Every child deserves a future filled with opportunity.
We’re reshaping public education in California by changing state policy so that children from low-income communities receive high-quality educations.
The Challenge
Two Unequal Californias
The quality of education should not depend upon which district the parents of the children happen to live. Every child in the state ought to have guaranteed an adequate educational program. And it’s the state’s responsibility to see that it’s done.Wilson Riles, 23rd California State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the first Black person elected to statewide office in California
We believe every child has the right to a high-quality education that prepares them for future college and career opportunities, but the unfortunate reality is that ZIP code and income still define educational opportunity in California.
This perpetuates deep inequities in our current education system for the over 3.5 million students from low-income communities in California. On every meaningful measure of performance and readiness, children from low-income communities–who are disproportionately Black and Latino–fare far worse than their higher-income peers.
This is not a matter of ability, it’s a matter of access to early education, quality teachers, rigorous courses, early literacy and numeracy support, and supplemental supports–including enrichment activities, afterschool programs, and technology–as well as greater stability of their basic needs such as food, safety, and shelter.
As the 4th largest economy in the world, it is unacceptable that California isn’t prioritizing scalable solutions and adequate resources to solve this educational crisis.
This is not only an educational equity issue–it is a social, racial, and economic justice issue.
California’s Current State of Educational Inequities
Overall State ELA Proficiency Rates
Overall State Math Proficiency Rates
College-Ready Rates Upon HS Graduation
61% of Students are from Low-Income Communities
*% meeting state standards based on 2022-23 California CAASPP scores; % graduating college ready is the four-year cohort graduation rate of students meeting the UC/CSU requirements
The Solution
Building Political Will
The only way to transform our public education system at scale is if elected leaders make a number of changes, big and small, to state education policy in California. This is because key decisions around school funding, curriculum, credentialing, staffing, school structure, accountability, and more are all made at this level.
The political will of elected officials, however, is often predicated upon special interest groups actively influencing elected officials to prioritize their cause. Planned Parenthood protects reproductive rights. Sierra Club stands for environmental justice. And the ACLU defends civil liberties.
But there has been no advocacy organization pushing for California’s leaders to pass legislation and regulations that will have the greatest impact on lifting up academic successes for children from low-income communities, until now.
EdVoice is reshaping public education to meet the needs of all students by:
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Directly influencing California’s elected leaders to prioritize and support children from low-income communities by partnering with lobbyists, coalition members, and grassroots advocates on informational communications campaigns and outreach.
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Driving–or defending against–policy changes that will have the greatest impact on educational equity.
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Giving strategic political funding through the EdVoice for the Kids PAC to leaders and organizations who will prioritize children from low-income communities.
With proper implementation and accountability at the local level, policy can pave a long-lasting path toward educational equity.
EdVoice Sponsors Early Literacy Reform Bill
We are proud to sponsor Assemblymember Rubio's legislation (AB 2222) requiring evidence-based approaches to early literacy instruction that will address the academic and opportunity gaps of students from low-income communities.
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