Dear Education Advocates:
Welcome to the May 2014 edition of LEARN! As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Educationand the tremendous strides we have made to improve opportunities for Latino children, we are acutely aware that our accomplishments are overshadowed by the opportunity and equity gaps that stubbornly persist six decades later. It is no wonder, then, to see two distinct speeches addressing one common theme: action, or more appropriately, the lack thereof. New York State Education Commissioner John King asked “Why are we silent?” while U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asked “Where is the outrage?”
 As I think about these questions and reflect on the Supreme Court’s landmark decision, I am reminded of my own educational experiences and the hopes of my family. My parents came to this country in the late-1950s to mid-1960s at the height of the civil rights movement. They knew nothing of the struggles taking place in Birmingham and Delano. All they knew is what they heard: that the U.S. is a land of opportunity, where any person willing to work hard can achieve his or her every dream. And in many ways what they heard bore truth; whereas my mother was never able to go to school in her country, my two brothers and I were duly educated by California’s system of public education. But I knew, and I saw, that inequalities existed. Students were sorted, and I was among the lucky few who were tracked to go to college. Potential was identified in me and nurtured. Was I smarter than my brothers? Was I more deserving than my classmates? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but I am uneasy about the conclusions I’ve drawn.
We hold on to the fundamental belief that education is capable of changing lives—my parents believed it when they came to this country, and I continue to believe it today. Yet I am all too aware that our society’s values of equality do not always translate into equitable action. The legacy of Brown does not rest solely on the decree that segregation is unlawful, but in the proclamation that all of our children deserve an equal opportunity to cultivate their talents and capitalize on their potential. Such is why our commitment to equal access to rigorous standards, high-quality curricula and instruction, and pathways to college and careers is steadfast. Such is why our demand for accountability is paramount—it is not enough to have equity of access, but rather we must ensure that our children have equity of outcomes.
I applaud Commissioner King and Secretary Duncan for asking the tough questions, but I do not believe we are silent, nor do I believe we are less than outraged. Our community is united in its belief that all of our children are capable of greatness, yet we recognize that policies and practices have not always served our children’s best interests. Our work in policy, programs, and advocacy across the states is shining a very bright light on the disparities affecting our community and making it abundantly clear that we are not satisfied by the status quo. The courage of our convictions prompts us to action, and for that I applaud your contributions that uphold the legacy of Brown.
Sincerely,
Leticia Bustillos
Director, Education Policy Project
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NCLR Co-Hosts Conference on ELL Student Success
 On May 5–7, NCLR, The Hunt Institute, and the Southern Regional Education Board co-hosted a conference in Atlanta, Georgia, to highlight the need to prepare English language learner (ELL) students for success in college and careers. The conference, dubbed “Readiness Matters: State Collaboration for Success,” shared 19 state-by-state reports that focused on standards, assessments, ELLs, population trends, and state and federal policies.
Please email learn@nclr.org for presentation materials.
NCLR Collaborates with Leading Civil Rights Groups on Historic Anniversary
NCLR collaborated with eight leading national civil rights organizations to put out a joint statement commemorating the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education and showing their commitment to the Common Core State Standards and their equitable implementation, which would provide greater opportunities for all children. In addition to the joint statement, the group put out an ad in the New York Times.
On May 19, NCLR, the National Urban League, and the Center for American Progress released a fact sheet on the opportunities that the Common Core State Standards provide to improve educational equity. It highlights current educational gaps of traditionally underserved student groups and promotes the standards’ promise to close those gaps.
NCLR Celebrates Major Education Milestones
Over the past month NCLR has celebrated some major milestones and festivities that align with education and the Common Core, including the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Mother’s Day, and El Día de Los Niños, with blog posts on these subjects.
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Senate Moves Forward on Early Childhood Bill
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) approved the “Strong Start for America’s Children Act” by a partisan vote of 12–10. The bill is Chairman Tom Harkin’s (D–IA) version of the president’s proposed state prekindergarten proposal, which includes access to preschool for four-year-olds. The bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
Administration Releases Civil Rights Guidance
On May 8, the U.S. Department of Education along with the Department of Justice released a new guidance letter related to Plyer v. Doe to ensure that schools are enrolling all students, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. This guidance aims to ensure that undocumented immigrant students receive the education they are entitled to; denying education to students because of their immigration status violates federal law.
Additionally, on May 14, the U.S. Department of Education released guidance which states that charter schools must follow the same federal civil rights laws that apply to all other public schools, including provisions related to discrimination in admissions, the administration of discipline, serving students with disabilities, and providing support to ELLs. NCLR believes that this guidance is critical to ensuring that all students have access to a quality education.
House Passes Bipartisan Education Bills
 In the last edition of LEARN we informed you that the House Committee on Education and the Workforce had marked up and passed two education bills, the “Strengthening Education through Research Act” (H.R. 4366) and the “Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act” (H.R. 10). Since then, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 10 by a vote of 360–45 and passed H.R. 4366 by a voice vote. These bills now await Senate action to be fully considered by Congress and the president.
Senate Introduces Charter School Bill
A bipartisan group of members of the Senate HELP Committee, including Sen. Lamar Alexander (R–TN), Sen. Mark Kirk (R–IL), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D–LA), and Sen. Michael Bennet (D–CO), introduced the “Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act,” which would make changes to the federal Charter Schools Program. NCLR is pleased that the Senate has taken up this important issue and hopes it will make it onto the president’s desk.
Senate Hearings Focus on Higher Education
The Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on Tuesday, May 13, on “Strengthening Minority Serving Institutions: Best Practices and Innovations for Student Success.” The hearing included efforts to improve the number of underrepresented categories of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; the importance of partnerships between minority-serving institutions (MSIs), K–12 schools, community colleges, and private investors; and the challenges MSIs face regarding student access to federal financial aid programs. Most recently, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on Thursday, May 22, on “Examining Access and Supports for Servicemembers and Veterans in Higher Education.” The webcast and testimonies for the hearings can be found here and here.
More Changes in House Education and the Workforce Committee
George Miller (D–CA), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, announced new Democratic leaders for several subcommittees. Rep. John Tierney (D–MA) will be Ranking Member of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee, and Rep. Dave Loebsack (D–IA) will be Ranking Member of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee. Additionally, Rep. Tom Petri (R–WI), the second-highest-ranking majority member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, announced that he will not seek reelection this fall.
White House Releases Reports on Sexual Assault Data and Privacy
 The White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault issued its first report, which encourages colleges to conduct annual “climate surveys” to gauge the prevalence of sexual assaults and students’ knowledge of and attitudes on rape. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education released policy guidance on Title IX and sexual violence, as well as a list of higher education institutionswith open Title IX sexual violence investigations.
The White House released a report on data and privacy titled Big Data: Seizing Opportunities, Preserving Values. Among other findings and recommendations, the report highlighted the need to ensure that individual student data can be used for educational purposes but that privacy of these data must be maintained and protected.
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NCLR’s Common Core Webinar on California
 On May 20, NCLR held the webinar “California: Common Core State Standards and Its Impact on the Latino Community.” It is the first webinar in a series highlighting NCLR’s “Step Up, Step In” Common Core campaign. The presentation, given by Pedro Silva from NCLR, Jan Gustafson-Corea, Executive Director of the California Association of Bilingual Education, and Shelly Spiegel-Coleman, Executive Director of Californians Together, provided an overview of the Common Core State Standards and addressed concerns on implementation and the expected impact on schools, students (specifically ELLs), and families.
Please email learn@nclr.org for presentation materials.
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