The Eddies—annual, advocate-nominated and voted awards—feature strategic advocacy that is driving impactful policy change.
This Eddies category recognizes local, state, or national advocacy campaigns that tackled a big problem and achieved a new, game-changing policy. Sometimes a policy window opens quickly, and advocates move fast; sometimes, the window opens after years of sustained advocacy efforts. Either way, nominees in this category pushed the envelope to make a significant impact for students and families—paving the way for others to replicate or adapt this strategy in their communities.
See a complete list of 2026 nominees in all Eddies categories. Staff at PIE Network members and partner organizations, check your inbox for a link to vote in each category or log in and vote here. Questions? Email [email protected].
Game Changer Campaign of the Year Finalists
The Center for Learner Equity
Network Policy Pillars: Innovative Options, Responsive Systems
SUMMARY
This policy helps New Orleans charter schools address long-standing disparities in special education by pooling resources through a new Educational Service Agency to deliver consistent services to students with disabilities, regardless of need, and to provide a high-quality education across the city’s unique charter system.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 1,000 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
The New Orleans Educational Service Agency is improving the NOLA school community’s readiness to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The Educational Service Agency protects charter autonomy while creating a publicly held entity to address systemic capacity constraints. It showcases the spirit of innovation and creative thinking that has made New Orleans such a unique national example for public education, striking a balance between autonomy and sustainability.
New Orleans is the nation’s only all-charter school system, where each school operates its own district. As a result, the decentralized system has experienced persistent challenges ensuring every autonomous school is prepared to provide services and supports to any student with a disability who enrolls—decentralization has come at the expense of the adequate size and scope to coordinate a citywide continuum of special education services and programming. Instead, every charter school bears the legal responsibility to provide the full continuum to any student with a disability who chooses to enroll. CLE led a multi-year effort to engage charter schools, special educators, district leaders, and families to design the Educational Service Agency.
The New Orleans Educational Service Agency piloted in SY 2025-2026 with 11 charter schools, which are pooling resources to access shared special education services coordinated by the district. The New Orleans Educational Service Agency offers a bespoke student records database that facilitates record transfers across charter schools; a lending library of assistive technology devices for students’ communication needs; shared providers for speech, physical, and occupational therapy; and access to professional development and confidential case consultations. It also includes a governing body of participating charter schools that ensures the district-run ESA remains responsive to schools’ needs. It is a game-changer for equity and accessibility in educational opportunity for thousands of students with disabilities, and for the sustainability of the decentralized system.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
Our game-changer required charter schools and the district authorizer to work together and put aside differences to envision a dramatically new approach. CLE brought together a coalition of charter school leaders, special educators, district and school board leaders, families, and local nonprofit partners.
The critical line of difference was the lack of trust between charter schools and the district. CLE curated a neutral space where all stakeholders could align on a shared problem statement, schools could articulate non-negotiable needs, and the district could demonstrate genuine partnership. We documented the voices of charter leaders, special educators, and families on how the city’s decentralized, all-charter school system could better serve students with disabilities. We produced recommendations tailored to New Orleans’ unique governance context, including schools’ non-negotiables.
We shared these recommendations in December 2023 to over 50 district and charter leaders, board members, nonprofit partners, funders, and community members. From 2024-2025, NOLA Public Schools and CLE co-led an inclusive design process with charter leaders to build the ESA, while continuously engaging the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools and New Schools for New Orleans. We also took charter leaders to Los Angeles to better understand what’s possible with an all-charter ESA.
SY 2025-2026 marked the ESA’s pilot year with these participating schools: Audubon Charter Schools, Benjamin Franklin Elementary, Bricolage Academy, Elan Academy, Edward Hynes Charter School, Morris Jeff Community School, Young Audiences Charter School, and the Willow School. Together, they enroll nearly 25% of the district’s 43,000 students. Our successful pilot year has culminated in the passage of an Orleans Parish School Board policy in May 2026, permanently codifying the NOLA ESA as a cooperative endeavor led by NOLA Public Schools with participating charter schools.
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 approach, which prioritized engagement with school leaders, families, nonprofit partners, and the district. This high level of collaboration established trust and ensured our 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. We were able to proactively plan for charter schools’ ability to meet the needs of all students, rather than wait for compliance or sustainability crises to emerge.
RESOURCES
ExcelinEd, Indiana Charter Innovation Center, Institute for Quality Education, Stand for Children Indiana, The Mind Trust
Network Policy Pillars: High Expectations, Innovative Options, Responsive Systems
SUMMARY
This policy helps charter and district schools within Indianapolis Public Schools’ boundaries to prioritize academic, programming, and staffing decisions, while the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation manages system-level operational duties and challenges, so schools can provide students with a high‑quality education and families can benefit from a more stable, sustainable education system.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 46,000 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
Indianapolis, like many cities, has seen declining traditional school enrollment alongside growing family interest in other options. Within Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) boundaries, 62% of public school students attend a charter or innovation school. Enrollment in IPS‑operated schools has dropped 39% over the last decade, while enrollment in charter and innovation schools has risen 88%. Indy charter schools have introduced popular, innovative models and driven learning gains for students, as shown by state assessments and external studies. The growth of school options has also created challenges: a $7,900 funding gap between district and charter schools, limited access to safe and reliable transportation, and a lack of cohesive facility planning. The nominated coalition worked for years to advance policy addressing these issues. In 2026, this effort resulted in the passage of HEA 1423, which created the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC), the most ambitious structural reform of an American school system since Hurricane Katrina. IPEC is a nine‑member board appointed by the mayor of Indianapolis, with equal representation from the IPS Board of Commissioners, charter schools, and community leaders. Its authority applies to all charter, innovation, and district schools within IPS boundaries and focuses on four areas.
- First, IPEC will create a transportation plan that all schools must participate in.
- Second, it will develop a system‑wide facilities plan that maintains, and could own, buildings for schools that opt in. Participating schools gain access to capital referendum and debt service funds, newly available to Indianapolis charter schools.
