2025 Eddies Awards: Game Changer Campaign of the Year

A+ Education Partnership, Alabama Families for Great Schools, EdTrust in Tennessee

Network Policy Pillar: Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

The RAISE Act helps the state of Alabama modernize its 30-year-old funding formula to allocate funding for students who need it most, including economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, English language learners, and charter school students, so they can receive the resources they need to thrive.

Our policy and advocacy impacts all 729,242 public school students across Alabama.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

The RAISE Act was signed into law on May 5, 2025, marking a major win for all Alabama students. With its passage, $549 million will be invested in student needs over the next three years. This groundbreaking legislation, sponsored by the budget chairs and passed unanimously by the Alabama Legislature, builds on the current Foundation Program by adding targeted funding to meet specific student needs and drive better academic outcomes. These research-based investments in our highest-need students will change education outcomes for future generations.

Prior to this effort, the state had not updated its formula in over 30 years. This left Alabama as one of only six states that still used an outdated resource-based formula which distributed money based solely on the number of students in a school and not the needs of those students, like living in poverty or having a disability. It did not provide enough money. It was not transparent. It was too rigid. It did not allow schools to adjust how they spent money to address their students’ needs. 

The RAISE Act ensures that the following student groups will receive more funding: students living in poverty, students with disabilities, English language learners, gifted students, and charter school students. This is significant because many of these students have been historically underfunded, leading to some of the state’s lowest academic outcomes. Furthermore, Alabama has one of the largest populations of economically disadvantaged students in the nation, and our English language learners are our fastest-growing student population. Those groups historically receive minimal investments; less than 2% of the Foundation Program was directed to them. In fact, Alabama did not provide any dedicated funding for special education at all, and charter school students don’t receive local tax dollars.  Now, through the RAISE Act, at least $549 million will be invested in those student groups over the initial three school years.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

For over two years, A+ has worked with state leaders, national experts, and partners to modernize Alabama’s 30-year-old school funding formula. The unanimous, bipartisan passage of school funding reform in the state of Alabama is a testament to the power of collaboration and partnerships.

The leadership of our legislative champions, budget chairs Sen. Arthur Orr and Rep. Danny Garrett, was critical. They committed to change and created a joint legislative commission to study modernizing Alabama’s school funding formula that brought together both budget committees to determine the best path. Supported by A+ and Bellwether, the Commission’s eight-month process allowed members of both parties to hear about the challenges of the current formula, learn about funding student needs, and craft a hybrid approach that became the RAISE Act. We also worked with the Governor’s office and education groups to take their feedback. We met with multiple committees and both caucuses in each chamber to explain the bill, answer questions, see how it would impact their districts, and get them on board. Finally, the strategic decision to have the bill travel with the budget and not as a disconnected, standalone piece of legislation avoided unnecessary confusion and politics.

At the grassroots level, A+ partnered with EdTrust-TN, TN Alliance, and Southerners for Fair School Funding to model their process and build a successful advocacy coalition. A+ launched the Every Child Alabama Coalition with 49 members across Alabama, including education nonprofits, business organizations, community-based organizations, parents, and teachers. They authored 5 op-eds, conducted over 45 public presentations across four regions in Alabama, reaching and informing 4,786 Alabamians, and met with over 90 legislators and superintendents during the session. This created a groundswell, ensuring that leaders understood the necessity of this bill.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to a $549 million investment over the initial three years in Alabama students who need it most. 

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Learn from the Research & Experiences of Others: Alabama leaders were willing to explore this step because our neighbors TN and MS showed them it was possible. Partnering with Bellwether to bring national expertise to this local problem equipped A+ and Legislative champions with the right data and a path forward. When building the Every Child Alabama Coalition, A+ applied lessons from partners in TN, resulting in a well-prepared, organized group who helped push the legislation over the finish line. 

Engage the Right Leaders & Partners: This effort was led by the education budget chairs in the Legislature, which contributed to RAISE’s unanimous passage. These leaders believed in the importance of this bill, and worked to get it passed. Outside of the Statehouse, it was critical to form a coalition representing all regions and sectors to build buy-in from community members, school leaders, and decision-makers.

Strategic & Aligned Messaging is Critical: A+ was very particular about the language used. We worked to ensure information was accessible and avoided politicized terms that could derail the conversation. Our grassroots and grasstops campaigns were tightly aligned. The messaging was synchronized so everyone spoke the same language and addressed common concerns. When our legislative champions, grasstops advocates, and grassroots coalition members said the same thing, it combated opposition and kept the focus on students. 

Play the Long Game: Compromise was key. The most important goal was to ensure the state began to fund the needs of students, and that was nonnegotiable. We worked closely with the budget chairs and other partners to ensure that the best version of the bill passed with broad support. While we worked hard for a full student-weighted formula, we compromised when needed on a hybrid formula as an important first step. This big win allows us to fund student needs now and opens a door to creating a full student-weighted formula in the future.

RESOURCES

• Click the link for the RAISE Act legislation, a bill explainer, Every Child Alabama coalition website, and Informative videos: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cUF3H_Yqnp0DYCTNgxEG0NaeyPu61EWQB-Sh4wQYLWE/edit?usp=sharing

Philanthropy Advocates, Teach Plus Texas, Deans for Impact (DFI), Texas Public Charter Schools Association, Empower Schools, The Commit Partnership, Texas 2036, Educate Texas, EdTrust in Texas, National Parents Union

Non-Network partners: Center for Strong Public Schools

Network Policy Pillars: High Expectations, Great Educators, Innovative Options, Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

This policy, House Bill 2, helps all Texas public school students, especially those in underserved communities, access evidence-based resources, including well-prepared and effective educators, early math and literacy inventions, and college and career pathways, so they can earn the postsecondary credentials they need to thrive in the 21st-century economy. 

House Bill 2 impacts more than 5.5 million young people attending public preK-12 education in the state of Texas. Importantly, this historic investment is strategically targeted so that historically underserved student subgroups, such as rural students, students experiencing economic disadvantage, and special education students, receive the resources needed to succeed.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

House Bill 2 is a major investment in public education in Texas and an exemplar for the country in leveraging state school finance policy to improve student outcomes. The $8.5 billion contained in the legislation is a historic amount for Texas. But what is truly ‘game-changing’ is how HB 2 translates dollars into data-driven strategies that put students first. Facing tremendous pressure from school districts and other advocates to flow new spending through the most flexible components of the existing school finance formula, our coalition advocated for strategic investments targeting our students’ greatest needs. HB 2 supports partnerships between school systems and high-quality ed prep programs, with a special focus on residency models that give future teachers rigorous, hands-on training. And it expands the Teacher Incentive Allotment, which has improved the retention of high-quality teachers across the hundreds of Texas school systems that have implemented the strategic compensation model. By expanding the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program and increasing funding for P-TECH campuses, HB 2 enhances access to career pathways aligned to high-wage, high-demand fields, particularly in rural schools, and provides annual planning and implementation grants to help districts create and scale these collaborative models in more regions of the state. Funding for facilities at charter campuses had been capped since 2017, so per-pupil funding was shrinking as enrollment grew. HB 2 replaced the cap with a new formula that is more directly responsive to student needs, promoting more innovative options for parents and students. While not all coalition members directly serve rural or charter campuses, we were united in advancing a public education finance system that supports student success in every setting. Because of our coalition-based and student-focused advocacy, HB 2 includes a comprehensive set of investments that bring us closer to that vision.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

Most of these partners collaborated formally and informally through the InvestEdTX coalition, initially convened by the Commit Partnership in 2019 and including 30+ groups representing educators, nonprofits, business leaders, and chambers of commerce. United by a shared commitment to student-first policy and data-driven investments to close opportunity gaps, the coalition has maintained alignment among members and disciplined focus on a core set of issues. Entering this legislative cycle, the coalition formalized a process to invite a manageable number of new organizations to fill agreed-upon gaps in representation, especially parents. Through regular coalition calls and working groups, partners shared intel, built one another’s advocacy capacity. More seasoned members supported those who were newer to advocacy with preparing testimony, sharing templates, providing feedback on collateral, and coaching on how to approach different legislative offices based on their interests and past engagement. Coalition members also leveraged individual relationships with legislative staff, agency leaders, and elected officials to share aligned messages, offer technical insight, and advise on policy design and implementation. This coordination helped maximize influence and minimize duplication or mixed signals. Together, advocates from multiple organizations aligned on suggested panel experts for testimony, often testifying together with aligned messages. Several advocacy leaders from other organizations joined site visits to see the work in action, published independent research that we cited in our advocacy materials, and joined our virtual briefings to share relevant updates and opportunities to influence policy. Our member organizations also held joint staffer briefings, Capitol Days, and in-person events including TexED Policy Talks, that brought in a much wider audience than we could have reached individually, and attendees saw how our priorities could be complementary.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to $8.5 billion investment in public school students over the next biennium.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

