Where do Presidential Candidates
Stand on Education Justice?
Find out this Saturday

Saturday, Dec 14, 2019 • 9:15 AM ET • Watch here

The Schott Foundation and eleven other public education groups, including community groups, education unions, and civil rights organizations, are hosting top Democratic presidential candidates at the “Public Education Forum 2020: Equity and Justice for All.” MSNBC will moderate and exclusively livestream the forum focused on public education issues.

Currently, eight major Democratic candidates who qualified for the October debate or who are currently elected to statewide office have confirmed participation: Sen. Michael Bennet, Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
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Achieving Justice for All Should Command Philanthropy's Attention in 2020 Elections

by Dr. John H. Jackson, Schott Foundation President & CEO

The heightened urgency to protect our democracy from outside interference in the 2020 election is getting a lot of media and political attention these days, but there’s a far more urgent need that is vital for philanthropy to foster and finance: ensuring that our democracy evolves toward greater justice.

We must not confuse democracy with creating equity or with creating a more just American society. It takes more than elections to make a sound democracy. We have lived in a democracy for more than 200 years, but never has our democracy been equitable or just for all people.
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Still Asleep at the Wheel: How the Federal Charter Schools Program Results in a Pileup of Fraud & Waste

A new report by Schott partner The Network for Public Education documents over a half-billion dollars that was wasted on defunct charter schools that received grants from 2006-2014 alone.

The report concludes that over $1 billion has been wasted during the 25 years that the program has been in existence.
Read the report and see the interactive map >

Newark Students Union Proposes a Grassroots Alternative to the District’s New Student Advisory Cabinet

The Newark school board’s student representative said he has created a 15-member cabinet, with one representative from each of the district’s high schools, that will discuss district policies.

The Newark Students Union — an entirely student-run organization — has a different idea, one that would institutionalize student representation and give their input more weight, according to group members.
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Rochester Students Walk Out in Support of Teachers

Hundreds of Rochester City School District students walked out of school Monday to protest on behalf of their teachers. More than 150 educators found out they could be losing their jobs in the new year due to a budget deficit. Students have been outspoken on social media from the moment news of the budget cuts came out on Friday. Many outraged students organized protests for before the first period bell rang or walked out of class during the school day.
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