- Third, IPEC will levy property taxes to cover operating and capital costs, so charter and district schools benefit equally from taxpayer dollars.
- Fourth, it will establish a unified performance framework, including default closure of persistently low‑performing schools, which charter authorizers and IPS must implement.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
The coalition of The Mind Trust, Stand for Children Indiana, the Indiana Charter Innovation Center, Institute for Quality Education, and ExcelinEd worked to sharpen the proposed policy based on feedback from educators and community experts, met with lawmakers to answer questions and explain a policy with no national equivalent, and rallied advocates to share why this policy would significantly improve the educational experience of Indianapolis students. HEA 1423 was based on recommendations proposed by the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance (ILEA), a temporary body created by the state legislature in 2025.
The ILEA’s purpose was to propose recommendations to address facility and transportation challenges and to examine other ways to create a more sustainable public school system within IPS boundaries. State legislators were committed to enacting policy that reflected local needs, so the nominated coalition worked to elevate important context, data, and family and educator perspectives to the ILEA to inform their recommendations, which were shared in December 2025.
Indiana’s 2026 session was quite short, beginning in January and ending on February 27, 2026. The statehouse was also at the center of a contentious national redistricting conversation. The nominated coalition worked through tight deadlines and packed legislator schedules to nimbly advocate for smart policy updates and created opportunities for advocates to share their support. The result: a nationally unique law that begins to reimagine how to level the playing field between district and charter schools while addressing major operational challenges in transportation, facilities, accountability, and funding.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
The advocacy of this coalition has been rooted in two main things: elevating local needs and putting student success, rather than maintaining the status quo, at the center of policy goals. This group has years of experience working together and using each of their strengths to push for smart policy. In Indiana, state legislators have expressed a desire to create policy that is based on what local constituents’ needs are, versus a top-down approach. This coalition worked before the start of the 2026 session to produce detailed academic, enrollment, and financial data that helped inform legislators about the current state of the Indianapolis public education system and underscore the need for change. It also worked to bring educators, families, and community members to testify and share public comments before and during the 2026 session. Their voices were key in showing legislators the real-life benefits HEA 1423 would have on their constituents.
The coalition has also been bold in its commitment to publicly supporting policies that break the status quo. The creation of IPEC marked a major change for IPS and charter schools alike. While questions from all sides arose during the session (and some publicly expressed strong opposition to change), the coalition remained focused on advocating for policy that would result in a stronger, more sustainable system of public schools, knowing this ultimately benefits students and families.
Together, this coalition represents a wide range of advocacy experiences and connections, including those with decades of experience in education policy, those with connections to educator and family voices, and those skilled in data and financial analysis. This group remained in close coordination to understand changes to the bill and legislators’ questions to ensure a united front, an especially important skill during a short session.
RESOURCES
EdTrust in Massachusetts, Educators for Excellence-Masschusetts, ExcelinEd, Latinos for Education, Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, MassPotential, National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), Teach Plus Massachusetts, Massachusetts Charter Public School Association
Non-Network partners: 35+ organizations: Civil rights organizations (NAACP Boston Branch, Black Advocates for Educational Excellence, Latinos for Education MA, Give Black Alliance), parent advocacy groups (Worcester Education Collaborative and Decoding Dyslexia, among others), business leaders (chambers of commerce), teachers (Teach for America MA), equity advocates (He is Me), trusted literacy experts (The Reading League of MA, New England Research on Dyslexia Society)
Network Policy Pillars: Great Educators, High Expectations
SUMMARY
This policy helps Massachusetts K-3 students and educators to transition to evidence-based reading instruction, teacher training, and universal literacy screenings so they can ensure every child—regardless of race, income, or zip code—learns to read on grade level and achieves high expectations.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 252,891 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
Massachusetts is in a literacy crisis — nearly 60% of students in grades 3-8 are not reading at proficiency, with even wider gaps for Black, Latino, multilingual, and low-income students, as well as students with disabilities. For years, the Commonwealth allowed districts to continue using curricula the states own Department of Education considered low quality, with no requirement to change. The Mass Reads Coalition changed that. After sustained, multi-year advocacy, both chambers of the Massachusetts Legislature passed landmark literacy reform — the House unanimously in October 2025 and the Senate in January 2026. After successfully emerging from Conference Committee with unanimous support, the Right to Read Act is currently on the Governor’s desk awaiting her signature. Once signed into law, the Act will establish new statewide standards requiring K-3 reading instruction to be grounded in phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and phonemic awareness. It mandates twice-yearly assessments to screen for dyslexia and reading delays, requires parent notification within 30 days if a child falls significantly behind, and provides supplemental funding and professional development to help districts make the transition. The budget wins are equally significant. The FY27 Fair Share supplemental budget allocates $20 million for Governor Healey’s Literacy Launch initiative—a $5 million increase over FY26—and another $20 million explicitly earmarked for high-dosage tutoring in districts committed to evidence-based instruction. And the demand signal is clear: 52 additional districts are actively seeking PRISM early literacy grant funding from the MA Department of Education beyond the 45 already receiving it. These wins mean that for the first time, every Massachusetts student from kindergarten through third grade will have a legal right to evidence-based reading instruction—regardless of their zip code, race, or income level.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
What set Mass Reads apart was the breadth and intentionality of its coalition. Most education advocacy coalitions are composed of like-minded organizations already in the same ecosystem. Mass Reads was deliberately different — it united civil rights organizations (NAACP Boston Branch, Black Advocates for Educational Excellence, Latinos for Education MA, Give Black Alliance), parent advocacy groups (Worcester Education Collaborative and Decoding Dyslexia, among others), business leaders (Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education and chambers of commerce), teachers (Educators for Excellence MA, Teach Plus, Teach for America MA), equity advocates (The Education Trust MA, He is Me), trusted literacy experts (The Reading League of MA, New England Research on Dyslexia Society), and charter school advocates (Massachusetts Charter Public School Association) — organizations that dont always show up together. That diversity was the coalition’s greatest asset. When civil rights groups, teachers, parents, and business leaders all deliver the same message, legislators can’t dismiss it as a narrow special interest. The coalition spoke with one united voice on the core ask—evidence-based curricula, teacher training, and student screening—while allowing members to emphasize the dimensions of the issue most relevant to their constituencies. The coalition also maintained discipline and longevity across multiple legislative sessions, building relationships with champions like Sen. Sal DiDomenico, Rep. Danillo Sena, and Rep. Simon Cataldo, who showed up consistently at hearings and kept the urgency of the literacy crisis visible in the press and among policymakers. That persistence is what ultimately moved a bill that had previously stalled.