The success of HB 2 reinforces several principles that fellow Network members can apply:

• Center student outcomes data in your advocacy: In a fiscally conservative context, it’s essential to show the “return on investment” that increased education funding can yield when targeted toward research-based strategies. As lawmakers sought to address rising attrition among experienced educators, our coalition provided data showing how the Teacher Incentive Allotment and residency/apprenticeship models supported teacher recruitment and retention.
• Include educator and parent voices: Our coalition welcomed several parent-led groups mobilizing around early literacy, a key theme for our target audiences, especially as “parental empowerment” became a recurring focus of the session.
• Distribute leadership across subject matter expertise: We cultivated leadership within member organizations with deep content knowledge. This approach proved effective in navigating complex policy areas like teacher prep, early literacy, math academies, college and career readiness, school finance, and rural collaboration.
• Prioritize relationships with key offices: Identify the lawmakers whose support is essential—committee chairs, chamber leadership, etc.—and invest in building strong relationships with them and their staff.
• Don’t give up: Several HB 2 provisions, including those on teacher prep and early literacy, failed in prior sessions but were ultimately adopted. Continued advocacy through the interim helped expand support and readiness for passage.
• Leverage media as an advocacy tool: News outlets help shape public understanding. Coalition members placed op-eds, served as sources for journalists covering HB 2, and gave interviews on strengthening educator pathways.

RESOURCES

• https://issuu.com/educatetexas0/docs/dallas_college 
• https://issuu.com/educatetexas0/docs/bisd_case_study 
• https://www.deansforimpact.org/tools-and-resources/fueling-the-lone-star-teacher-pipeline-a-landscape-analysis-of-rtaps-in-texas-
• https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/tribcast-texas-teachers/  
• https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/25/attract-prepare-retain-best-teachers-texas/
• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15pDbz7zQFSJdktrLuFRG0rKmBsjYIkqO?usp=sharing
  

A+ Education Partnership, Alabama Families for Great Schools, EdTrust in Tennessee

Network Policy Pillar: Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

The RAISE Act helps the state of Alabama modernize its 30-year-old funding formula to allocate funding for students who need it most, including economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, English language learners, and charter school students, so they can receive the resources they need to thrive.

Our policy and advocacy impacts all 729,242 public school students across Alabama.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

The RAISE Act was signed into law on May 5, 2025, marking a major win for all Alabama students. With its passage, $549 million will be invested in student needs over the next three years. This groundbreaking legislation, sponsored by the budget chairs and passed unanimously by the Alabama Legislature, builds on the current Foundation Program by adding targeted funding to meet specific student needs and drive better academic outcomes. These research-based investments in our highest-need students will change education outcomes for future generations.

Prior to this effort, the state had not updated its formula in over 30 years. This left Alabama as one of only six states that still used an outdated resource-based formula which distributed money based solely on the number of students in a school and not the needs of those students, like living in poverty or having a disability. It did not provide enough money. It was not transparent. It was too rigid. It did not allow schools to adjust how they spent money to address their students’ needs. 

The RAISE Act ensures that the following student groups will receive more funding: students living in poverty, students with disabilities, English language learners, gifted students, and charter school students. This is significant because many of these students have been historically underfunded, leading to some of the state’s lowest academic outcomes. Furthermore, Alabama has one of the largest populations of economically disadvantaged students in the nation, and our English language learners are our fastest-growing student population. Those groups historically receive minimal investments; less than 2% of the Foundation Program was directed to them. In fact, Alabama did not provide any dedicated funding for special education at all, and charter school students don’t receive local tax dollars.  Now, through the RAISE Act, at least $549 million will be invested in those student groups over the initial three school years.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

For over two years, A+ has worked with state leaders, national experts, and partners to modernize Alabama’s 30-year-old school funding formula. The unanimous, bipartisan passage of school funding reform in the state of Alabama is a testament to the power of collaboration and partnerships.

The leadership of our legislative champions, budget chairs Sen. Arthur Orr and Rep. Danny Garrett, was critical. They committed to change and created a joint legislative commission to study modernizing Alabama’s school funding formula that brought together both budget committees to determine the best path. Supported by A+ and Bellwether, the Commission’s eight-month process allowed members of both parties to hear about the challenges of the current formula, learn about funding student needs, and craft a hybrid approach that became the RAISE Act. We also worked with the Governor’s office and education groups to take their feedback. We met with multiple committees and both caucuses in each chamber to explain the bill, answer questions, see how it would impact their districts, and get them on board. Finally, the strategic decision to have the bill travel with the budget and not as a disconnected, standalone piece of legislation avoided unnecessary confusion and politics.

At the grassroots level, A+ partnered with EdTrust-TN, TN Alliance, and Southerners for Fair School Funding to model their process and build a successful advocacy coalition. A+ launched the Every Child Alabama Coalition with 49 members across Alabama, including education nonprofits, business organizations, community-based organizations, parents, and teachers. They authored 5 op-eds, conducted over 45 public presentations across four regions in Alabama, reaching and informing 4,786 Alabamians, and met with over 90 legislators and superintendents during the session. This created a groundswell, ensuring that leaders understood the necessity of this bill.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to a $549 million investment over the initial three years in Alabama students who need it most. 

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Learn from the Research & Experiences of Others: Alabama leaders were willing to explore this step because our neighbors TN and MS showed them it was possible. Partnering with Bellwether to bring national expertise to this local problem equipped A+ and Legislative champions with the right data and a path forward. When building the Every Child Alabama Coalition, A+ applied lessons from partners in TN, resulting in a well-prepared, organized group who helped push the legislation over the finish line. 

Engage the Right Leaders & Partners: This effort was led by the education budget chairs in the Legislature, which contributed to RAISE’s unanimous passage. These leaders believed in the importance of this bill, and worked to get it passed. Outside of the Statehouse, it was critical to form a coalition representing all regions and sectors to build buy-in from community members, school leaders, and decision-makers.

Strategic & Aligned Messaging is Critical: A+ was very particular about the language used. We worked to ensure information was accessible and avoided politicized terms that could derail the conversation. Our grassroots and grasstops campaigns were tightly aligned. The messaging was synchronized so everyone spoke the same language and addressed common concerns. When our legislative champions, grasstops advocates, and grassroots coalition members said the same thing, it combated opposition and kept the focus on students. 

Play the Long Game: Compromise was key. The most important goal was to ensure the state began to fund the needs of students, and that was nonnegotiable. We worked closely with the budget chairs and other partners to ensure that the best version of the bill passed with broad support. While we worked hard for a full student-weighted formula, we compromised when needed on a hybrid formula as an important first step. This big win allows us to fund student needs now and opens a door to creating a full student-weighted formula in the future.

RESOURCES

• Click the link for the RAISE Act legislation, a bill explainer, Every Child Alabama coalition website, and Informative videos: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cUF3H_Yqnp0DYCTNgxEG0NaeyPu61EWQB-Sh4wQYLWE/edit?usp=sharing

ExcelinEd, Institute for Quality Education, RISE Indy

Non-Network partners: MindTrust, Indiana Charter Innovation Center

Network Policy Pillar: Innovative Options, Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

Multiple policies passed in Indiana this year will improve funding equity, facilities, and transportation for charter schools so they can continue to create strong educational options for students. 

We estimate that approximately 50,000 charter school students will benefit from this legislation, including more than 5,000 students in Indianapolis who attend public charter or Innovation Network schools and currently lack access to district-provided transportation, ensuring they can safely and reliably get to the schools their families choose.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

For over two decades, Indiana’s public charter schools have faced a significant challenge: unequal access to local resources compared to traditional public schools due to persistent funding disparities. This year, Indiana boldly addressed this inequity through a multi-pronged policy effort addressing funding, centralized services, and transportation.

Landmark Legislation for Funding Equity

Thanks to relentless advocacy from Governor Mike Braun, education champions, and legislative leaders, Senate Bill 1 was enacted. This landmark property tax reform ensures that public charter school students will benefit from local tax levies starting in 2028. This breakthrough legislation mandates that local school districts share property taxes with charter schools, effectively closing a long-standing gap. 

Pioneering Centralized Services and Transportation Reform

In tandem with funding reforms, House Bill 1515 launched a pioneering three-year pilot program for centralized facilities and transportation services. Participating schools will benefit from shared operational boards, designed to streamline management and reduce costs, thereby freeing up resources for classrooms and student support. This program is built for continuous improvement, with an integrated evaluation to guide future statewide implementation.

