Advocacy

Education news, analysis, and opinion about efforts by individuals or groups to influence education or school policy
A young boy reaches into the open door of a school bus to grab a plastic bag of food handed to him by an adult.
A Jefferson County School District student receives several bags with free meals in Fayette, Miss.
Rogelio V. Solis/AP
Education Funding A Surge in Funding for Homeless Students Is Waning. What Now?
COVID homeless aid helped schools locate more families and connect them to services. Advocates want to make the increase permanent.
Evie Blad, March 21, 2023
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3 min read
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit, July 15, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Republican groups that sought to get hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists elected to local school boards largely fell short in Tuesday’s elections. The push has been boosted by Republican groups including the 1776 Project PAC, but just a third of its roughly 50 candidates won.
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit on July 15, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. A new effort by the Campaign for Our Shared Future seeks to serve as a counterweight to the group, offering support for educators who must navigate new laws prohibiting certain topics.
Lauren Witte/Tampa Bay Times via AP
Teaching Profession A Hotline for Educators: Advocacy Group Pledges Support in Midst of Ugly Politics
A nonpartisan group says it will offer educators a range of supports for educators accused of violating new restrictions on what can be taught in class.
Madeline Will, March 7, 2023
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6 min read
A woman holds a sign and attends a rally to stop AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) hate at the Logan Square Monument in Chicago on March 20, 2021.
A woman holds a sign and attends a rally to stop AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) hate at the Logan Square Monument in Chicago on March 20, 2021.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
Social Studies The Demand for Asian American History Is Growing. See Where
Florida is among states facing the possibility of requiring Asian American and Pacific Islander history in K-12 curriculum.
Ileana Najarro, February 24, 2023
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5 min read
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit, July 15, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Republican groups that sought to get hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists elected to local school boards largely fell short in Tuesday’s elections. The push has been boosted by Republican groups including the 1776 Project PAC, but just a third of its roughly 50 candidates won.
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit, in Tampa, Fla., in July.
Lauren Witte/Tampa Bay Times via AP
School & District Management Conservative Advocates Vow Continued Push for School Board Seats Despite Middling Midterms
Groups like Moms for Liberty failed to ignite a wave of local school board takeovers but still plan to invest in such races.
Libby Stanford, November 16, 2022
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6 min read
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Morgan Lieberman for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Video How a School Shooting Survivor Found Healing in Activism
Voting for the first time has been part of one school shooting survivor's healing process.
Kaylee Domzalski & Lauren Santucci, November 10, 2022
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5:13
Illustration of adults and child in a classroom.
A-Digit/DigitalVision Vectors
Families & the Community These Groups Are Pushing Back Against 'Divisive' Parents' Rights Policies
A coalition of education advocacy and family support groups wants to redefine what constitutes parents' rights.
Libby Stanford, November 1, 2022
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3 min read
Image of small arrows adding energy to a larger arrow moving forward.
Laura Baker/Education Week and DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Why National Advocates Are Getting More Involved in School Board Elections
Outside political groups have spent millions in campaigns for school board members that represent their views.
Libby Stanford, October 31, 2022
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10 min read
Protesters hold signs at a Moms for Liberty rally at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on October 9, 2021. About 100 people attended the rally to protest mask and vaccine mandates.
Protesters hold signs at a Moms for Liberty rally at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., on October 9, 2021. The group is gearing up to train and support candidates across the country who support its "parental rights" agenda.
Paul Weaver/Sipa via AP Images
Families & the Community 'Parental Rights' Poised to Be Hot Issue in School Board Races
A fast-growing conservative group is pushing a parents' rights pledge for school board candidates.
Eesha Pendharkar, October 5, 2022
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6 min read
Conceptual illustration of a professional using tape to seal a giant silhouette's mouth with tape
iStock/Getty
States Opinion Some Politicians Count on Teachers Staying Silent. We Can't Afford To
Censorship laws send teachers the message, “We don’t trust you.” We need to speak up in defense of our profession.
Monte F. Bourjaily, October 3, 2022
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4 min read
Illustration of airplanes dropping money
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Teaching Profession With New Grants, Teachers' Union Doubles Down on Partnerships With Parents
The American Federation of Teachers will invest $1.5 million in parent outreach—a counterweight to conservatives' parents'-rights narrative.
Madeline Will, September 29, 2022
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4 min read
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks at the Phoenix International Academy in Phoenix on Oct. 15, 2020.
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was among a phalanx of conservatives addressing K-12 issues at a conference of the Federalist Society.
Matt York/AP
Federal Conservatives Hammer on Hot-Button K-12 Education Issues at Federalist Society Event
The influential legal group discussed critical race theory, gender identity, and Title IX.
Mark Walsh, September 21, 2022
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6 min read
Image of books piled in a locked cell.
DigitalVision Vectors
Equity & Diversity Who's Behind the Escalating Push to Ban Books? A New Report Has Answers
Right-wing activist organizations and Republican lawmakers are pushing to get books about LGBTQ people and racism removed, says PEN America.
Eesha Pendharkar, September 19, 2022
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5 min read
USA flag fractured in pieces over whole flag.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Standards Political Debate Upends Texas Social Studies Standards Process
The Lone Star State is the latest to throw out a set of standards after conservative activists organized in opposition.
Ileana Najarro, September 9, 2022
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7 min read
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
Amanda Darrow, the director of youth, family, and education programs at the Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks.
Rick Bowmer/AP Photo
Curriculum Is Your School Facing a Book Challenge? These Online Resources May Help
Book challenges are popping up with more frequency. Here are supports for teachers fighting censorship.
Ileana Najarro, September 1, 2022
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5 min read
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