Welcome back to the LP School Board Download – our quarterly newsletter about all things school board! We know that being a school board member has always been hard work, but we know we are in an increasingly challenging era for education as the federal government seeks to dismantle the institution itself. More than ever, folks are looking to their local leaders to do everything in their power to protect students and teachers. Local Progress is here to support you as you work to defend one of our country’s last true public goods.
This year at LP’s annual National Convening we brought together hundreds of members and partners from across the country. Most exciting (for me, at least) was this year we saw the biggest group of school board members at an LP Convening! We hosted folks from small towns in Oregon and Texas, suburban districts in Michigan and Connecticut, as well as big urban districts like LA and Chicago. Read on for some details on what went on (and plan to join us next summer!)
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On the main stage we heard from Chicago Mayor (and former public school teacher) Brandon Johnson as well as Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates about how Chicago is organizing at the local level against attacks from the federal government. Education writer Jennifer Berkshire talked with us about the rise in authoritarianism and its connection to the attacks on public education. One of LP’s co-founders and NYC Comptroller Brad Lander took time to ground us in what it means to put solidarity into action. Â
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At Dyett High School, LP’s partner CTU hosted us at “the school the struggle built.”
In 2015, Chicago Public Schools closed Dyett High School – the only school serving the mostly-Black community of Bronzeville. In the wake of a 19-day hunger strike, CPS responded and re-opened the school. Today, Dyett remains open as a community school focused on the arts and is home to a state championship-winning team.
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We were able to hear the story of Dyett directly from the organizers — teachers, students and community leaders who staged the direct action (including two that went on to become elected officials, and current LP members Chicago Alderperson Jeanette Taylor and Chicago Public Schools Board member Jitu Brown).Â
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Green Schools. Our partners at People’s Action and Building Power Resource Center joined us at the National Convening to discuss actionable steps school board members can take to organize for green schools, including how to structure RFPs that open the door to green school projects. Also, shout out to LP member Anusha Thotakura with Chicago Public Schools, who joined us for the session to talk about how she powerfully organized to launch a healthy green schools pilot program.
Are you interested in joining a regular organizing call for green schools? The next one, hosted by People’s Action, is 1:30-3 p.m. ET on Friday, August 8 — sign up here.
đź“ť Budget Bill
After months of back-and-forth, President Trump’s allies in Congress finally got his massive budget bill across the funding line. One of the most harmful pieces of legislation in recent history, it comes with massive cuts that will be felt by poor and working class people in their homes, at their workplaces and in their schools. If you want to read more about the impact on schools and students, NPR has a roundup here.
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❌ Funding Cuts
While news out of D.C. continues to be bleak for public education, there was a moment of relief last week when the White House announced they would (finally) be releasing funds that had been promised for teacher training, english language learner supports, adult education and after school care funding. This release of funds came after parents, students and elected officials organized to pressure the federal government for these dollars.
đź’° Billionaire Tax ScamÂ
Earlier today, Local Progress held time to dig into the Billionaire Tax Scam that Congress recently passed, which included the expansion of a harmful national choice voucher program, and significant cuts to Medicaid that will impact our school communities and the families they serve. While it’s too late to register for the call, we’ll be posting a full recording of the webinar call in the coming days. More on that soon!
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👨‍💻 Steering CommitteeÂ
The LP School Board work is shaped by a Steering Committee made up of school board members from across the country. This group meets on zoom for about an hour every month (typically Friday afternoons) and helps set the agenda for our school board work across the network. We have a strong group but need help from more school board members across the network to add capacity to this important body! Are you interested in learning more? Fill out the form here.
🖥️ Help Desk
Did you know Local Progress has a Help Desk where you can ask for support? From questions about revenue to ideas for legislation, our Program & Policy team is ready to help you with your burning questions. In the past, we’ve worked on issues like – connecting a school board member going through a superintendent search with a member who just completed one. We’ve helped members of a board communicate a recent vote with their broader community and connect a partner with a school district that successfully turned an empty school building into a community center. These are just some of the dozens of ways Local Progress has helped school board members across the country. Email helpdesk@localprogress.org with your requests and we’ll get working on it soon!
🎤 Potential Comms Boot CampÂ
We’re currently exploring the opportunity for our Local Progress communications staff to host a Communications Boot Camp specifically for school board members sometime this fall. In addition to letting us know if you’re interested, please fill out this form with your weekday availability so we can find a time and day of the week that works best for most of our members! More details on this potential communications workshop soon. Â
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if you’d like to check-in (or find time on my calendar here.)Â