The Mass Reads Coalition was built on the premise that reading is a civil rights issue—and making that case credibly required centering the communities most harmed by the literacy crisis. Nearly 80% of low-income Black and Latino students in Massachusetts are not reading at grade level, and 90% of students with disabilities. Anchoring the coalition’s moral argument in anti-ableism, as well as racial and economic equity, allowed organizations, constituents, and groups to find common cause. In practice, working across differences meant creating space for varied messengers and channels—an effort led by MassPotential, which served as organizer, convener, facilitator, and the fundraising backbone of the coalition. Community organizations like the Give Black Alliance could speak to the lived experience of families whose children were being failed by low-quality curricula. Teacher organizations like Teach Plus, Educators for Excellence MA, and the National Council on Teacher Quality could speak to what educators need and deserve in terms of training, support, and materials. Business voices from MBAE could speak to the economic stakes, while literacy and disability advocates from Decoding Dyslexia MA and The Reading League of MA focused on the science behind learning to read.
Ultimately, this entire collaborative effort would not have been possible without MassPotential’s foundational leadership, commitment, and support. The coalition also worked to center parent voices throughout — from public testimony at the September 2025 Joint Committee on Education hearing, to op-eds and media appearances. When parents from communities across the state, teachers, and the business community are aligned in the same room, the political calculus shifts. Coalition members didn’t always have identical priorities, but they maintained unity on the core legislative asks and avoided public fractures — a discipline that proved essential and effective as the bill moved through both chambers.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
Several strategies proved critical to this campaign’s success:
- Build the coalition intentionally. Don’t wait for natural allies — deliberately recruit across differences from the start. The coalition’s credibility came directly from the fact that civil rights organizations, parent groups, business leaders, and educators (teachers especially) were all present. If your coalition looks like an echo chamber, legislators will treat it as one.
- Make the data impossible to ignore. The coalition consistently surfaced the urgency of Massachusetts ‘ literacy crisis—not just aggregate proficiency numbers, but disaggregated data showing how Black, Latino, and low-income students, as well as English learners and students with disabilities, were most affected. Data paired with human stories from teachers and parents was far more powerful than data alone. Sustain across sessions.
- Longevity matters. This win did not happen in one legislative session, which is two years long in MA. The coalition built relationships with bill sponsors, House and Senate leadership, and Education Committee members over time, showing up, en masse, at every hearing, hosting a powerful briefing with Kareem Weaver and Dr. Kymyona Burk, and keeping the issue alive in the media even when the bill wasn’t moving.
- Coordinate the message, not the messenger. Coalition members were free to speak in their own voice and to their own audiences—but held a unified position. That allowed the campaign to reach constituencies that wouldn’t have engaged with a more homogenous advocacy effort.
- Legislation is just the start. The coalition didn’t just fight for the policy — it also pushed for the necessary funding (Literacy Launch, high-dosage tutoring) and strong regulations that will drive successful implementation efforts. Policy wins without resources and the right regulations are fragile.
RESOURCES
BEST NC
Network Policy Pillars: Great Educators
SUMMARY
This policy helps thousands of teacher candidates who would otherwise be placed on an Emergency license instead enter the classroom through a structured, paid apprenticeship alongside expert mentor teachers so they can become better-prepared, more effective educators – and so students in every community, especially in low-wealth districts, have access to qualified teachers from day one. In short, TeachReadyNC will help break our state’s growing dependence on unprepared teacher candidates.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 50,000 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
In July 2026, the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor Josh Stein signed SB257, making TeachReadyNC the nation’s first and only state-supported teacher apprenticeship program specifically designed for alternative entry candidates – enacted with $1 million in recurring funding at no new fiscal impact to the state.
In 2025, 44% of new North Carolina teachers entered schools through alternative licensure – double the rate from ten years prior – with no required training, no classroom experience, and most without any educator preparation enrollment. Nearly half never earn full licensure, and 26% left after one year. Student outcomes are substantially lower with these teachers than with fully prepared ones. This is the vicious cycle all states are facing: schools hire unprepared candidates to fill vacancies; those candidates struggle and leave; students pay the cost – year after year. TeachReadyNC breaks that cycle. Developed by BEST NC with NC DPI and ApprenticeshipNC, it creates North Carolina’s first statewide registered teacher apprenticeship, redirecting candidates away from emergency placements into a paid, mentored pathway. Districts can apply this fall for programs launching in 2027-28.
Apprentices join Advanced Teaching Roles teams, work alongside expert mentors, receive a $5k stipend toward an educator preparation program, and earn a full-time salary while becoming genuinely ready to teach. This is not the apprenticeship most people picture. Unlike grow-your-own models, TeachReadyNC starts with candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree and have applied to teach — making it higher impact, faster (typically one year), and lower cost than any comparable strategy. The policy win is historic, bipartisan, and is the first statutory framework in NC history to replace emergency licenses with a high-quality pathway.
ATR’s presence in 600+ schools serves as an accelerant, not a prerequisite. The 2026 budget also nearly quadrupled the state’s investment in ATR – a total of $40.9 million – dramatically expanding the infrastructure that makes TeachReadyNC implementation faster and more effective. And while no other state has achieved this at scale,the model works in any state.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
TeachReadyNC succeeded because it was never a single organization’s initiative. BEST NC spent three years building a coalition most people would say couldn’t be built – researchers and HR directors, rural superintendents and university presidents, Republican and Democratic legislators, business executives and classroom teachers – all at the same table. Core partners include NC DPI, ApprenticeshipNC, RTI International, Public Impact, The Innovation Project, and Craft Education. UNC system and community college EPPs redesigned preparation pathways to fit the apprenticeship model.