This legislative victory is particularly significant for Indianapolis, as it directly addresses one of the most persistent and inequitable barriers to school access: transportation. For years, thousands of public school students, especially those attending charter or Innovation Network schools, have lacked safe and reliable transportation. This forced families to choose between educational opportunity and accessibility, often putting their best-fit school out of reach.

RISE INDY led a community-driven campaign to rectify this. Through research, coalition building, strategic storytelling, and direct engagement with lawmakers, they successfully pushed for the inclusion of crucial transportation language in House Enrolled Act 1515. This law established the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance (ILEA), a citywide working group dedicated to designing a unified transportation and facilities plan that encompasses all public school students within IPS boundaries, not just those in traditional district schools. 

A Systemic Shift Towards Fairness and Opportunity

This advocacy not only created the policy framework for a systemic solution but also shifted the public narrative, elevating transportation from a mere logistical challenge to a critical equity and access issue. 

These combined policy wins represent a game-changing leap forward for Indiana. They address historical funding gaps, build operational efficiency, and reaffirm the state’s commitment to educational opportunity for all public school students. The scalable and replicable nature of this policy framework opens the door for other states and cities to follow suit, advancing equity in school access through similar multi-pronged reforms.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

Multiple partner organizations came together to support these various policy priorities to improve charter schools in the state, including MindTrust, the Indiana Charter Innovation Center, the Institute for Quality Education, ExcelinEd, and RISE Indy.

Insight from RISE Indy – Establish Transportation & Facilities as an Equity and Efficiency Issue 

RISE INDY’s transportation advocacy was rooted in extensive coalition-building and collaboration across diverse political, institutional, and community lines. Recognizing that solving student transportation inequities required a broad, united effort, RISE INDY worked closely with families—especially those most affected by transportation gaps—to amplify their voices through storytelling, public testimony, and direct engagement with lawmakers. 

To bolster their case, RISE INDY conducted a countywide public opinion poll, which revealed strong, cross-cutting support (across political affiliation, race, income, and school type) for a more equitable and efficient transportation system. These findings provided a data-backed foundation for their advocacy strategy and strengthened their position with legislators and policymakers.

Collaborating with public charter and Innovation Network school leaders, as well as the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) administration, RISE INDY helped develop a shared vision for a unified transportation system. They also partnered with school bus drivers and transportation staff to ensure any proposed solution would be feasible and sustainable. Several IPS School Board Commissioners played a key role, becoming public champions of the work.

At the Statehouse, RISE INDY built a bipartisan coalition of Republican and Democratic lawmakers committed to improving student access. Together, they successfully advocated for the passage of House Enrolled Act 1515, which established the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance (ILEA). This cross-sector body is now tasked with designing a citywide transportation and facilities plan that includes all public school students. 

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Advocacy for the property tax sharing policy will contribute to an estimated $81 million in property tax revenues for charter schools.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Advocacy efforts to improve charter schools in Indiana offer invaluable lessons in persistence, coalition discipline, strategic leverage, and the power of centering community voices. 

Navigating Complex Legislative Landscapes – Statewide Strategies From ExcelinEd & IQE

The journey to secure property tax sharing for public charter schools in Indiana exemplifies strategic persistence within a complex political landscape. Initially introduced as a standalone provision in Senate Bill 518, the charter equity provisions were later incorporated into Senate Bill 1, a sweeping and often contentious property tax reform bill. This integration presented a significant challenge: the specific charter provisions became a minor component within a much larger, high-stakes debate over tax policy, risking their potential sidelining or sacrifice.

However, rather than retreating, partner organizations “leaned in.” Everyone focused on protecting the charter provisions while recognizing we couldn’t control the broader dynamics. Organizations doubled down on their support for the Governor and key legislative champions, providing essential data, messaging, and political cover needed to hold the line. They coordinated closely behind the scenes, carefully avoiding public overreach that could destabilize the broader legislative package, while privately ensuring their issue remained a top priority.

The key lesson from this experience for fellow advocates is clear: when a policy goal becomes tied to a larger legislative vehicle, “don’t panic.” Instead, maintain discipline, build deep trust with decision-makers, and understand when to step back and when to step in. By staying focused, even when not in the driver’s seat, the coalition successfully guided its priority across the finish line.

Centering Community & Building Coalitions – Community-Grounded Strategies From RISE INDY

Meaningful policy change requires centering community voices, building broad coalitions, and aligning data with storytelling to drive urgency and action. 

• We began by engaging the people most impacted. Families, students, bus drivers, and school leaders from across school types shared how transportation barriers shaped their school choices. These insights became powerful stories we lifted up in legislative testimony, op-eds, social media, and direct advocacy—helping reframe the issue as one of equity, not logistics. 
• We paired those stories with strong data. Our countywide poll revealed broad, bipartisan support for equitable transportation, giving our campaign credibility and giving lawmakers the cover they needed to act. 
• We created opportunities for community members to voice their needs to elected officials. Through listening sessions between parents and IPS School Board Commissioners, meetings with parents and state legislators, and public testimony in IPS School Board meetings and the Statehouse, we allowed community voice to influence change through real stories.
• We highlighted parent stories in the news. Through publishing our public opinion poll, we initiated opportunities for parents to share their transportation challenges with the news to shine attention on gaps in our current system. As a result of this, more news stories were published featuring parents of children who had to walk to school, even in harsh weather conditions, because of the lack of transportation options.
• We built a coalition that crossed lines of difference—engaging parents, school board commissioners, the IPS administration, public charter leaders, bus drivers, and both Republican and Democratic legislators. Though these groups may not agree on every issue, they were united in the belief that no child should be denied access to school because of how they get there. 
• We were ready when the policy window opened. With clear goals, trusted relationships, and prepared language, we moved quickly to influence House Enrolled Act 1515, turning years of advocacy into a legislative win. 

The biggest takeaway: transformational advocacy doesn’t start with a flashy campaign. It starts with listening, building trust, and showing up—so when the moment comes, you’re ready to lead.

RESOURCES

• Indiana Enrolled Senate Bill 1 (property tax sharing): https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/senate/1/details  
• Indiana Enrolled House Bill 1515 (transportation and facilities pilot): https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/house/1515/details  
• https://riseindy.org/news/f/rise-indys-2025-legislative-wins-for-students-and-educators 
• https://riseindy.org/news/f/wrtv-new-poll-finds-parents-want-better-school-transportation 
• https://riseindy.org/news/f/pns-in-school-bus-hurdles-linked-to-education-outcomes 
• https://riseindy.org/news/f/community-wants-a-streamlined-school-transportation-solution

EdTrust-Midwest, Teach Plus Michigan

Network Policy Pillar: Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

This transformational policy win—Michigan’s Reading for All Law—created the state’s first-ever system of identifying & better supporting students with reading challenges. The passage of this legislation is remarkable because it came in the face of strong opposition from education groups committed to maintaining the status quo. This was the result of EdTrust Midwest’s leadership and advocacy, which required screening for students with dyslexia & mandated that these students receive the necessary support.

Our policy and advocacy impacts 411,386 K-3 students. It is estimated that up to 20% of these students could have the characteristics of dyslexia.  

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

EdTrust-Midwest has long advocated for research-based policies to address MI’s reading crisis to confront one of the most common barriers to literacy: dyslexia. Building upon 6+ years of policy research, data analysis, and advocacy and a new, multi-faceted campaign, we achieved a transformational victory in 2024 with the passage of the Reading for All law.

Alongside a bipartisan group of policymakers and advocates, EdTrust-Midwest helped develop this landmark legislation to establish a stronger, more equitable system to identify and support students with dyslexia. The need was urgent: In the 2023–24 school year, just 39.6% of Michigan third graders were proficient in English language arts—down from 40.9% the year before, and significantly lower than the 45.1% proficiency rate before the pandemic.

Our statewide campaign incorporated coalition-building, legislative strategy, public testimony, media engagement, digital outreach, grasstops, and grassroots mobilization. Our advocacy and policy efforts reach 411,386 K-3 students statewide. Research suggests that up to 20% of these students may exhibit characteristics of dyslexia, underscoring the urgency of this effort.

These efforts culminated in Governor Gretchen Whitmer signing Senate Bills 567 and 568 into law in September 2024. These bills mandate multi-tiered systems of intervention based on the science of reading and other requirements, including:

• Early screening for characteristics of dyslexia and tiered support using research-based interventions proven to improve outcomes.
• Requiring teacher preparation programs at universities to include training on how to teach students with dyslexia.
• Ongoing professional development for current educators on evidence-based reading instruction grounded in the science of reading.

