State Budget Agreement Reached — Wins for Education & Racial Equity
As the 2019-2020 school year wraps up, we are seeing students graduating virtually because of COVID-19 and taking to the streets in support of the movement for Black lives. We are seeing Black youth are on the frontlines leading the way and organizing for change. This moment of crisis calls on us to double down…
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California Budget Action Alert!
California is deciding on our budget soon! The California State Legislature will be voting on our state’s budget in the next two weeks. Because of COVID-19, we’re facing some large budget cuts when it comes to education, BUT there’s an opportunity to win some key pieces in the budget and actually leave many school districts…
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Major Milestone Update On Schools & Communities First
Having bleak budget blues? Here’s some good news: Californians are about Schools and Communities First. Earlier this month, the Schools and Communities First coalition submitted 1.7 million signatures of support. The most signatures ever submitted for a ballot measure in California history. Those numbers continue to speak for themselves, as we enter a pandemic recession. …
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It will take all of us to secure school funding victories in November
The results from California’s primary are in and we have no more time to lose. Proposition 13, the only statewide school funding initiative on the primary ballot, looks unlikely to pass. The bond measure would raise $15 billion for much-needed school facilities upgrades and repairs at campuses across California. But where this one failed to…
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100+ Powerful Black Leaders for Schools & Communities First
Californians for Justice is proud to have our Strategy Director Saa’un P. Bell included on this list of 100 powerful Black Leaders in support of the Schools and Communities First initiative! We know that to have a truly prosperous future for California, we must deeply invest in Black students and families. The Schools &Communities First…
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4 Things That Will Change Education in 2020
Update: this post was updated on 1/17 with the first official poll for Schools & Communities First. Three years deep into a Trump presidency, we are ready for change. Without a doubt, November 2020 will be our most significant election in two decades. It will be a Democracy lesson we will never forget. It’s up…
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The Magic of 2019: Top 4 CFJ Highlights
Public schools are the heart of our communities. That’s the core belief that led us through the good, the bad and the everyday moments of 2019. From lessons learned to shared victories, we couldn’t have done it without our students, staff and community leading together to build a brighter future for California. To celebrate that…
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Text Thread W/ Deshae Lee: Featuring the Students of CFJ
This week, we spoke with Deshae Lee, a student activist in Fresno, CA. Deshae joined Californians For Justice 1 year ago as an incoming high school senior, and is already a central leader within our organization. Every week Deshae is in our Fresno office, setting up meetings with school officials, preparing to speak on behalf…
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Celebrating 5 Years of The Incredible Journey of The Student Voice Campaign
A legacy in the making turns 5 today— the Student Voice Campaign. Five years ago, the Student Voice Campaign transformed the perception and role of students as “essential” stakeholders in local decision-making processes in California’s public schools giving a voice to 4.5 million students. Today Californians for Justice celebrates an incredible historic victory in the…
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