BEST NC’s 12 years as a nonpartisan convener made bipartisan support possible. The policy carries no significant fiscal note – a deliberate design choice – leveraging traded positions as its primary pilot funding source. The coalition also went directly to those most affected: high-vacancy rural districts, Emergency-licensed candidates who deserve better, and early-adopter ATR schools with the systems in place for rapid implementation. Their voices shaped the model while their urgency drove the timeline. The Spangler Foundation, the Barnhill Family Foundation, and the Belk Foundation provided critical philanthropic investment that helped accelerate startup activities and ensure a strong launch.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
TeachReadyNC offers PIE Network members a replicable playbook for implementing a state-sponsored teacher apprenticeship program:
- Clearly identify the problem – and repeat often. TeachReadyNC addresses a staggering crisis where 44% of our new teachers are entering through alternative licensure, primarily through an Emergency license. This represents thousands of classrooms each year – thousands. We hammered this point home in every conversation to the point where legislators were reciting it to each other.
- Build on what already works. If your state has a strategic staffing initiative, it may already be the scaffolding for an apprenticeship model. Let research lead. Three years of evidence-building meant legislators got a specific, costed, credible roadmap – not a pitch.
- Design out the fiscal objections. By redirecting funds from the predecessor Teacher Apprenticeship Grant Program and leveraging traded vacant positions as the primary salary source, the policy was enacted with no new fiscal impact; a deliberate design choice that neutralized the most common objection and cleared the path to bipartisan support..
- Time your moments. Presenting to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee during active budget negotiations accelerated action. -Frame it visually. The Vicious Cycle versus Virtuous Cycle contrast resonated with every audience – business leaders, educators, and legislators alike.
RESOURCES
Mississippi First, ExcelinEd
Network Policy Pillars: High Expectations
SUMMARY
The policy extends Mississippi’s literacy efforts into grades 4-8 by requiring science of reading-aligned instruction, banning harmful three-cueing instruction, and strengthening support for struggling readers. The policy also strengthens math instruction through a statewide K-5 screener, targeted interventions, expanded math coaching, and high-quality instructional materials.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 285,528 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
This policy represents a significant expansion of Mississippi’s commitment to evidence-based literacy and math instruction, ensuring that more students benefit from the state’s approach to literacy. By extending science of reading aligned practices from K-3 into grades 4–8 and explicitly banning the practice of three-cueing, the policy addresses a critical gap for older students who have not yet achieved reading proficiency. Alongside stronger support for struggling readers, this creates a more coherent, statewide system that prioritizes proven instructional methods beyond the early grades. At the same time, the policy meaningfully strengthens math instruction through a comprehensive early detection and support strategy. A statewide K–5 screener allows schools to identify student needs earlier, while targeted interventions, expanded math coaching, and access to high-quality instructional materials ensure that educators have the tools to respond effectively. Together, these changes are likely to improve both literacy and numeracy outcomes, reduce the number of students falling behind, and promote greater long-term academic success—particularly for students who have historically lacked access to high-quality instruction and supports.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
Multiple partners, policymakers, and agencies alongside ExcelinEd in Action/ExcelinEd came together to support these various policy priorities to improve literacy and math outcomes in the state, including Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann’s office, Speaker Jason White’s Office, House Education Chair Rob Roberson, Superintendent Lance Evans, Mississippi Department of Education, and Mississippi First.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
Begin engagement early and sustain it. We started working with the Department of Education (MDOE) leadership immediately after the new state superintendent’s nomination, providing policy expertise, answering implementation questions, and establishing a regular, collaborative partnership focused on shared goals. Through consistent engagement with agency staff and legislative leaders, we built the trust necessary to move ambitious policy changes forward. We also positioned the proposal as an opportunity for Mississippi to build on its nationally recognized gains and continue setting the pace for education improvement nationwide. Throughout the campaign, Mississippi First, the state’s capital-based organization, maintained a consistent drumbeat around early and adolescent literacy through research, communications, legislative engagement and agency outreach. Mississippi First did this while going through a leadership change, which saw their founding CEO leave after 16 years. We consistently grounded conversations with legislators and staff in student outcomes, highlighting Mississippi’s early-grade NAEP success alongside persistent middle school achievement gaps and the need to better prepare students for high school and postsecondary success. We paired policy recommendations with private praise and public recognition of state leaders’ commitment to improvement. Through op-eds, social media and stakeholder engagement, we celebrated Mississippi’s progress while reinforcing the importance of continued action to sustain and build upon those gains. Throughout the process, our approach was to serve as a trusted partner by providing policy solutions, supporting implementation and recognizing leaders’ commitment to excellence. This combination of collaboration, expertise and positive reinforcement helped build momentum for successful policy adoption.
RESOURCES
- Bill Language
- Mississippi Recommits to High Expectations for All Schools
- Mississippi continues to raise educational standards, with opportunities ahead
- Literacy Series: Pre-Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Literacy Achievement in Mississippi – Mississippi First
- Literacy Series: Factors Related to Post-Pandemic Improvement – Mississippi First
Game Changer Campaign of the Year Honorable Mentions
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS)
Network Policy Pillars: Innovative Options, Responsive Systems
SUMMARY
This policy helps Iowa students access more learning environments, both public and private, with greater levels of classroom support to access the educational setting that best fits their needs so they can reach their highest potential.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 565,000 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
House File 2754 is a comprehensive modernization of Iowa’s educational choice and innovation landscape, significantly advancing educational choice and opportunity for students across the state. Signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds in May 2026, this legislation strengthens public charter schools, supports innovation in early learning and homeschooling, and removes barriers that historically limited access to classroom support. This bill demonstrates what’s possible when a broad coalition of education advocates works together to achieve a shared vision.