This bipartisan policy victory represents a critical step to ensure every Michigan student—regardless of background—has equitable access to high-quality, effective literacy instruction.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

For six plus years, EdTrust-Midwest has prioritized improving reading outcomes across Michigan through rigorous research, data analysis, policy development, coalition-building, and legislative advocacy. Building upon that work, in 2024, we partnered with policymakers, educators, early literacy advocates, the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity, and allies such as the Michigan Dyslexia Institute, the Autism Alliance of Michigan, and the Michigan Department of Education, to advocate for systemic reforms to better serve all Michigan students. In 2024, we launched our Reading for All campaign—an effort to build a more equitable and effective system for identifying and supporting students with dyslexia. 

Our multi-dimensional campaign incorporated legislative advocacy, media engagement, coalition organizing, public testimony, and robust digital outreach. A key element of our strategy was a statewide call to action urging our coalition partners and expansive advocacy network to contact Michigan House Education Committee members to support critical legislation. We also activated our network to reach out to local representatives, reinforcing the importance of passing these bills. 

We strategically cultivated bipartisan legislative champions in both chambers and worked with leaders in the Detroit NAACP and West Michigan business community to encourage the Speaker of the House to bring the bills to a vote ahead of the fall elections. We provided our partners with tailored messaging to engage lawmakers effectively and mobilized educators through our Michigan Teacher Leadership Collaborative, many of whom testified in committee hearings. These firsthand accounts from classrooms were essential in countering opposition and grounding the legislation in real student impact. To broaden public awareness, we also published and pitched numerous op-eds and advocacy alerts, helping ensure that this critical literacy work remained a front-and-center policy priority.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to a $78 million investment to improve early literacy, including funding to train teachers in the science of reading. There was also a new line item added to last year’s budget to provide $87 million in grants to help districts pay for curriculum that is high-quality and evidenced based. These investments are only the beginning, as more funding will be needed to ensure the new law is implemented with fidelity. 

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Fellow Network members can learn how to build and broaden a coalition of grass top and grassroots leaders, leverage and amplify diverse voices, make connections across the aisle, and create a multi-pronged advocacy and knowledge-building strategy to lift up, amplify, and leverage diverse voices to shape and influence historic changes in policy. 

RESOURCES

• Sample collateral and legislation regarding EdTrust-Midwest’s Reading For All advocacy work: https://edtrust.coveragebook.com/b/2afe9909da279d31

Center for Black Educator Development, ExcelinEd, Teach Plus Pennsylvania

Non-Network partners: National Center on Education and the Economy

Network Policy Pillar: Great Educators 

SUMMARY

This policy helps prospective teachers overcome financial barriers to obtaining certification so they can provide excellent instruction to every student in Pennsylvania.

Our policy and advocacy impacts 1.7 million public school students in Pennsylvania.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

Launched in 2022, the PA Needs Teachers campaign was launched to address Pennsylvania’s teacher shortage crisis by advancing evidence-based and systemic solutions to address root causes such as the worsening financial value proposition to become a teacher and a lack of actionable data to support targeted interventions. The coalition’s first legislative push led to two victories in 2023: the creation of a program to provide $10,000 to student teachers who commit to teaching in Pennsylvania for three years (along with $2,500 for their cooperating teachers), and the passage of new educator workforce data collection measures, most notably instructional vacancy data to help policymakers target solutions to the schools and subjects most in need of qualified teachers. After the student teacher stipend program was funded at $10 million in 2023, our advocacy led to funding being doubled to $20 million in 2024 ($5 million more than what the governor originally proposed). The governor has proposed $40 million in the next state budget, while we continue to advocate for full funding of the program at $50-55 million. 

Our advocacy has also led to the creation of a new registered teacher apprenticeship pathway and an initial grant program of nearly $8 million to support new apprenticeship programs. We also helped pass the Grow PA scholarship program, which provides $5,000 scholarships to students who study in high-need fields (teaching is explicitly named) and then go on to work in those fields in Pennsylvania. As a result, aspiring educators can now receive up to $30,000 in scholarships and stipends to pursue their education credentials or learn and earn through an apprenticeship program. In Pennsylvania’s split legislature, we have made these educator workforce initiatives a rare example of bipartisan consensus, with Democrats and Republicans both embracing these proposals.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

Our coalition, led by Teach Plus PA and National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), transcends many of the traditional divides within education advocacy, bringing together school districts and charter schools, K-12 and higher education, school choice organizations and civil rights groups, statewide associations and regional chambers of commerce. After our first summit, we released a report that clearly outlined our coalition’s policy principles and strategies, and we welcome any organizations and individuals to our coalition who want to advance these principles and strategies, even those who do not agree on other issues or priorities. We recognize that the diversity of our coalition is our strength. While our coalition members do not always agree, we have been able to prioritize solutions that garner broad consensus within the coalition and in Harrisburg. We have strategically recruited regional chambers of commerce and workforce groups in order to position the teacher shortage as a larger workforce and economic challenge, and have provided legislators with local data and stakeholders from their own community in order to ensure they view this as a relevant issue affecting their districts and constituents.

A robust coalition of districts and charters, universities, non-profits, unions, and business groups working in partnership with the legislature and governor.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to a $50+ million investment in affordable pathways into teaching for prospective teachers.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Our campaign has relied on strong PR/communications, a robust series of events, regular and relevant publications and data, and regular engagement of coalition members in advocacy and mobilization activities. We hold an annual summit each fall to bring our coalition members together to socialize, explore, and prioritize among new policy solutions; this is also an opportunity to engage policymakers and generate press and credibility. We have released a series of reports to educate the public and policymakers on these solutions; our initial report led to hearings in both the House and Senate Education Committees and later to the legislation that contained our student teacher stipend program and recommended data provisions. After securing better educator workforce data, we have produced two sets of fact sheets and reports analyzing the severity of the teacher shortage by county and senate district in order to continue making the case for change. We have held eight teacher shortage roundtables around the commonwealth in key senate districts to engage local educators, legislators, and media in conversation around our policy solutions, as well as an annual advocacy day that regularly engages 50+ advocates in 100+ legislative meetings. To advance the student teacher stipend in particular, we have elevated personal stories of student teachers through roundtables, press conferences, op-eds, and social media; these stories have proved particularly compelling to the media and to policymakers. We also regularly engage our coalition members through monthly coalition calls, regular email action campaigns, and other calls to action, and local events.

RESOURCES

• https://www.paneedsteachers.com/summit-report 
• https://www.paneedsteachers.com/county-assessment-teacher-severity 
• https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2023/sb0300 (This is the bill language for the stipend program and workforce data that ultimately passed as part of omnibus school code bills, Acts 33 and 35 of 2023.)

Opportunity 180

Non-Network partners: Governor Lombardo, State Treasurer, State Infrastructure Bank, Equitable Facilities Fund

Network Policy Pillars: Innovative Options, Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

This policy helps high-quality charter schools serving historically underrepresented populations to find and secure facilities that meet their specific needs so they can more equitably and effectively serve students, families, and the community and lower their monthly spend on a permanent facility. 

Our policy and advocacy impacts 7,500 students over a 10-year period.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

Nevada charter schools must spend a significant portion of per-pupil funding on facilities, as the state lacks a dedicated facility funding stream for charters. This creates barriers across nearly every determinant of school success, including limiting enrollment growth, financial sustainability, compliance, and student engagement. As a result, some schools seeking to open or expand in Nevada have chosen to go elsewhere or not launch at all. Others have overspent on facilities, diverting resources from instruction and student achievement.

To address this, Opportunity 180 created two innovative pathways for facilities funding: the Nevada Facilities Fund, which provides short- and long-term facility financing at below-market interest rates; and a lease guarantee program that increases access to leasing and financing for high-performing, early-phase charter schools.

The Nevada Facilities Fund is a bipartisan, public-private partnership between Opportunity 180, the Equitable Facilities Fund, the Offices of the Governor and State Treasurer, and the State Infrastructure Bank. It represents a $100 million revolving loan fund that recycles repayments to support Nevada classrooms in perpetuity. Borrowing schools save an average of $150,000 annually. In the past year, the Fund has closed three loans: one enabled a school to purchase its leased building; two others purchased their existing facilities AND space for expansion.

Opportunity 180’s lease guarantee program, funded through a U.S. Department of Education Credit Enhancement Grant, supports new high-performing schools. Its first recipient utilized the program in its first year of operations, and leveraged it to purchase their building. 

