Skip to content

Popular

Categories

No Results Found

View All Results
  • Home
  • About
  • Awards
  • Awardees
  • Media
Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Awards
  • Awardees
  • Media

The 2022 Election Is About Power And Parents Are Driving It

  • November 6, 2022

Education has its day in the sun.
Nats1

Parents rally for education freedom at Nationals Park.
CER

It’s hard to imagine but in less than 48 hours, much of the nation’s leadership will switch. Again. Not only is there the typical, predictable, mid-term change that many presidential administrations have to contend with, but there’s an issue undergoing a resurgence that may just change the course of state policy for decades to come – education.

It was unexpected and normally not at the forefront of voter interests – but it is now. The convergence of the detrimental impact of the school closures in the pandemic, coupled with the unprecedented, record drop in student scores on the Nation’s Report Card, and the fact that cultural and social issues are taking priority for school officials is driving more people to demand change. But the change is not just in how schools are run and operated – it’s in how parents and guardians engage. In short, this election is likely to be a commentary on parent power as much as it is on the economy.

The movement to give parents the freedom to choose the education of their choice for their own students has reached critical mass. No longer is it a question of whether parents should have an alternative to the public school their children are directed to attend – for most parents, the only place states will allow their tax dollars to be spent. Today’s debate is more fundamental. Candidates are now making the case for parents that money which is allocated for their child’s education should be in their control. Parents want not the pre-pandemic approach to schooling, but 21st century versions of education that are tailored to student needs offering a variety of approaches to help ensure kids get well educated.

In seven of the most interesting states to watch this Tuesday, not only are some candidates making education freedom one of their top three central issues to garner support, but it’s uniquely bi-partisan – as it should be.

Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee Josh Shapiro’s calls for “adding choices for parents and educational opportunity for students and funding lifeline scholarships like those approved in other states and introduced in Pennsylvania,” language that was previously absent on his initiatives for education. Both he and Republican Candidate State Senator Mastriano have voiced their support for lifeline scholarships that would give parents who live in districts in the bottom 15% of state performance metrics the ability to choose an alternative academic setting that meets their child’s individual learning needs.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker also seems to have done a reversal of his prior opposition to the state’s education choice program in a new candidate survey where he answered “yes” to, “do you support Illinois’ tax credit scholarship that provides financial support for students to attend private and parochial schools?” The program helps 7,600 low-income students attend a private school of their choice, but 26,000 more were on the waiting list hoping the program would expand. With declining Chicago public school enrollment, record teacher strikes and rapidly declining student achievement, Pritzer may have realized the need to be parents higher on his priority list.

In Oregon, where Democrats haven’t lost a governor’s race in four decades, Republican Christine Drazan, with her focus on parents rights, education choice and transparency appears to be leading over Democratic nominee Tina Kotek heading into the election. “We have chronic low-performing schools and parents need to be able to put their students in the best school that meets their needs,” she said, whereas Kotek says “I oppose any effort to undermine public schools by providing taxpayer dollars to private schools in the name of ‘school choice.’”

Education choice is also on the ballot in Wisconsin, whose pioneering education choice programs have been stymied by union-backed Democrats for several years.

Screen Shot 2022-11-06 at 8.14.43 PM

Candidate for Georgia Superintendent Alisha Thomas Searcy and prominent education choice advocates.
Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools

Incumbent Gov. Tony Evers has been a veto force in a state assembly long dominated by choice advocates, fighting expansion of parental choice programs throughout his tenure. Republican challenger Tim Michels’ would build upon Wisconsin’s four existing choice programs. “Milwaukee choice students are more likely to graduate from high school and are less likely to be involved in crime,” he said.

Another battleground state where champions of choice have a real shot at flipping their fates is Nevada. Polls show pro-education choice Republican candidate Joe Lombardo, who stresses that a student’s zip code shouldn’t determine the quality of their education, is polling ahead of Governor Steve Sisolak in the gubernatorial race. “To ensure every child has access to the best education possible, Joe will implement school choice initiatives that empower Nevada families.”

In contrast, Sisolak says that the state “cannot afford to have school choice right now.”

Then there’s Arizona where Trump-backed Republican candidate Kari Lake faces Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s Democratic secretary of state, in the general election. While Lake’s candidacy, backed by Donald Trump, is a source of friction in the Republican Party, Arizona’s path-breaking Empowerment Scholarship Accounts is the thorn of the education unions and strongly opposed by Hobbs who also wants to curtail public charter school freedoms.