Twelve advocacy partners, both local and national, worked to advance reforms benefiting families statewide. The result is a vastly improved state law that will have immediate and enduring benefits for Iowa students and serve as a model for collaborative advocacy. The legislation boldly addresses longstanding inequities. Previously, Iowa charter schools did not receive Teacher Salary Supplement funding or Area Education Agency support – two categorical funding streams that set schools and students up for success.
The new law requires these dollars to go to schools where the students are being educated, providing an estimated $800 per student. The law also establishes a second statewide charter authorizer, ensures charter students have equal access to district extracurricular activities, creates a charter facilities revolving loan fund, codifies charter teacher pension eligibility, establishes a licensure task force to review and streamline teacher training and renewal requirements, and expands access to state-funded preschools at charter school and community partner campuses.
Private school choice provisions in the bill include creating a second ESA application window, maintaining independent accreditation, and modernizing homeschool laws. At its core, the law recognizes a simple yet critical principle: funding, opportunities, and access should be fair for all students – regardless of where or how they learn.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
Given all the impactful provisions in one bill, it is notable that the entire coalition remained in lockstep. Even amid difficult legislative negotiations, amendments, and combining multiple versions of the bills into one final product, advocates worked towards a unified vision and supported the entire package of policy provisions. It is undoubtedly this “stronger together” approach that ultimately got the bill over the finish line. The coalition began working on the contents of the bill and the legislative strategy in the Fall of 2025. A deep dive was done to determine top priorities for both public and private school choice advocates. Instead of limiting themselves to mutually prioritized items, advocates decided to support one another and include all goals in a single bill. Advocates stayed unified and didn’t entertain amendments that would strip out anyone’s most important priorities.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
When education reform organizations work together, strategize early, and prioritize strong relationships with policymakers, progress is possible. Even when our opponents doubted us and claimed our bill would stall, we stayed focused, worked together, and secured a big win for Iowa students. Our coalition was also ready to pivot as needed when legislative circumstances demanded it. In fact, the coalition anticipated challenges along the way and used a strategy of having multiple bills available, which were ultimately combined into a single bill. If the bill failed in one chamber, there was a plan to make progress in the other. This is an important option for advocates trying to move a large omnibus to embrace in similar circumstances.
RESOURCES
EdTrust in Louisiana
Network Policy Pillars: Responsive Systems
SUMMARY
This campaign helps students advocate for education policies to shape more responsive, student-centered education systems.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 2,500 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
This win matters because meaningful education policy should be shaped with students, not just for them. Amplify LA moved student voice from the margins to the center of policy conversations by equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to engage in advocacy. More than 120 students from five Louisiana schools participated in policy training, mock legislative debates, committee hearings, and direct engagement with policymakers, building their confidence to advocate for themselves and their peers. The campaign strengthened Louisiana’s education ecosystem by creating a sustainable pipeline of student leaders who understand how policy decisions affect their schools and communities. Rather than treating students as one-time participants, Amplify LA invested in their long-term leadership and civic engagement, ensuring their lived experiences informed conversations about literacy, college and career pathways, school climate, and educational opportunity. This work also changed how adults engage with students. Educators, school leaders, policymakers, and advocacy organizations increasingly viewed students as partners in developing solutions, not simply recipients of policy. As a result, student perspectives became an integral part of policy discussions, helping create more responsive education systems that better reflect the needs and aspirations of Louisiana’s young people. Ultimately, Amplify LA demonstrates that when students are equipped to lead, education policy becomes stronger, more responsive, and more likely to produce lasting improvements for future generations.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
Amplify LA brought together students, educators, school leaders, advocacy organizations, and policymakers to ensure education policy reflected the voices of those most affected. Across five partner schools, students worked alongside adult allies to learn the policymaking process, engage in legislative simulations, meet with decision-makers, and advocate on issues impacting their schools. By creating authentic partnerships across generations and roles, we transformed student voice into a driving force for education policy.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
The most important lesson from Amplify LA is that students should be treated as policy partners, not just storytellers. We intentionally invested in students’ understanding of education policy before asking them to advocate, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to engage in meaningful conversations with policymakers. Our campaign combined policy education, mock legislative debates, committee hearings, advocacy training, and direct engagement with decision-makers, giving students authentic opportunities to influence education policy rather than simply react to it. By partnering with schools, educators, and community organizations, we embedded advocacy into students’ leadership development and created a sustainable pipeline of informed civic leaders. Other PIE members can replicate this approach by moving beyond one-time student panels or testimony. Equip students with policy knowledge, create ongoing opportunities for engagement, and build structures that meaningfully incorporate student perspectives into advocacy strategies. When students are trusted as partners in the policymaking process, advocacy becomes more authentic, solutions become more responsive, and campaigns build long-term civic leadership alongside policy change.
RESOURCES
Our advocacy contributed to important shifts in district practice, including expanding alternatives to exclusionary discipline for vaping violations and increasing the use of restorative approaches that keep students connected to learning rather than removing them from it. We also elevated the importance of course consistency across alternative settings so that students have equitable access to rigorous coursework, high-quality instruction, and clear pathways to graduation, regardless of placement.
Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education
Network Policy Pillars: Responsive Systems
SUMMARY
This policy helps students in grades 1-3 close reading skill gaps, meet grade-level benchmarks, and become proficient readers by third grade. This intervention helps students become capable, independent readers, thus setting them up for success across all academic subjects and widening their access to opportunities throughout their lifetimes.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 18,000 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
Massachusetts Early Literacy Crisis
Just 42% of third graders met or exceeded reading expectations on the state’s 2025 MCAS exams. Results for student subgroups are more startling: 77% of low-income, 74% of Black, 78% of Latino, and 87% of children with disabilities didn’t meet expectations.