These programs represent a game-changing opportunity for charter schools looking to open or expand in Nevada, leveling the playing field for innovative schools and expanding the number of students with access to these educational opportunities.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

Both programs represent bipartisan solutions to charter facilities financing. The Nevada Facilities Fund represents one of the largest bipartisan, public-private partnerships in Nevada history, reflecting an investment of $100 million in public and private capital to directly address the lack of adequate facilities funding for high-impact charter schools with a proven track record of student achievement and success. Given the sometimes polarizing nature of charter schools in state policymaking spaces, this partnership represented one of the most significant steps forward in bolstering the charter ecosystem. The investment infuses $100 million into the Nevada Facilities Fund’s revolving loan fund, including $80 million from Equitable Facilities Fund’s national funders and investors, $5 million in privately raised Nevada-based philanthropy, and a $15 million investment from the Nevada State Infrastructure Bank. The Infrastructure Bank funds began as an initial capitalization from Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak in 2021, finalized by Republican Governor Joe Lombardo in late 2023, with funds overseen by Democratic State Treasurer Zach Conine. This represents a bipartisan statement of support for charter schools in the state, sending a powerful message and providing a significant new resource for public education in Nevada. 

The Fund, as well as the lease guarantee program as part of our facilities solutions for charter schools, also benefits from a $12 million federal credit enhancement grant from the US Department of Education, leveraging public dollars for increased impact, as with more favorable financing terms, schools can put money directly back into students and classrooms, spurring more efficient use of funds. 

All together, these programs represent local, state, and federal funding paired with both national and local philanthropy for a true bipartisan, public-private partnership that can be replicated in other states.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

We sought to remove partisanship from policy conversations, focusing on the first-of-its-kind nature and the smart stewardship of public resources. This policy began under a Democratic Governor, was championed by a Democratic State Treasurer, has received bipartisan support, and was ushered across the finish line by a Republican Governor. We were willing to meet with anyone to discuss the initiative, and did so multiple times to increase understanding, emphasize impact, and cultivate relationships around areas of commonality. Clear messaging that drove toward impact helped steer the initiative from what could have been a partisan minefield into a smart, pragmatic way to approach one of the most pressing challenges in the charter sector for Nevada. This bipartisanship and impact on students and communities was highlighted in the media and touted by all of our partners involved. 

The long-term impacts of leveraging this public-private partnership include efficient use and stewardship of public dollars, and leveraging a strong public-private partnership, to the benefits of students and schools that will more effectively use public dollars in classrooms, rather than on the classrooms. We were able to leverage a $15 million state investment, backed with $7.5 million in federal credit enhancement funds, matched with $85 million in philanthropy for a dedicated Facilities Fund that, with other credit enhancement funds going to lease guarantees.   

Lastly, in every update, we brought it back to student impact and focusing on who would be most impacted if the program activated – students, families, and entire communities. The first three loans have shown the power of the program to a diverse, historically underserved student population, and how it continues to save money, leverage public-private partnerships, and stamp bold, creative, and innovative strategies to challenges.

RESOURCES

• Nevada Infrastructure Bank Update 2025 – https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ltjofgymoH5nbo5pij_zcB_nh3Ph8KC4/edit?slide=id.gc536324bda_1_418#slide=id.gc536324bda_1_418 
• Eastside school gets first $12 million of State Fund Created to Help Charters – https://lasvegassun.com/news/2024/sep/09/east-side-school-gets-first-12-million-of-state-fu/ 
• The Gift of Keys: Mariposa Language & Learning Academy Expansion – https://www.kolotv.com/2024/12/02/gift-keys-mariposa-language-learning-academy-expansion/

Educators for Excellence-New York

Network Policy Pillars: High Expectations, Great Educators

SUMMARY

This policy helps educators and system leaders to deliver high-quality, standards-aligned instruction and targeted professional learning so they can improve outcomes for hundreds of thousands of students, close equity gaps, and build a more coherent, effective school system across the nation’s largest district.

Thanks to educator-led advocacy, NYC Reads and NYC Solves are expanding to reach more students than ever. By 2025-2026, over 490,000 students will benefit from high-quality, standards-aligned instruction. NYC Reads will expand into 102 middle schools across eight districts, supporting nearly 26,000 additional students, while NYC Solves will grow to 84 more schools, reaching 32,000 more students. NYC Reads and Solves will be fully implemented in middle schools across all districts by 2027-2028.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

This win represents a major step toward educational equity in New York City Public Schools (NYCPS). For years, students—especially Black and Latinx learners—were denied consistent, high-quality instruction in reading and math due to a patchwork of curricula and insufficient support. Through months of organizing, E4E–NY teachers gathered data, hosted town halls and focus groups, crafted recommendations, met directly with city leaders, and shared their stories with the press and the public. Their bold, persistent advocacy led to a tangible breakthrough: the expansion of NYC Reads and NYC Solves to additional grade levels, including middle schools citywide. This expansion ensures that thousands more students will now learn with evidence-based, standards-aligned reading and math materials—and that more educators will receive the curriculum-aligned professional learning they need to help students succeed. By scaling these initiatives, students across more grade levels will finally benefit from coherent, research-backed teaching. And because this change was driven by educator expertise and lived experience, it’s rooted in the real needs of classrooms.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

E4E–NY’s campaign to expand NYC Reads and NYC Solves was successful because it wasn’t done alone. It was built in coalition, across lines of role, identity, and institutional power. Educators led the charge, but they were joined by advocacy partners, curriculum providers, district leaders, and community voices who all shared a common goal: to ensure every student receives high-quality, consistent instruction. We worked closely with curriculum providers to co-host public town halls where educators could ask tough questions, share implementation feedback, and surface both bright spots and challenges. These events created a rare space where teachers, administrators, and providers met on equal footing to strengthen shared understanding. We also collaborated with advocacy organizations to amplify our message. Together, we co-authored op-eds, co-hosted a mayoral forum on literacy, and aligned our calls to action through a joint sign-on letter, ensuring that city leadership heard a united voice demanding sustained investment in instructional equity. Finally, we worked in deep partnership with NYCPS leadership. Beyond both private and public meetings with the Chancellor and senior officials, district leaders attended our educator-led town halls to listen directly to feedback and engage in real-time dialogue. 

By organizing across lines of difference—between teachers and system leaders, between community groups and curriculum developers—we built a coalition that reflected the complexity of the system we were trying to change. And that coalition delivered real results: the expansion of NYC Reads and Solves to more grade levels and more students.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Fellow Network members can learn two key lessons from E4E–NY’s winning campaign to expand NYC Reads and Solves.

#1: Pilot new tactics to meet the moment.

We recognized the need for a centralized, credible hub where educators, policymakers, press, and advocacy partners could easily access campaign materials. In response, we launched a custom microsite housing teacher stories, key data points, and findings from our NYC Reads report. To boost traffic, we paired it with a targeted Chalkbeat ad campaign, which helped us reach thousands of stakeholders and significantly elevated our visibility. As a result, mayoral candidates began citing our survey data and report findings in public forums. We also embraced newer tactics like offering financial incentives to increase participation in surveying—an approach that was relatively new to us but proved highly effective. Our willingness to take calculated risks helped us stay responsive and impactful.

#2: Invest early in collecting personal stories and develop them into leadership.

Before the campaign went public, we were already collecting teacher stories through focus groups, blogs, and short-form videos. This gave us a strong foundation of authentic educator voices ready to engage as the campaign grew. Many of those same teachers went on to lead town halls, meet directly with the Chancellor, and serve as spokespeople in the press—transforming feedback into visible, persuasive leadership.

Ultimately, this campaign showed how adaptive tactics, authentic storytelling, and strong relationships with educators can produce real, system-wide change.

RESOURCES

• NYCPS press release announcing the expansion, with E4E-NY Executive Director Marileys Divanne pictured at the press conference and the sole advocate quoted in the press release https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/243-25/mayor-adams-chancellor-aviles-ramos-expand-signature-initiatives-nyc-reads-nyc-solves-#/0
• Campaign Microsite – NYC Learns (Features Reports on NYC Reads and Solves, Press, Teacher Stories, Conversations with the Chancellor, and more) https://www.nyclearns.org/

Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education

Network Policy Pillar: High Expectations, Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

This policy helps K-3 students close gaps in their reading skills so they can be proficient readers by third grade. Only 42% of all Massachusetts’s third graders and 76% of low-income third graders were proficient in reading on the state’s 2024 MCAS exams. Without this high-dosage tutoring intervention, students may not become capable, independent readers, thus compromising their learning in future grades and creating an unmeetable set of demands for educators across all content areas. 

