The Opportunity Each Student Deserves
Good Morning,
Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! In this August edition of the League’s MOVE, I want to thank you for everything you and your communities do to launch a positive, healthy, and successful school year. We see and appreciate all of you and the tremendous efforts of your staff, boards, families, and students. Let’s make this year an incredible one for the 135,000 young people we collectively serve across the public charter ecosystem in our state.
Last Friday, University Prep, the organization I have the privilege of leading, welcomed a new school into our space with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at our network’s 3rd campus. It’s a school three years in the making, co-designed by unwavering parent leaders who wanted a new choice in their community. They want what we all want for our own children and the children we serve an excellent education that meets their needs and honors their voices. They want a school that provides them with an education that sets their young people up for limitless future opportunities.
Consider the words of the founding parents in a letter they crafted when initially submitting our charter application in 2021: “The addition of this proposed new school would be a beautiful step towards ensuring all families have the schools they want and need as options right here in our backyard.”
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
As the league’s leadership and board crafted its latest Strategic Plan, this core concept of opportunity—the opportunity for parent voice and parent choice—was front and center. Dan and the team will touch on that plan more throughout the year. Still, one of the standout items within it is our dedication to providing opportunities for students and families throughout the state, especially in areas where there simply isn’t enough choice to meet the wants and needs of the community.
On Monday, our new school officially opened with the Class of 2042, current preschoolers who will graduate from college in 18 years. Alongside families, we have created an educational opportunity to transform future lives. Our schools, across the incredibly diverse and robust charter sector, transform lives and provide choices to families who want and need something that works for them. Together, at our 265 schools, we represent the continuation of a movement that started more than 30 years ago – a movement that holds opportunity at its core – opportunity for children.
OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE LEAGUE
Each year, the League works to better our charter school environment so that we can do mission-critical work with students. As we saw last year, the opportunity to better our sector is sometimes tied to finances. Sometimes, it is defensive, as bills are fought back. And sometimes, we push forward on the offense, as we’ve done over many years to fight for and win CSI equalization funding. This year will be no different, except that the stakes continue to rise.
Politics are getting more challenging, our bi-partisan nature and support are being stretched and tested in new ways, and our pro-charter governor will be termed out in only two years.
By necessity, the League is increasing its efforts in this arena. Through engaging more directly with each school leader in the state, ramping up staffing in its legislative and advocacy work (see article below), creating regional meetings for you to connect with each other and with League staff, and hosting major events, the League is getting ready for another great year of driving this critical work of strengthening our ecosystem despite all the obstacles.
Perhaps most importantly, we are beginning our efforts to prepare for the upcoming legislative session. If you have feedback or thoughts, please send them to Dan, Prateek, or me. You will also be prompted to provide your input throughout the fall.
SCHOOLS BELONG TO THE CHILDREN & FAMILIES THEY SERVE
When we cut the ribbon last Friday, one of the rallying cries from a long-time U Prep parent and champion, Charlene Nunez, was that “the school belongs to the families and students it serves.” We all carry this notion – across the public charter school ecosystem – our schools exist for the families and students they serve. Those stakeholders are the ones who matter most and the ones who drive our decisions.
As we all engage in shared efforts this year tied to policy, legislation, advocacy, and school funding, all with the intent of increasing opportunities for families and children, let’s stay grounded in Charlene’s core idea.
Welcome again to the 2024-25 school year. I hope it holds as much joy, promise, excitement, and opportunity for you as I feel it does for me. I look forward to seeing you at our major events, town halls, and throughout the year as our paths cross. Thank you again for all you do for the communities you serve and represent.
Sincerely,
David Singer, League Board Chair
Executive Director, University Prep