High Dosage Tutoring Program Shows Learning Gain Of 5+ Months, Gains Are Sustained In Second Grade
An evaluation from Johns Hopkins University of a high-dosage tutoring program in Massachusetts during the 2024–25 school year found that participating students gained an additional five plus months of learning beyond typical national growth, with consistent benefits across student subgroups. These results reinforced Johns Hopkins’ earlier evaluation of the program from the 2023–24 school year, underscoring the reliability and effectiveness of the model. Critically, the second-year analysis found that 85% of students who exited first grade at grade-level proficiency after participating in the program stayed at or above grade level by the end of second grade. Sustaining gains can prevent costly, time-consuming remediation that schools are forced to undertake when students fall behind, freeing resources and setting more students on a durable path to long-term academic success.
Research Shows Many Students Need More Practice
The high dosage tutoring initiative complements a parallel, successful effort to pass legislation that requires all districts to adopt a high-quality, evidence-based curriculum. Research shows that even with a strong, science-of-reading-aligned curriculum, many students require a high volume of student-specific practice opportunities. Without repetition and practice, the evidence-based systematic instruction will not be sufficient, and students will not learn to read. For some children who come to school with little basic alphabet knowledge, high-dosage interventions are necessary.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
Essential to the success of this two-year campaign was MBAE’s partnership with school and district leaders and front-line educators to educate state leaders on the impact of this program in their local communities. By coordinating strategic school visits that gave legislators the opportunity to see the program in action and hear directly from educators in their own communities, hosting webinars and legislative briefings featuring educators firsthand perspectives, placing superintendent-authored op-eds in local and regional newspapers, and equipping school and district leaders to engage state and local policymakers about the students benefiting from the program, we successfully elevated high-dosage tutoring as a broadly supported, evidence-based strategy that is critical to improving literacy outcomes in Massachusetts. This collaboration was essential to overcoming one of the most critical challenges we faced in establishing and sustaining the initiative – growing limits on available state funding. The state has already increased K-12 school funding by $2.12 billion over the past four years, and many legislators believe that, as the budget grows tighter, the focus should shift to other areas of need. We strategically advocated for the use of a specific funding source, money generated by the state’s new surtax on people earning over a million dollars that is partially dedicated to education, and made the case that this intervention is exactly the kind of targeted, strategic investment for which this money is intended.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
Educator Voices Are Powerful
Throughout the campaign, we featured the voices of teachers, school, and district leaders who spoke with passion and authenticity about the impact on students. Their perspectives, featured in op-eds, at school visits, on webinars, and at legislative briefings, 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 two subsequent budget proposals. In addition to a direct appeal to the Governor, we educated and informed the Secretary of Education and the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. A school visit we organized with DESE leadership 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 strategic 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 rich conversations reinforced that this program was strongly supported by teachers and administrators.
Strong Outcomes Data Was Crucial
MBAE’s campaign was greatly strengthened by data showing the program’s tremendous impact over two years. The Johns Hopkins University’s comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation of the Massachusetts pilot examined the impact on students receiving tutoring compared with national norms. This data was crucial for demonstrating the program’s potential to close literacy gaps.
RESOURCES
DC Charter School Alliance, DC Policy Center, Education Forward DC, EmpowerK12, Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE)
Network Policy Pillars: High Expectations, Innovative Options, Responsive Systems
SUMMARY
This policy campaign brings together over 25 DC partners to share the true story of our education system with local and national leaders and policymakers, recognizing DC’s decades of progress, highlighting the policy pillars that have fueled our growth, and ensuring we continue to strengthen our schools so every student has the excellent education system they deserve.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 99,562 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
DC has some of the most student-centered education policies in the nation, with robust public school choice, sustained growth in reading and math, unprecedented access to quality early childhood education, and strong investments in diverse post-secondary pathways in college and career. But that was not the policy story told in the media or the halls of Congress. Until DC Kids and Schools. When we began this campaign, DC was experiencing unique challenges because of a lack of statehood and national education policy shifts.
DC education leaders, policymakers, funders, and partners were all in agreement that we needed to do a better job of lifting up our bright spots, sharing what we’ve learned, and inviting partners and policymakers from across the country to join with us to keep our momentum going, given that we have so much more to do to give child the great education they deserve. Response has been tremendous, and we continue to engage policymakers, school and system leaders, and parents to coordinate campaign work and shift the national narrative.
DC Public Schools, the Office of the State Superintendent, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education, and the Mayor’s office all expressed their support and participated in coalition activities, including op-eds, letters of support, and attending and speaking at campaign events. Mayor Bowser wrote a formal letter of support, and the presumptive next DC mayor, Janeese Lewis George, was an early supporter, attending the launch breakfast and highlighting the campaign’s pillars and ideas in her campaign. She recently publicly affirmed her support for DC Kids and Schools, telling a room full of DC charter and advocacy leaders: “Put me in coach!”
This campaign arrived at a moment when confidence in public institutions is under strain. DC Kids and Schools offers a different story, one grounded in evidence, progress, and possibility. We helped build hope and momentum for the future of public education in DC and beyond.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
The campaign is only possible because of our coalition. PAVE is the host organization, and our lead partners include Education Forward DC and DC Public Education Fund, the ed champions for public charter and traditional public schools, respectively, and the DC Charter School Alliance. The other members include schools, policy organizations, and data organizations. Our coalition partners brought resources and relationships that no organization could replicate on its own.
Together, we funded the work, convened key stakeholders, and amplified the conversation. We intentionally engaged leaders who did not always share the same assumptions about public education, school choice, or the District itself. We organized opportunities for policymakers, education leaders, and national experts to hear directly from students, families, school leaders, and practitioners about what has driven DC’s success. Through policy briefings, school visits, and public events, we built understanding around the education policies and practices that have shaped DC.
Engaging local education leaders and policymakers in support of the campaign was also vital. Beyond the current and likely future Mayor, we also had buy-in from other education policymakers and leaders. The DCPS Chancellor, Deputy Mayor for Education, State Superintendent, and DC charter leaders spoke at events in support of the campaign goals and were featured in our video series.