Our policy and advocacy impacts 10,000 students. MBAE’s goal was to create a statewide literacy safety net for first grade students in low-income communities who are behind in their reading skills. Based on estimates of the number of students in MA districts with low-income rates over 50%, the percentage of students in those districts who are behind grade level in reading, and the percentage of those districts using strong Tier 1 curricula, we calculated the need to serve 10,000 students.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

Massachusetts has an early literacy crisis

Just 42% of third graders met or exceeded expectations in reading on the state’s 2024 MCAS exams. Results for some student subgroups were even more startling: 76% of low-income students, 73% of Black students, 78% of Latino students, and 86% of children with disabilities didn’t meet expectations.

Not all of this can be attributed to the pandemic. Massachusetts’ reading proficiency rates on NAEP were stagnant, hovering around 50 percent, between 2011 and 2017, and since then have plummeted. Getting students reading at grade level is an urgent educational challenge that requires new approaches. 

High-doseage tutoring pilot shows first graders gain 5+ months of learning

A high-dosage tutoring program, piloted in 13 districts across Massachusetts with funding from the One8 Foundation, achieved remarkable results for first grade students who started the year with early literacy skill gaps and were at risk of falling further behind. The program paired each student with a highly trained tutor who provides them with one-on-one virtual instruction for 15 minutes every day during the school day.

A Johns Hopkins University evaluation found that tutored students grew substantially more than expected as compared to national norms, achieving 5.4 months of additional learning over the course of the year, and significantly more than similar untutored peers. Gains were consistent across all student subgroups and particularly notable among Black students and English learners suggesting the program’s potential to help close persistent literacy achievement gaps.

Expanding access to 10.000 students could dramatically improve literacy rates

These results suggest that in theory, over time, schools with strong Tier 1 instruction and high dosage tutoring could expect to see reading proficiency rates of 70-80% for their second graders compared to 3rd grade MCAS results that show just 42% of students are proficient in third grade.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

The high-dosage tutoring model we were advocating for and that showed remarkable results depends on the use of high-quality science of reading curriculum. Yet, there is resistance from powerful stakeholders for a state requirement that districts use science-based reading curriculum. These stakeholders attempted to amend the high dosage tutoring budget line item MBAE had secured to strip out language that would require grants go to districts that had adopted or were in the process of adopting science of reading curriculum. We were able to squash those efforts by educating lawmakers on the undeniable impact of the model we championed using the Johns Hopkins University analysis of the program. 

Another challenge was the many demands on legislators for funding for a range of new initiatives, making it hard to cut through the advocacy noise. By arranging carefully selected and orchestrated school visits so legislators could see the program first-hand and by utilizing front line educators as active advocates, we were successful in spotlighting this as a strategy that stood out.

Growing limits on available state funding are another significant challenge. The state has already increased K12 school funding by $2.12 billion over the past four years, and many legislators believe that as the budget grows tighter, the focus should be on other areas of need. We were able to overcome this by identifying a funding source, money generated by the state’s new surtax on people earning over a million dollars, that is partially dedicated to education. This funding source is growing, and although it is also very much in demand, we made the case that this program is exactly the kind of targeted, strategic investment for which this money is intended. 

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to a $25 million state investment in K-3 students. As philanthropic funding was coming to an end, MBAE made the case to the Governor and legislature that high dosage tutoring is essential to closing literacy gaps and that $25 million in state funding could expand the program to 10,000 students. As a result, Governor Healey and the legislature included $25 million in the supplemental budget prioritizing funding for students in low-income communities.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Strong outcomes data was crucial

MBAE’s campaign was greatly strengthened by data that showed the tremendous impact of the program. Johns Hopkins University’s comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation of the Massachusetts pilot examined the impact on students receiving the tutoring as compared to national norms.  This data was crucial to showing the potential of the program to close literacy gaps.

Educator voices were powerful

Throughout the campaign we featured the voices of teachers, school and district leaders who were piloting the program and who spoke with passion and authenticity about the impact on students. Their perspectives, featured in op-eds, at school visits, on webinars and at a legislative briefing, were persuasive. We mobilized school and district leaders to reach out to their legislators to voice support for a state investment in high dosage tutoring providing templates and customized data including how many students in their district were in the program and who would lose the service if the state didn’t provide funding.

Earning the support of the Governor was key

A critical strategy was getting the Governor to lead on a big state investment in the program in her budget proposal. In addition to a direct appeal to the Governor, we educated and informed the Secretary of Education and the Interim Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. A school visit we organized for the Interim Commissioner led to an opportunity for us to partner with Johns Hopkins and educators to present to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education where it was strongly received.

School visits with legislators created champions

MBAE was targeted in developing legislative champions, recognizing that key funding decisions are made at leadership levels. We organized school visits to showcase the program and give legislators opportunities to interact with educators. These conversations reinforced that this program is strongly supported by teachers and administrators.

RESOURCES

• Program Fact Sheet: MBAE_AddressEarlyLiteracySY23-24.pdf
• Funding Fact Sheet: High-Dosage-Tutoring-Funding-Fact-Sheet.pdf
• MBAE Report: High Dosage Tutoring: A High Impact Literacy Strategy
• Press Release Announcing Report: New Analysis Shows High-Dosage Early Literacy Tutoring Program for MA First Graders Led to Significant Gains in Grade Level Reading Proficiency
• MBAE Legislative Briefing Presentation: High Dosage Tutoring: A Statewide Literacy Strategy

The Center for Learner Equity

Network Policy Pillar: High Expectations, Innovative Options, Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

This policy helps New Orleans charter schools to access shared services through an Educational Service Agency so they can address long-standing disparities in special education service quality, availability, and costs. Developed with NOLA Public Schools, this collaborative model ensures students with disabilities have consistent access to services. The Center for Learner Equity (CLE) is the architect of this innovative solution to improve equity, sustainability, and access across the city’s unique charter system.

CLE’s policy and advocacy impacts over 5,000 students with disabilities in New Orleans public schools, as well as charter schools, educators, service providers, and families.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

Since the school system’s post-Katrina transformation to a fully decentralized system of autonomous charter schools, ensuring quality, consistent programming and services for students with disabilities has been a complex challenge. This has prompted 20 years’ worth of advocacy and a long-running consent decree. The solution lies in striking a balance between charter autonomy and improving economies of scale to deliver quality services to students with disabilities. This structural challenge and corresponding solution are relevant to school systems nationwide that have embraced autonomous charter schools, and are trying to deliver on the promise of quality, accessible options for students with disabilities. 

CLE conducted a multi-phase study that culminated in an August 2024 report recommending that New Orleans form an Educational Service Agency to allow schools to access shared resources, publicly anchored at the school board, to improve transparency and sustainability of the venture. From 2024 to date, CLE, NOLA Public Schools, nonprofit partners, and 8 charter management organizations have designed a pilot ESA, launching in the 2025-2026 school year, and the Orleans Parish School Board has passed a resolution supporting the effort. The pilot ESA will offer shared services like speech and occupational therapy; professional development; a database for student special education records; and a library of Assistive Technology devices for students who are non-verbal or struggle with communication.

Over the past four years from concept to pilot, CLE has helped shepherd NOLA into the next frontier of innovation and transformation in their school system. This sustainable model enables schools to provide services at a depth and quality that actually puts students first.

What’s more, the implementation of this innovative Educational Service Agency is also serving as a model for other cities with decentralized school systems, such as St. Louis.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

CLE has brought together representatives of every segment of the school system to secure this policy win. From initial concept, CLE has maintained a multi-year partnership with NOLA Public Schools (NOLA PS), spanning multiple superintendents. CLE has routinely consulted key stakeholders like New Schools for New Orleans and the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools.

With NOLA PS’ authorizer role and myriad political and resource disagreements marking the post-pandemic era, charters’ lack of trust in NOLA PS cannot be overstated. To develop the proposal, CLE engaged nearly 40 charter CEOs and special education leaders, representing over 80% of the system, testing the proposal and hearing non-negotiables for NOLA PS to host the entity. We also engaged local special education advocates to host listening sessions with caregivers of students with disabilities about their perspectives on navigating the system to access services. CLE’s proposal was shaped by over 60 voices, recognizing that success relied on forging trust and demonstrating transparency.

CLE established a Design Team consisting of NOLA PS, Afton Partners for financial modeling, and a local consulting firm. 13 charter management organizations operating 20% of the city’s schools participated in a months-long design process. To advance shared ownership and commitment, CLE organized a November 2024 learning exchange with Los Angeles Unified School District and its authorized charters, who maintain a similar model of shared services amidst institutionalized distrust. This was a vital move igniting a shared belief in our success.

