Washington State’s Supreme Court ruling on charter schools in September 2015 thrust charter schools across the state – and the families of students attending them – into crisis. Confronted with the possibility that their excellent new schools could close, parents, advocates, and educators saw no other option other than to stand up and fight for legislation that would keep schools open and preserve their ability to exercise choice in the public education of their children.
In the immediate aftermath of the court’s ruling, the Washington State Charter Schools Association (WA Charters), along with a coalition of advocacy partners and leaders from the business community, quickly joined forces with parents and students to drive a long-term solution that saved the state’s existing and high-achieving charter schools and reinstated the will of the voters. The resulting parent- and student-led Act Now for Washington Students coalition delivered a high-impact legislative advocacy campaign that forced legislators, especially elected Democrats, to confront the choice between closing public schools that serve a racially and economically diverse student population or taking action to do right by students and honor the will of their constituents. In Nashville, you’ll have the opportunity to join leaders from the Washington State Charter Schools Association and standout parent advocate Shirline Wilson to learn how, when faced with the prospect of school closure and the end of public school choice in Washington, a young association quickly mobilized its parent, school, and funder bases, and coupled an impactful grassroots efforts with an aggressive earned and paid media campaign to make it impossible for state leaders to ignore the students for whom charter schools made a life-changing difference. Join this session to learn and discuss:
How can (even a very young) charter sector come together in a time of crisis and marshal the collective strength needed to reinstate a strong new public charter school law?
What are successful strategies for executing an effective grassroots and media campaign
Once the dust settles, how can what take we have learned during a crisis inform our future work to support a growing sector through engaging stakeholders, empowering families, and supporting schools?
Learn more about panelists and read a session description here.
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