At the national level, Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) was a featured speaker, and staff from the Speaker of the House’s office, the Senate HELP Committee, and the White House also attended our policy-centered events. Our resulting coalition extends beyond the DC education community. By working across lines of difference, we have built lasting relationships, increased national awareness of the policies driving DC’s success, and created momentum to sustain and expand those policies.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
We were intentional in how we built and expanded support. We started conversations with DC stakeholders in 2024 and brought DC leaders together in 2025 to create the base we needed to continue moving forward. We also engaged with DC policymakers so they could agree on what policies have driven progress and commit to keeping what works and improving what does not.
Once we united our own DC stakeholders, we brought national leaders into the conversation to help us grow our reach. We strategically centered the campaign on telling the true story of the policies that have driven DC’s educational progress, highlighting our achievements through evidence. By leading with our strengths, we reframed the national conversation about DC education as one of innovation and progress.
The campaign convened local and national leaders at events with expert panels, funder briefings, school tours, events at national education conferences, and meetings with policymakers. Rather than relying on a single event or message, we built an ongoing campaign that strengthened awareness of DC’s policy progress. One member of the US Department of Ed shared that we had given him a new perspective on our city and schools. We also catalyzed positive media attention about DC.
In October, The 74 picked up a blog co-written by DC’s Deputy Mayor for Education, Paul Kihn, and the State Superintendent, Dr. Antoinette Mitchell, highlighting the progress DC schools have made due to innovation and investments. Our campaign has given hope to the people of DC about where education is headed, which is important in a time when many systems are under attack.
Given the electoral changes we will see with our Mayor and Council, DC Kids and Schools is keeping us united and grounded on the policies that we know make a difference in the lives of our students and the work of our schools. Together, we will continue to build on the progress that DC education has made — for the benefit of ALL of our kids.
RESOURCES
Bluum
Network Policy Pillars: Innovative Options
SUMMARY
This policy helps military families access diverse, high-quality public charter school options to reduce educational disruptions and ensure their children have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of where military service takes them.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 10,369 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
Military-connected students often experience multiple school transitions throughout their K–12 education due to military-directed moves. With each move comes uncertainty: inconsistent access to high-quality schools, varying academic standards, disrupted support systems, and the challenge of rebuilding friendships and community. While military families willingly sacrifice in service to our country, their children should not have to sacrifice educational opportunities.
Idaho’s policy advance addressed this challenge by granting children of active-duty military families enrollment preference in public charter school lotteries. The policy ensures military-connected students receive fairer access to the diverse, high-quality public education options that best meet their needs. This win matters because it recognizes the unique circumstances military families face and removes barriers to educational stability during some of the most disruptive periods of a child’s life.
By expanding access to charter schools, Idaho is helping military students experience greater continuity in their education, stronger school fit, and improved opportunities to thrive academically and socially. Equally important is how this victory was achieved. Bluum partnered closely with the Department of Defense State Liaison Office, leadership from Mountain Home Air Force Base, active-duty service members, military spouses, veterans, charter school leaders, and military-connected students themselves. Two military children testified before lawmakers, sharing firsthand how frequent moves had shaped their educational experiences. Their voices transformed a policy proposal into a human story that legislators could not ignore. Idaho’s approach offers a practical roadmap for other states and demonstrates that when advocates and military communities work together, meaningful change is possible and replicable.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
This campaign succeeded because it was built by an unlikely coalition united around a shared belief: military children deserve equitable access to high-quality public education options. Bluum intentionally brought together voices that do not always work side by side in education policy conversations, including active-duty service members, military spouses, veterans, charter school leaders, policymakers, and Department of Defense leaders.
Rather than beginning with a predetermined solution, we started by listening. Through conversations with military families connected to Mountain Home Air Force Base, we learned that repeated military-directed moves often left students navigating inconsistent school access, varying academic standards, and long charter school waitlists. Families identified educational stability as a pressing need, and their experiences shaped both the policy design and advocacy strategy. Bluum then cultivated partnerships with the Department of Defense State Liaison Office and leadership at Mountain Home Air Force Base, who recognized the impact educational opportunities have on military readiness, recruitment, and retention.
The coalition also prioritized elevating authentic voices. Active-duty airmen, military spouses, veterans, and military-connected students testified before legislative committees about the realities of changing schools due to military service. Two students courageously shared their personal experiences navigating school transitions, reminding lawmakers that the policy was ultimately about children, not systems. This campaign demonstrated that durable policy change happens when advocates move beyond traditional alliances, listen deeply to those most affected, and invite unexpected partners to help shape solutions. The result was not only a policy win for Idaho’s military families but also a replicable coalition model that other states can adapt to advance educational opportunity for military-connected students.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
Fellow Network members can learn that some of the most powerful advocacy campaigns begin by listening to the people most affected by the problem. Before drafting legislation, Bluum spoke with military families to understand the barriers they faced and how frequent military-directed moves affected their children’s educational experiences.
Another key lesson is to seek out unexpected allies. Education advocates do not always think to engage military leaders, but the Department of Defense and Mountain Home Air Force Base became indispensable partners in this work. By framing educational stability as an issue connected to military readiness, family support, recruitment, and retention, we expanded the coalition beyond traditional education stakeholders and created new champions for change.
The campaign also demonstrated the importance of elevating authentic voices. Active-duty service members, military spouses, veterans, and military-connected students testified before legislative committees, wrote letters, met with policymakers, and shared their lived experiences. The testimony of two military children was particularly powerful, reminding lawmakers that policy decisions affect real students and families.
We also learned that persistence matters. Idaho’s military charter school enrollment preference policy was not achieved overnight. Earlier legislative efforts stalled, requiring us to reassess our strategy, strengthen partnerships, and continue building support over time. Finally, advocates should intentionally design campaigns with replication in mind.
Throughout this process, Bluum documented resources, collected sample materials, and identified the strategies that proved most effective so that other states can adapt them to their own contexts. Idaho’s experience demonstrates that when those closest to a challenge are empowered to lead, and diverse stakeholders rally around a shared goal, even ambitious policy changes become possible.