CLE has also managed relationships with elected school board and state officials, parent and community advocates, nonprofit partners, philanthropy, and the local media. Deliberate strategy, transparent communications, change management philosophy, and appealing to a shared desire to improve outcomes for 5000 students with disabilities has culminated in the forthcoming pilot ESA.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to a $600,000 investment in shared services, infrastructure, and capacity building for educating students with disabilities.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Key strategies behind this progress include data-driven advocacy, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and strong, sustained partnerships. By anchoring policy change in local context and community voice, CLE helped catalyze a system-wide shift toward greater equity and access for students with disabilities in New Orleans. Fellow Network members can learn from CLE’s work to prioritize engagement with school leaders, families, nonprofit partners, and the district. This collaborative approach built trust and ensured CLE’s findings reflected lived experiences. Stakeholder input proved critical: 73% of school-based respondents agreed that centralizing certain special education services would improve their ability to meet students’ needs. This broad consensus around both the challenges and potential solutions became a key lever for change.

Network members can learn about how we deployed several theories – the role of a “field catalyst” to propel stakeholders in a shared vision of systems change, and CLE’s use of change management philosophies (the Switch framework) to bring diverse stakeholders together in a common vision for change. 

Lastly, CLE was intentionally broad regarding the strategic communications work to curate coverage and ensure the story was told at key moments for the initiative. Specifically, at junctures where School Board consideration has taken place, we have provided context and background information to local media to shape the story for the broader community.

RESOURCES

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SdobxGL9XAaHoeHFn3wlVXYyemQWjMlOwXAaEYv0PTo/edit?usp=sharing

Nashville PROPEL

Network Policy Pillar: High Expectations

SUMMARY

This policy helps Tennessee families—especially those who are from historically underserved communities—to access clear, honest information about whether their child is reading on grade level on their report card so they can demand timely support, ensure transparency, and push for equitable literacy outcomes.

Our policy and advocacy impacts approximately 700,000 K–8 students in Tennessee public schools by ensuring families receive clear, meaningful, understandable, and timely information about reading proficiency—empowering them to take action and demand stronger literacy outcomes for their children.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

Tennessee’s redesigned student report card policy is a game-changing win for families (especially Black and brown families and families in low-income communities) who have been misled by inflated grades and vague progress reports while literacy rates remained dangerously low. After years of sounding the alarm and being ignored, Nashville PROPEL led the fight to pass a statewide bill (Tennessee Senate Bill 1423) requiring every school to indicate whether a K-8  student is reading on grade level on their report card.

This seemingly simple shift is transformative. It reclaims a student’s report card as a tool for truth, not confusion, centering families with honest, actionable data that empowers them to intervene early. Statewide, parents and caregivers can see clearly whether their child is on track, ask the right questions, and demand meaningful support.

This win didn’t come from the top down. It was driven by families and powered by data. We conducted literacy assessments in partnership with Stanford University’s ROAR program, surfacing stark gaps between perception and reality.

Nashville PROPEL organized Nashville’s first parent-led poll on literacy with Embold Research in April 2024, which revealed that families overwhelmingly supported greater transparency. We gathered hundreds of surveys and a petition that moved lawmakers to act in a rare show of bipartisan unity. This law sets a new standard for educational accountability. It removes guesswork, exposes gaps, and helps ensure that no child falls through the cracks because a parent didn’t know there was a problem. Tennessee now leads the nation with a model of what happens when policy is driven by organized parents, real data, and an unshakable demand for equity.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

We built a coalition grounded in one shared belief: every parent deserves to know if their child is reading on grade level—no matter their zip code, race, or school type. Nashville PROPEL united parents across political, racial, and geographic lines through listening sessions, literacy assessments, and door-to-door engagement. We activated a base of more than 8,000 trained parent advocates—Black and Brown parents in Nashville—around a bold demand for transparency.

We partnered with Stanford University’s ROAR (Rapid Online Assessment of Reading) to assess 100 students across grade levels and hosted a public briefing to release the results. This data became the foundation of a powerful shared narrative: what families believe about their child’s reading ability often doesn’t match reality. Two out of three parents surveyed said they received more or different information from the ROAR assessment than what their child’s school had shared.

We built trust with parents across charter and traditional public schools by centering their lived experience—not politics. To amplify their voices, we launched Nashville’s first-ever parent-led literacy poll with Embold Research, a citywide petition, and a media strategy that featured parents, not politicians. We worked with legislators on both sides of the aisle, providing cover for bold policy action while holding them accountable to families.

Our coalition included pastors, elected officials, principals, faith leaders, education reform groups like the Tennessee Charter School Center, literacy researchers, and civic organizations. We made space for fathers and mothers, bilingual households, and families failed by the system. Instead of asking families to support a pre-written bill, we built policy around what they said they needed.

This campaign exposed a hidden literacy crisis—and redefined change by putting organized parents in the driver’s seat.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Never give up on the power of parents. That’s the most important lesson from this campaign. Policy didn’t move because we had the best talking points. It moved because organized parents demanded change and refused to be sidelined. Nashville PROPEL centered the parent voice at every stage and treated families not as stakeholders but as strategists.

We trained parents to understand the system, clarify their demands, and hold their ground. Then we created constant opportunities for them to use that power – at school board meetings, through one-on-one conversations with decision-makers, and by making coordinated phone calls to legislators. Parents showed up consistently, followed up, and kept the pressure on.

We built a disciplined, cross-sector coalition that stayed on message. Our allies – pastors, elected officials, principals, and advocacy groups – helped expand our reach, but we never lost sight of who was leading: the families most impacted by the literacy crisis. We were intentional about not letting policy insiders dilute the urgency of our goal.

We also organized across lines that are often barriers—race, geography, and political affiliation—by staying rooted in what all parents want: the truth about their child’s education and the ability to act on it. That clarity cut through the noise and helped us build unlikely alliances that moved votes.

Behind the scenes, we tracked the legislative process closely and leaned on trusted inside relationships when it mattered most. Parents didn’t just show up once, they followed up again and again, made calls, and built the kind of sustained presence that legislators couldn’t ignore.

This campaign is proof: when parents are equipped, organized, and centered, they don’t just influence policy – they drive it. If you’re building a campaign, put parents in the lead, stay focused, and keep showing up. That’s how you win.

RESOURCES

• Nashville’ Hidden Literacy Crisis – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WZaJHpbInN4EppzuDwaRhxIgeVpif6gJ/view?usp=sharing

• https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1423&GA=114

• https://www.wsmv.com/2025/04/23/tn-bill-requiring-student-report-cards-include-current-reading-grade-level-passes/  

Baton Rouge Alliance for Students, DFER Louisiana

Network Policy Pillar: Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

This policy helps the East Baton Rouge Parish School System to realign its facility footprint so they can concentrate resources for students in need.

Our policy and advocacy impacts approximately 40,000 students. This action directly affected 10,178 students who will either move to a new school or have students join them at their school. It is the first set of consolidations in a multi-year process, and will impact a greater number of students with the next wave(s).

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

Nine schools are affected by the changes, including two charter schools which will have new operators. Between closures, consolidations, and attendance zone changes, this comprehensive plan will affect nearly one-third of the students in the district. Most importantly, of the nearly 3,000 students whose schools will close, 71% of them will end up attending a higher-performing school. The opportunity provided by transferring 2,300 students to higher-performing schools starting in the coming school year cannot be understated. Through this first wave of closures, the district will see budgetary impact of nearly $6 million in annual savings. Critically, those dollars are being invested in the children that need them most, instituting NIET’s TAP model in some, and putting two teachers in each classroom in others. 

Beyond the direct impacts, this win demonstrates that Baton Rouge CAN consolidate schools—something that was attempted in our city nine years ago, but because of political pressure ended instead with a $21 million investment in an F-rated and vastly under-enrolled school. Learning the lessons from our own past and similar actions and attempts across the country, our team has carefully and deliberately addressed issue, with a robust communications plan centered on delivering students the education they deserve. 

In over two years of advocating to school board members, and educating civic leaders, district administrators, parent groups, and other audiences, we have intentionally focused on the possibility that school realignment represents, allowing more students an opportunity to pursue their passions, achieve their goals, and prepare for the lives of their dreams. 

The district and school board, gratefully, adopted our framing and intentionality, rooting the eventual plan in a set of guiding principles that contextualized consolidations in possibility and optimism, rather than in dollars and cents.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

The most obvious indication of how this work was achieved across lines of difference is that the vote in favor of the Facilities Realignment plan was unanimous, uniting a school board of four Black Democrats and five White Republicans who often find themselves at odds. A less obvious, but maybe even more important, is that the meeting at which the school board approved the meeting was full of largely supportive parents, educators, and members of the public asking thoughtful questions and lauding the comprehensive nature of the plan. 

