Carries Through Loud and Clear
When President Obama took office in 2009 promising hope and change, he did so amidst the fallout from a recession that left many in the country reeling. Part of that vision was an improved public education system that would prepare all students for success in the 21st century—regardless of race, zip code or financial situation. From K-12 to higher education, the benefits of his policies are clear: we have seen an increase in high quality public school options that empower parents to choose the right school for their child; strengthened standards and accountability to measure progress and success; and intentionality in addressing racial and social inequities.
We must protect and build upon this progress.
In the face of our current Administration that has proven time and time again that it does not have the best interest of all children at heart, it is imperative that we continue to champion President Obama’s agenda. At Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), we are proud to stand in the legacy of President Obama and will continue to champion these common-sense education reforms that get results, including around high quality public school options. Below, please find recent examples of interviews where DFER President Shavar Jeffries espouses our organizational values and positions on these critical issues.
“‘We champion what we call the Obama Agenda, which is broadly supported by Democrats, broadly supported by voters.’ …
‘There’s overwhelming support again, particularly among African Americans and Latinos, for a wide range of choice within the public education system, including public charter schools. There’s strong evidence for holding politicians accountable to make sure that schools work for kids, that there’s many options, and that parents are at the center of making decisions about the option that best serves their children.'”
“Shavar Jeffries, the president of Democrats for Education Reform, a national organization that supports alternatives to traditional public schools, said there were still prominent Democrats, like Senator Booker, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, whom he considered strong supporters of the charter school sector. And at the local level, he said, many Democratic mayors and state legislators continued to support charter schools, especially those offering additional options for low-income black and Latino students, like those in Los Angeles.
‘Charters exist because the parents demand them and want them,’ Mr. Jeffries said. ‘I do wish more leaders would step up and stand up and deliver that message.'”
“‘There’s a distinction between Obama-style charter schools, which are public and have accountability measures, and Trump-DeVos style, which are for-profits and don’t,’ explains Shavar Jeffries, the president of Democrats for Education Reform, a group that, like Obama and Booker, advocate public charters as a means for education improvement.
“‘None of that would have happened without Sen. Booker,’ Shavar Jeffries, president of Democrats for Education Reform, says. ‘Mayors tend to try to shy away from public education precisely because it’s so hard. He leaned in and leaned in in a very bold and aggressive way.’ …
Jeffries says he hopes Booker will embrace his record on school choice, and points to recent polling his group tapped Benenson Strategy Group to perform that found large majorities of Democratic primary voters support school choice and that more than 80 percent of black and Latino Democratic primary voters support school choice and increased investments in public education.
‘If he embraces this agenda, the evidence shows that this will resonate with large proportion of Democratic primary voters,’ Jeffries says.”