HawaiiKidsCAN
Network Policy Pillars: High Expectations, Responsive Systems
SUMMARY
With the passage of HB1891 in the 2026 legislative session, Hawaii is helping all Hawaii public school students, especially those with dyslexia, finally get the support they need to learn to read effectively. This policy impacts more than 165,000 students in the Hawaii public school system. In particular, this policy will positively impact the nearly 80,000 students who are not reading proficiently, and the estimated 16,000 to 30,000 who may have dyslexia.
Our policy and advocacy impacts 165,000 students.
WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
As a state not on the typical Education Reform map and geographically isolated, Hawaii is often excluded from discussions of kids’ and families’ needs. A member of the 50CAN network, HawaiiKidsCAN plays an outsized role in translating policy advances in other states to a local context. In the case of literacy, HawaiiKidsCAN has led the charge in elevating the Science of Reading, student outcomes, and educator preparation.
By mobilizing other organizations focused more generally on grassroots family literacy, HawaiiKidsCAN has been able to lead a coalition that is unapologetic about pushing the state to keep up with policy advances made in places like Mississippi and Louisiana, which are seen as political opposites to deep-blue Hawaii. Fueled by conversations with PIE Network members and breakthroughs like the Sold A Story podcast, HB1891 is the culmination of several years of focused work by HawaiiKidsCAN.
In 2024, HawaiiKidsCAN organized a presentation by literacy advocate Kareem Weaver to the Hawaii State Board of Education, which led to the adoption of Literacy Levers at the Hawaii Department of Education. In 2025, HawaiiKidsCAN set out to ensure key components of these goals were protected in statute. To achieve this, the small but mighty team of two set out to expand their coalition of nonprofits, families, students, educators, and experts through a series of documentary screenings, talk story sessions, and community outreach efforts to more than 2,500 individuals.
In the 2026 legislative session, HawaiiKidsCAN generated a record-breaking nearly 300 pages of testimony in support for HB1891, which ultimately passed and became law. They also supported powerful student advocates in sharing their stories of struggling with literacy, giving voice to a segment of Hawaii’s population that is often left out and left behind. This win builds upon decades of effort by dyslexia advocates. Without HawaiiKidsCAN, Hawaii very likely would have remained the last state without such a policy for years to come.
WORKING ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE & COALITIONS
Partnership and collaboration are at the core of successful efforts in a place as tightly bound together as Hawaii, and HawaiiKidsCAN has always focused on building strong coalitions. To support HB1891 and in the years leading up to the bill, HKC worked with a wide range of partners, including the Hawaii State Literacy Coalition, Hawaii Department of Education, Hawaii State Library System, Hawaii State Board of Education, Teach For America Hawaii, International Dyslexia Association Hawaii branch, Reading League Hawaii, the American Academy of Pediatrics Hawaii branch, ExcelinEd, Lexia, Fulcrum, Chaminade University, NAACP Hawaii Chapter, Early Childhood Action Strategy, and many individual advocates.
Hawaii has a strong local network of stakeholders dedicated to empowering people with the skills and resources to strengthen their literacy, particularly for those who struggled to learn using non-evidence-based approaches. But HawaiiKidsCAN saw a need to unite these dispersed grassroots efforts in the service of pursuing systemic change so that every student can access high-quality learning, no matter their zip code. The breadth of voices and decades of collective experience gathered under a single cause created a groundswell that elevated HB1891 to the top of a long list of policy priorities at the legislature.
As one of over 3,000 measures introduced in the 2026 session, HB1891 also relied on HawaiiKidsCAN’s strong partnerships with the leaders of the House and Senate education committees to advance. The bill maintained strong bipartisan support throughout the session, ultimately passing the House and Senate by 75-1. Strong relationships with local media partners also ensured that the story of the movement behind HB1891 was shared broadly within the community across the islands. All main media outlets in the state, including Hawaii Public Radio, Honolulu Civil Beat, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and Hawaii News Now, picked up the feature.
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES & TACTICS USED TO BUILD & EXECUTE A WINNING CAMPAIGN
While national momentum on literacy made elevating literacy a timely priority, the HawaiiKidsCAN team kept partnerships and messaging hyper-local to ensure that the purpose and responsibility for HB1891 were only ever focused on local needs and outcomes. While the Literacy Levers that inspired HB1891 can trace their roots to policy successes in states like Mississippi, HawaiiKidsCAN framed the fight for literacy in Hawaii as a demand that the islands reclaim their place at the forefront of literacy, just as it held in the 19th century when the Hawaiian Kingdom led the world in literacy rates.
By highlighting a narrative that people could take pride in, showing a politically viable path forward, and mobilizing a deeply embedded community of supporters, HawaiiKidsCAN ensured the why, how, and when of HB1891 were clear to all stakeholders.
At the same time, in a diverse, politically Democratic state like Hawaii, HawaiiKidsCAN navigated a wide range of potential challenges. In particular, we appealed to the fundamental human right of literacy as opposed to a top-down “English first” approach that minimizes the vibrant multilingual cultures in our community. We also engaged directly with leaders from the Hawaiian Immersion space to identify exceptions that would not conflict with the needs of Hawaiian Language Immersion schools.
We also avoided calling out educators or the state teachers’ union, which privately supported the bill throughout the legislative session. HawaiiKidsCAN worked to expand the number of informed policymakers in the legislature through Capitol policy events to raise awareness of key priorities such as literacy, math, and workforce development. We are proud that our approach to effective advocacy straddles national partnership and best practices with an unapologetically hyper-local focus. At a time of great national political division, we believe we are charting a course of pragmatic action on behalf of our kids.
RESOURCES
- HB 1891: DOE; Dyslexia Screening; Universal Screening; Evidence-Based Interventions; Teacher Professional Development | Digital Democracy
- https://bit.ly/4gCZkyw
- https://bit.ly/4eGh7lO
- Beth Fukumoto: Legislature Is Doing The Right Thing On Dyslexia – Honolulu Civil Beat
- Column: Hawaii can lead the world in literacy, again | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ‘Every kid is different’: State eyes universal dyslexia-sensitive screenings across Hawaiʻi public schools