Building the case for school realignment in Baton Rouge has been a years-long effort, with a handful of organizations partnering in advocacy that helped normalize the idea and demonstrate the need for our students. 

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber, the regional economic development organization and chamber of commerce for Louisiana’s capital area, made the economic case for school consolidation and built support from area businesses for a facilities plan. 

DFER-LA engaged in the advocacy effort alongside the Alliance, educating elected officials and civic leaders about the data supporting consolidations and the opportunity presented by the issue. 

Under a prior Superintendent, the school board had its facilities management firm summarize the condition of their facilities portfolio. Under the current Superintendent, the district genuinely engaged with communities and parents and developed a thoughtful, comprehensive plan that was unanimously adopted by the school board.

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation partnered with the school system and the Alliance in hiring Kitamba to develop an analysis of the district’s facilities condition data, overlaid with enrollment, performance, and community asset data. 

The Alliance acted as quarterback, doing direct advocacy to elected officials, providing strategic guidance to the Superintendent, and educating and engaging over 300 community leaders about the issue.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

Our advocacy contributed to a $5.9M recurring investment in Baton Rouge Students.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

Closing school facilities is some of the hardest work that school boards undertake and is some of the most urgently needed. With public school enrollment declining across the country post-pandemic, many communities find themselves in need of right-sizing their facility footprint. In Baton Rouge, our story of declining enrollment is complex, long-standing, and rooted in the inequities of segregation. 

The most important thing to learn from our work is that communication, leadership, and values-driven expertise matter. When done right, school consolidations at their heart are about serving students better, despite many districts emphasizing their utility in filling budget holes. Communicating the issue optimistically leads stakeholders away from a scarcity mindset and into a world of possibility. Exploring that possibility as a community, and collectively imagining a school system that delivers on its promise to students and families, is the pathway to aligning resources to match student needs. 

Some important things we did, for fellow Network members to learn: 

• Root the work in data; we layered enrollment, performance, school building condition, and community assets to tell a story of an evolving school system in need of intentional investment.
• Remember that communications are king: “right-sizing,” “realigning,” “dream schools,” these are the words we used to describe this activity.
• Be intentional in working across lines of difference: this work is rich in viewpoints. Validating each stakeholder’s priorities while educating them about their blind spots helped us build a supportive coalition.
• You have to have a plan: this journey’s pathway is laden with landmines, and avoiding them requires a thoughtful and intentional planning process that includes data, communications, genuine stakeholder engagement, and more. You will need both a strong quarterback and a team that values not only the objective case for consolidation, but also its human impact.

RESOURCES

• Our Principles: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-nmtqRK7U_TafLgZz4U4rwOPSK9nRR_F/view?usp=sharing 
• Public Realignment Website (look for the plan, plan presentation, guiding principles, tracker & more): https://ebrschools.org/realignment/ 
• Blog: https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/high-cost-maintaining-under-enrolled-schools-baton-rouge 
• Facility Realignment Presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ft1SNL6a5N4ISVjupwCdqaiFxULKAA6W/view?usp=sharing 
• Approved Guiding Principles Facilities: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I840kK4nEcTXLXU9OahOSptRSALPUy5B/view?usp=sharing 

Innovate Public Schools

Network Policy Pillar: Responsive Systems 

SUMMARY

This policy helps parents who are English learners and have a child with an IEP to access timely, high-quality translation and interpretation services so they can understand their child’s education plan, participate meaningfully in IEP meetings, and advocate for the services their children need to thrive.

Our policy and advocacy impacts over 4,000 English Learner students in San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and has the potential to reach thousands more across California and Massachusetts through the AiEP tool. By addressing language access and comprehension barriers, this work empowers families to advocate for the educational rights of students with disabilities, ensuring more equitable support and outcomes.

WHY THIS WIN MATTERS

Innovate parent leaders sparked a movement for language access in special education, beginning with grassroots organizing in San Francisco and culminating in the passage of both local and state policy. This win addresses a long-standing systemic barrier: thousands of families were unable to fully participate in their children’s IEP process due to delays or lack of translation and interpretation services.

After two years of persistent advocacy, parents successfully pushed for SFUSD Policy 5023, passed in 2022, requiring timely, high-quality language access for English Learner families navigating special education. This local momentum helped lay the groundwork for statewide legislation. In 2023, Innovate partnered with Senator Portantino to pass Senate Bill 445, signed into law in 2024, which requires the California Department of Education to translate the state’s new IEP template into the 10 most commonly spoken languages. This policy now benefits more than 837,000 students with IEPs across California and holds potential to inspire national change.

However, policy alone isn’t enough—implementation is essential. That’s why we also launched the AiEP tool: a free, AI-powered platform built in partnership with Northeastern University and co-designed with over 1,000 parents. The tool translates, simplifies, and summarizes complex IEPs, while offering personalized checklists and voice/text interaction. Currently piloting in SFUSD, AiEP is helping parents finally understand their child’s IEP and walk into school meetings prepared to advocate for their needs.

This win is about more than translation. It’s about equity, dignity, and ensuring no family is left behind.

WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS

In 2021, Innovate Parent Leaders worked in coalition to introduce an equity resolution to SFUSD to require live interpretation services and adequately translated documents within 30 days of IEP meetings. SFUSD had no set, required timeline for translation services, and some families waited up to six months for translations of their child’s IEP. As a result of parents’ listening campaigns, research meetings, and advocacy with district officials, the resolution was unanimously passed in 2022, significantly enhancing the accessibility of full participation in the IEP process for 12,000 SFUSD families whose first language is one other than English, including Arabic, Chinese, Filipino, Samoan, Spanish and Vietnamese. 

Subsequently, our bilingual (English/Spanish), multiracial statewide parent leader group co-wrote Senate Bill 445, which required LEAs to provide parents/guardians with a translated copy of an IEP including revisions within 30 days of the IEP meeting, if requested, or within 30 days of a later request, if the translation requested is in one of the district’s top eight non-English languages. Although the bill was signed into law in 2024, ultimately its focus shifted to require the CA Department of Education to translate the statewide IEP template developed by the CA Collaborative for Educational Excellence into the top 10 languages spoken statewide and make those translated templates available to all LEAs. This bill is a critical first step in ensuring that families can access timely, quality translation of IEPs and accompanying materials so they can meaningfully engage in their child’s education. 

In tandem, Innovate partnered with Northeastern University and Learning Tapestry to co-design a generative AI tool (AiEP), centering parent leaders from SFUSD in its participatory design. Together, these efforts reflect deep cross-sector collaboration and a shared commitment to dismantling systemic barriers in special education through both policy and innovation.

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN

The AiEP tool and our policy win illustrate Innovate’s integrated model in action, one that Network members can replicate when tackling systemic challenges identified by families. This work began with a group of Spanish-speaking parents in San Francisco’s Mission District who raised the alarm about inaccessible IEPs and inadequate translation timelines. Innovate responded by bringing together those most affected—parents of English Learners with IEPs—alongside educators, researchers, and policymakers to co-create solutions responsive to real-life barriers.

Network members can learn from our approach of fusing grassroots organizing with rigorous research, policy expertise, and user-centered design. Our work is grounded in the lived experience of families, the practical knowledge of educators, and the discipline of systems-change advocacy. This campaign reflects what’s possible when families are not only at the table, but shaping the agenda.

We train and support Parent Leader Teams—locally led groups that build power and hold public institutions accountable. Our organizing model is built around four core practices: one-on-one relationship building, research meetings, community action, and structured reflection. These practices enabled parents to craft a local resolution (SFUSD Policy 5023), co-author statewide legislation (SB 445), and co-design the AiEP tool with university partners.

We also empowered parents with data and legislative knowledge to speak directly with school board members and lawmakers. The result was policy change and an implementation tool—rooted in community priorities, scalable across districts, and designed to sustain long-term impact. This work demonstrates that when families lead and are trusted as co-creators, the outcomes are more equitable, sustainable, and transformative.

RESOURCES

• SFUSD Policy 5023 Summary: https://www.innovateschools.org/news/policy-5023-language-access
• AiEP Project Blog: https://www.innovateschools.org/news/aiep-designing-ai-with-communities
• Senate Bill 445 (2023): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB445
• Learning Differences Impact Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jw2PZyykdApl0JxQYuz2lqGHR0uZjX-d/view?usp=sharing

Please note: AiEP prototype and internal training materials are available upon request for Network members only.