"Communicating Charter School Options to Parents" National Governors Association September 28, 2007

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Caitlin Gallagher
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1 "Communicating Charter School Options to Parents" National Governors Association September 28, 2007

2 How Partnering with Parents Can Raise Awareness and Lead to Positive Policy Changes Gary L. Larson Founder/Principal Larson Communications

3 Background State Legislatures often beholden to Special Interests Governors tend to see the big picture This creates conflict, and parents can get caught up in the process

4 California s Policy Environment CA only recently created Charter Facilities Program Helped triple number of charters targeting high-poverty kids CA only recently enacted Independent Authorizer provision Designed to prevent district conflict of interest Governor supports both programs Special Interests hate both programs

5 The Issue In middle of night, Speaker slips in Sophie s Choice Legislation Bluff to destroy more popular facilities program or force Governor to destroy State s authorizing authority Puts reform movement in dilemma How do we save both programs?

6 Our Strategy Media Raising public awareness was a necessity Messaging: Speaker is choosing to punish poor kids now or deny them access to high-quality options later Parents We needed to mobilize parents whose kids stood to lose Picking the noble fight allowed us to reach other parents

7 Raising Awareness Legislators Unfairly Seek to Hobble Charter Schools, The San Jose Mercury-News Double Whammy: Democrats Strike Again at Charter Schools, The San Diego Union-Tribune Dan Walters: Trailer Bill Syndrome Goes Wild, The Sacramento Bee Bill Could Hinder Expansion of Charter Schools, The San Diego Union- Tribune Trailer Bill Objection, The Capitol Roundup Dan Walters: Budget Bill an Assault on Charters, The Sacramento Bee Bill Would Undermine Reform, The Oakland Tribune Budget Bill Would Undermine Reform, The Orange County Register Sneaky Legislators, Center for Education Reform s Newswire Sacramento s Poison Pill, L.A. Weekly Bill an Assault on Charter Schools, The Argus Tighter Rules for Charter Schools? The Los Angeles Daily News

8 Mobilizing Parents Charter schools mobilized 700 parents and educators HUNDREDS OF PARENTS GATHER TO PROTEST SPEAKER NUÑEZ S BUDGET CUTS AFFECTING CA S NEEDIEST Budget Cuts Affect Charter Schools Serving Poor, Minority Students Los Angeles, CA -- Hundreds of parents and representatives from area charter schools will gather Thursday morning in L.A. to protest state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez s proposed efforts to cut an $18 million state program from the current budget that has provided facilities assistance to charter schools that serve high-poverty students. Because of this program, the number of inner-city charter schools targeting high-poverty students has tripled in five years. Speaker Nuñez s proposed cuts will affect over 60 charter schools in L.A. County alone, including 12 in his Assembly District.

10 What Worked Media strategy and parent engagement worked Legislature can withstand negative press or parents voices, but not both 700 parents joined in protest 1,000 + letters faxed into Speaker s offices 10 media-trained parents and educators 40 + positive news impressions 15 million people heard parents voices and charters positive influence

13 Editorial: Embarrassed, California legislators give in on charter school aid Mercury News Editorial We're happy to report that Downtown College Prep will get $72,000 in state aid for its rent after all. Also getting what they had been counting on: the San Jose Conservation Corps Charter ($107,000) and Escuela Popular ($159,000). For two months, they and more than 150 other charter schools serving low-income students were held hostage in a plot cooked up by anti-charter forces - the state teachers union and the school boards association - in cahoots with Democratic leaders. But the bright light of public exposure, combined with a protest by 700 Hispanic and African-American parents of charter school students outside the Los Angeles office of Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, stopped the scheme in its tracks. Last week, members of the Senate and the Assembly voted unanimously to finally free up $18 million in rent subsidies for charter schools in urban areas.

14 Governor Signs $18 Million Legislation for Charter Schools, Channel 10 News

15 Conclusion Governor, reform advocates, parents must be vigilant Governor signs bill into law saving $18 million program Independent authorizer provision saved Parents further invested through victory Thousands of other parents reached through campaign

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