The Network for Public Education Action Fund released this statement, just minutes ago:
For Immediate Release: June 22, 2016
Media Contact:
Carol Burris 718-577-3276 carol@npeaction.org
The Network for Public Education Action Calls Upon the Democratic Party to Include a Pro-Public Education Agenda in its Platform Statement.
In response to the Democratic Party’s request for platform input, forty-six national and local grassroots groups join the Network for Public Education Action in its petition that five pro-public education principles be included in the party platform. The allied groups are united in their opposition to the privatization of public schools, which has been enabled by both political parties.
A corresponding statement will also be sent to the Republican Party.
New York, New York– Today, the Network for Public Education Action (NPE Action), a national nonprofit 501(c) (4) education advocacy organization with 22,000 supporters, released Strengthening K-12 Education: A Submission to the Democratic Party for the 2016 Platform.
The seven-page statement supports and expands upon the following five principles that the group, led by Diane Ravitch, wants included in the party platform:
1. Eliminate High Stakes Testing.
2. Support Policies that Close the Opportunity Gap
3. Fully Fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
4. Protect Student Privacy
5. Adopt Federal Spending Policies that Support Public Education and Oppose Public School Privatization
NPE Action co-founder, Anthony Cody, explained why it is so important that the platform include renewed support for public schools during a time when school privatization is growing at an alarming rate. “The next four years will determine the fate of public education in America. This platform offers Democrats the chance to stand with educators, parents and students who want real change — a shift away from high stakes tests and privatization, and towards democratically controlled schools that educate the whole child. Federal spending must go to support true public schools governed by communities, not to charter chains, vouchers and for-profit schools.”
The Network for Public Education Action’s submission has received wide support. Forty-six national and local grassroots groups are co-signers. These groups include The Alliance for Quality Education, Journey for Justice, The Badass Teachers Association, Fairtest, The Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Defending Early Years, and Parents Across America. A complete list of the forty-six can be found here.
NPEAction director and Florida public school advocate, Colleen Wood, explained the statement’s appeal. “Grassroots groups across the nation that support public education have signed on with Network for Public Education Action to send a clear message to both parties that the era of high-stakes testing and attacks on public schools must come to an end.”
NPE Action’s President and co-founder, Diane Ravitch, is hopeful that the Democratic Party will strongly consider the statement when building the platform and turn away from its recent support for school privatization and high-stakes testing.
“The Network for Public Education hopes the Democratic Party platform will take a strong stand in favor of democratically controlled public schools and against privatization of public education and high-stakes testing. Opposition to private control of public money is aligned with the historic values of the Democratic party.”
In addition to the 46 groups, thousands of public school advocates have signed the statement in support. The entire statement to the Democratic Party can be found here and the statement to the Republican Party can be found here.
The Network for Public Education Action is a non-profit advocacy group whose mission is to preserve, promote, improve and strengthen public schools for both current and future generations of students.
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Diane Ravitch's blog 
Very worthy suggestions and I thank you. Unfortunately, you have to contend with Malloy, Frank, and Cummings. If you can convince Lee and West there may be a chance.
Where is the list of signing organizations?
“Eliminate High Stakes Testing.”
ha ha ha ha ha ha .
There is a greater chance that the universe will end tomorrow.
At least that (universe ending) would eliminate the high stakes testing, eh!!
Right you are Duane,
Your logic is impeccable.
I should have said “there is an equal chance”
I appreciate that there are groups advocating for what they believe in, rather than succumbing to cynicism!
I also appreciate that there are groups advocating for what they believe in, but I prefer to call my skepticism that high stakes testing will be eliminated “succumbing to reality”.
Janet,
From the Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce:
Cynic, n. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are not as they ought to be.’
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé.
Hillary and Eli Broad are getting a good chuckle out of the five suggested platform principles.
It’s worth a shot. Beats sitting around and complaining.
Unfortunately, Hillary still finds “value” in the Common Core.
Common Core always had value — of the monetary kind.
The Democratic Party is completely captured by the ed reform “movement”
Their “platform” is indistinguishable from any of the big ed reform lobbies. They are literally the same people. Read Gates or Broad or Walton sites and compare. It’s identical. Often they’re pushing the same agenda items at the same time.
They’ve merged with these lobbies: staff, policy, leadership, political campaigns. There’s no daylight between them.
First reaction… Excellent. Short lists are hard to create.
But # 5. is likely to be a problem ….
5. Adopt Federal Spending Policies that Support Public Education and Oppose Public School Privatization…
Why? The charter industry will claim their schools are “public” schools. Getting the meaning of “public” defined and clearly communicated is essential.
DFER put out their policy demands for Clinton.
As usual in ed reform, public schools
are relegated to dead last on the list of priorities.
I’m surprised they made the cut at all.
And what about the platform position on charter schools? The Democratic Party should fight for federal law that institutes at least three common sense requirements on charter schools: 1. In order for charter schools to actually be the public schools they claim to be, charter schools must be subject to voters by having publicly-elected boards; 2. charter schools must be required to file at least the same detailed public domain audited financial reports about what they do with the public’s tax money that genuine public schools file; 3. charter schools board member must be subject to the same conflict-of-interest standards that the boards of genuine public schools are subject to.
Media releases from NPE gets no one in the media taking it seriously. Now this to the Democratic Party platform committee. What are the chances, one can only guess!
You may be right, Raj, but if no one speaks up, there is no chance of anyone hearing.
Pretty sure your invective will be heard by no one!!!
Buzz off, Raj. If it were up to you, we would not be allowed to speak at all. Your contempt for this blog, for me, for commenters is disgusting. Go do something useful and stop lurking.
I am in agreement with everything here – but am disappointed about the lack of commentary on the influence of the ed tech industry on public education despite lack of data, and the push from federal policies to be spending ever dwindling public dollars on 1:1 initiatives and personalized learning and computer-based CBE, and how there is a strong belief that this will support larger class sizes. It is already happening.
https://dianeravitch.net/2016/02/23/baltimore-county-buys-the-great-technology-hoax-for-almost-300-million/
In the long run and often in the short run, privatization of social services including health and education is bad news. The profit motive is placed first and utmost in the private for profit systems and the end result is suffering for the middle and lower class. A privatization of our public school system lends itself to mind control and an end to democracy through an unenligntened electorate.