Nellie Mae Education Foundation

The Administration’s attempt to dismantle the Department of Education will gut protections for millions of students, families and educators. We’re proud to stand with partners like the Education Law Center, who are taking this fight to court to defend students across New England and beyond. ?? What’s at stake in this fight? ?? Protections for students with disabilities ?? ?? Civil rights enforcement in schools ?? ?? Federal funding for public schools and educators ?? Congress created the Department— It can’t be shut down by executive authorization. We’re proud to support this fight.

We as Americans, parents, concerned adults, and invested community members must continue to demand what we deserve from the federal government: a national public education system that equitably affords supplemental and complementary federal resources to?states, the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the states, the private sector, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of education, as outlined in the mission of the U.S. Department of Education. That’s what’s been promised, but it still hasn’t been delivered. The dismantling of the Department of Education doesn’t change that we still deserve all the things that Congress called out as necessary in its creation to best serve the children of America. Familiarize yourselves with the original mission and focus. Its original cause for existence is just as important, if not more so, in today’s global economy. We still must deliver on the original intent “to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.” We are calling in our partners in this Administration and Congress to deliver on these promises and these commitments so that every child has access to an excellent public education that prepares them to thrive.

Dismantling the Department of Education ignores the needs of the students, educators, parents, and communities who rely on it to supplement and complement local efforts. Without it, there will be students and teachers whose needs will not be met and educational funding and standards could vary even more widely across the region, exacerbating the unequal access to opportunities that we already know exists.

Our students deserve an education that provides them with the resources, support, and opportunities they uniquely need to thrive in school and beyond.? Making that a reality requires thoughtful investments and strategic resourcing to states, local school systems, and community-based organizations to ensure each and every child’s needs are met. The U.S. Department of Education has a clear and stated mission aligned with that vision: ???? ?????????????? ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????????????????????????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????????????????????? ???????????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????????? ????????????. There’s so much more to be done to fulfill that mandate, but dismantling the Department of Education ignores the needs of the students, educators, parents, and communities who rely on it to supplement and complement local efforts. Without it, there will be students and teachers whose needs will not be met and educational funding and standards could vary even more widely across the region, exacerbating the unequal access to opportunities that we already know exists.? ? In Maine, 21% of students receive special education services that are supported by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. That’s one of the highest percentages in the country. Without oversight, students are ?????? ???????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????????????, ????????????????????, ?????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ??????????????.? ? Across the region, over 170,000 ?????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????????? ?????????????? ?????????????????????? with requirements for providing appropriate language assistance services and support.? ? While Massachusetts and Connecticut both scored at the top of the Nation's Report Card, there are huge achievement gaps when you look at both race and income, due to unequal resourcing and opportunity. Hispanic 4th graders in both states have the largest gap with white students of any state. ?????????????? ?????? ?????????????????? ????????, ??????????????????, ???? ????????????????????????????, ????’?? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????????????? ???? ?????? ????????????????. Meaningful solutions do lie in the power of our communities, but we can’t leave them without the necessary supports. Our kids, states, and local districts deserve federal resourcing that ensures access to equal opportunities for every individual, supports the research and information sharing that elevates best practices of what’s working and why, and increases accountability to the very students and communities they’re meant to serve.

?? We're Looking for Two Portfolio Leads! ?? The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is on the hunt for two Portfolio Leads to help us drive transformative change in K-12 education across New England. These new roles are a unique opportunity to lead initiatives focused on Strengthening Coalitions and Fieldbuilding and Policy Reform in the K-12 space--two critical workstreams that will shape the future of public education. Ideal candidates will have: -Deep experience in K-12 policy, community organizing, government relations, philanthropy, or youth development? -Passion for racial equity, education justice, and community-driven change -A proven track record in policy engagement, coalition-building, and the ability to navigate complex policy environments at the local, state, and regional levels If you or someone you know fits this description, please encourage them to apply. Let’s continue to create opportunities for every young person in New England! Senior Portfolio Lead, K-12 Coalitions, Partnerships, Movement Building: https://lnkd.in/exxg7Tuq Senior Portfolio Lead, K-12 Fieldbuilding and Policy Transformation: https://lnkd.in/efy3aA88

?? We're Hiring! ?? We believe every child deserves access to an education that challenges them, affirms their identity, and prepares them to thrive in school, community, and career. Making that vision a reality requires visionary leaders who? believe in the power of community solutions and innovation to create a public education system that lives up to its promise for each and every student. If that sounds like you, keep reading. The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is hiring two Portfolio Leads who will play a key role in advancing transformative change in K-12 education across New England. These strategists will work at the intersection of philanthropy, policy, and systemic innovation with deep expertise in supporting systems change, building partnerships with policymakers, educators, and community partners, and advancing knowledge sharing. Senior Portfolio Lead, K-12 Coalitions, Partnerships, Movement Building: https://lnkd.in/exxg7Tuq Senior Portfolio Lead, K-12 Fieldbuilding and Policy Transformation: https://lnkd.in/efy3aA88

We’re gearing up to recruit two visionary Portfolio Leads who will play a key role in advancing transformative change in K-12 education across New England. These leaders will address systemic inequities, foster collaborative partnerships, advance knowledge-sharing, and cultivate strong partnerships with policymakers, educators, and community-based organizations. If you bring extensive experience in K-12 education policy, community organizing, government relations, philanthropy, or youth development, with a deep understanding of grantmaking, nonprofit leadership, and large-scale initiative management, we invite you to join us. We'll be sharing details and job postings soon, but in the meantime you can sign up to be one of the first to know once these roles are available : https://lnkd.in/ghqAFYP3.

An important message and helpful resources from our partners at Worcester Education Collaborative: https://lnkd.in/gzEt--Tw

Let's get to work, together.

Across the news landscape, much is being made about putting kids first when it comes to education. We wholeheartedly agree: yes, put kids first. Truly putting kids first means students of all backgrounds have the resources to learn, feel safe, and access the supports they uniquely need to thrive. Putting kids first means they have the freedom to pursue their dreams. Putting kids first means ensuring they have the opportunity to reach their full potential, with a high quality public education for all. Putting kids first means setting students up for success in the classroom and their careers. Making sure children have access to strong public schools is part of the American promise. A commitment to uphold those values should be the baseline. There are 55 million public school children in the country–everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs to entrepreneurs, presidents and innovators, most have attended America’s public schools. If our public education system went away tomorrow, we would all feel it. Remember when schools closed during COVID-19? Whether you had school-aged children or not, we all saw how critical public school?is to our daily lives.? Back then, only for a moment, we stopped taking this shared public good for granted. But today, some people boldly and publicly declare their desire to roll back protections for students and the transformative power of public education, especially for young people who are already least-well served by the current system. To be clear, cutting federal protections, funding, and programming would have devastating impacts on children and families across the nation. We know these national dynamics have particularly significant impact across New England:? -9.8 million students in rural schools who depend on federal support to bridge funding gaps -26 million students from low-income backgrounds in urban, rural, and suburban communities who rely on federal Title 1 funding to improve achievement -7.4 million students with disabilities served by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Every child deserves a high quality public education–one that recognizes their unique needs and provides them with the resources they need to thrive in life and career. Our families, communities, and futures depend on the quality of education we provide for our children. When we give public education the funding and attention it needs, it strengthens communities, making them a better place to live, raise a family, and even start a business. More must be done to protect and strengthen our public schools to ensure every child–regardless of their background– has access to an excellent education that prepares them to live a life of their choosing and thrive in community. But undermining public schools undermines our students and communities. It limits the ability of students to learn, feel safe in their community, and thrive.?