2020 Media

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the CER team has been forcefully championing changes in state and federal policy which would allow education dollars to follow students and put families in charge. Through summer and fall we helped this theme become ubiquitous, even when we were not part of the story. Here’s how we did it:

PUBLICATION DISTRIBUTED:

The Future of School – 4.21.2020

Thousands mailed to state superintendents of education, state board of education chairs, governors, and governors’ chiefs-of-staff.

1716 webpage views

ARGUMENT: We must make the student our only unit of learning and give every student a virtual backpack that contains all they need to be educated. That backpack must include a device, a hotspot, basic supplies, a meal, and a ticket that gains them access anywhere to any school that has room – public, private, or charter. The funds that the student has “earned” for his or her district would be paid to the receiving school. 

MEDIA COVERAGE:

Forbes
The Solution to Educating Every Child Going Forward? A Virtual Backpack – 5.12.2020

1524 views

We must make the student our only unit of learning and give every student a virtual backpack …. The funds that the student has “earned” for his or her district would be paid to the receiving school. 

The New York Times

DeVos Funnels Relief to Revive Stalled Agenda – 5.16.2020

533,147 impressions

The microgrant program has been cheered by champions of school choice.  “They are smart to take advantage of the lag and lack of disciplined delivery of education,” said Jeanne Allen, the chief executive of the Center for Education Reform.  “We don’t have any choice but to make parents and families the unit of education right now.”


The Washington Post

As pandemic tests public schools, Betsy DeVos pushes school choice – 6.15.2020

288,185 impressions

Jeanne Allen, chief executive for the Center for Education Reform, strongly supports the school choice agenda. To that end, she said DeVos should do more to lift up programs such as Success Academy, a charter school network in New York City, while shining a light to “shame” those who are failing.


USA Today

Religious schools can get public funding – 7.1.2020

1,541,849 impressions

“The weight that this monumental decision carries is immense, as it’s an extraordinary victory for student achievement, parental control, equality in educational opportunities, and First Amendment rights,” said Jeanne Allen, founder of the Center for Education Reform.

CER Policy Recommendations for the New Normal – 8.4.2020

214 webpage views

Emailed to 4,000 Congressional staffers/Chiefs of staff, legislative directors.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FEDERAL ACTION:

Require funds to follow the child 
 
    • School districts or individual LEAs that do not meet parents’ needs should pay the provider of the parent/taxpayers choice to deliver education. That should include microschools, private tutors and the new “Pandemic Pods.”

  • Public schools contract with private and other public entities all the time for special education, transportation, curriculum, etc. Contracts could be made between any school district/LEA and a service provider. 

 

FOX and FRIENDS
Jeanne Allen interview on Fox and Friends – 8.5.2020

1.8 million viewers.  1.3 Million Twitter Followers.  

“If you don’t want to teach my children, give me the money back.  The money should go to the parents or to schools who are willing to teach.”


Forbes
Back to School 2020: Will Parents Take Over Schooling? – 8.20.2020

1030 views

Parent experts argue that the only way to solve this issue is to give parents the power to develop or buy the education of their choosing. They want access to micro-grants to be used to provide technology and tutoring. 

“…the parents should be given these resources so that children do not lose anymore. Parents want to bring those dollars into their homes and manage those dollars to give their kids what they need.” -Janelle Wood, Black Mothers Forum



“Our parents will be far better at deciding what’s best for their kids and that money that they’ve spent as taxpayers ought to follow their kids at whatever school they want,” argues Families Empowered’s Colleen Dippel.


Wall Street Journal Editorial Page
School Opening Extortion – 8.3.2020



Wall Street Journal / Journal Editorial Report
Opinions Why Unions Oppose School Openings – 8.9.2020 

Fox News

Cuomo Says New York Schools Can Reopen As Teachers Unions Fight Against Reopening Efforts – 8.8.2020