Finally, in Georgia, while education empowerment is not at the top of the list of voters in the rematch for governor between Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams and Republican Governor Brian Kemp, it’s the top issue for the Democratic nominee for Georgia school superintendent. Alisha Thomas Searcy has long been an advocate for school choice legislation, especially during her 12 years as a state legislator. Despite sharing the same political party and race, Abrams, who is backed by the teachers union, has been silent about Searcy’s candidacy.

map-163635_640

Tuesday’s election may change the outcome for education across the nation.
C. Wright.

What Does it All Mean?

The outcomes of gubernatorial races impact state policy and national trends. States that adopt education reforms are a bellwether for others. Despite the divisive debates and partisan bickering that makes headlines, parents simply want to elect people who are going to give them the power to direct the education of their own families. They may just get it, this election.

Remember, you are doing the work of civilization.

You are planting the seeds of a better world, despite any bad news, you’re doing great things.

Steve Forbes
Editor-in-Chief,
Forbes Media

We often jump to the what, without thinking with the community about the why.

Michael B. Horn
Author,
From Reopen to Reinvent

I'm deeply humbled and grateful to be part of this group.

The last month has been a tremendous experience and I'm so inspired and motivated by the amazing work this group is doing. Collectively, we’re working towards a real-world goal and it’s leaving me empowered and motivated to apply what we learn.

Jeffrey Imrich
Co-Founder,
Rock by Rock

The fact that education has become partisan is upsetting, and I just hope that this award will encourage more states to view this as a bipartisan issue.

Janine Yass
Founder,
The Yass Prize

If you get to the accelerator after the application process, go in knowing you already won.

The fact that you are now with a group of your peers you really get to see how world class the education profession is.

Christopher Simmonds
Principal,
CARE Elementary School

I hope you all think about the fact that the impact you are having, you will never even know how widespread it is.

That’s the beauty of education, you impact lives in such a deep way.

Alyssa Farah Griffin
Co-Host on The View and CNN Political Commentator,

You are in a moment in history that we have never seen before.

Any of us with a disruptive idea have a shot at trying to prove something.

Randall Lane
Chief Content Officer,
Forbes Media

We realized long ago that there’s a lot of money in the system, and it’s just not directed to the children.

Janine Yass
Founder,
The Yass Prize

Entrepreneurs are people who teach us about needs we don’t know we need.

This is the fundamental basis of what we are doing.

Carl Schramm
University Professor,
Syracuse University

The pandemic didn’t stop our families, scholars and educators from learning, growing and thriving.

Patricia Brantley
CEO,
Friendship Public Charter School

What has been created here at the accelerator is truly incredible.

We may never know how pivotal this really is for education in America right here, right now. This group of people will work together to force real change permissionlessly.

Rob Blevins
Executive Director,
Discovery Center of Springfield

What is good for families is good for the school because families want great schools.

Ceci Schickel
Senior Director of Organizing and Advocacy,
Mastery Charter School

I am still processing the magnitude of this experience and so grateful for meeting each and everyone of you.

I look forward to continuing our transformative work in our communities and together.

Taylor Shead
Board Member,
Dallas Education Foundation

We may not agree on much of anything, but one thing that is a uniting force that we all agree on is that education opens doors, it’s the great equalizer.

Alyssa Farah Griffin
Co-Host on The View and CNN Political Commentator,

We see the Pulitzer prizes, we see the MacArthur Genius Grants, we see the Pritzker prize for architecture.

But for the one field that drives everything, education, there is no definitive prize. The Yass Prize has filled that vacuum -- it's more than just the money. It's about spurring ideas, it's about spurring innovation. We are very very proud to be a part of it.

Randall Lane
Editor,
Forbes

The real source of wealth in society is the human mind, not material things, because with the human mind, great wealth can be created.

Steve Forbes
Editor-in-Chief,
Forbes Media

When you are trying to advance and think beyond the status quo, this can be a lonely place, because our systems are structured to do the same thing.

It is important to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who foster innovation.

Phyllis Lockett
CEO,
LEAP Innovations

Unfortunately, the bureaucracy that’s behind the school system is more interested in perpetuating jobs and keeping the system in place, rather than giving children the freedom they deserve.

Janine Yass
Founder,
The Yass Prize

Success happens after many pivots and changes.

Michael Moe
Founder and CEO,
Global Silicon Valley

Connect with us

Stay informed about our latest news and sign up for our emails below! For questions or comments, use the Contact Us box. We’ll be in touch!
Contact Us
Stay Informed
  • Home
  • About
  • Awards
  • Awardees
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Home
  • About
  • Awards
  • Awardees
  • Media
  • Careers
Facebook Twitter Linkedin
© 2022, Yass Foundation for Education, all rights reserved.

Connect With Us

We would love to hear from you! Please fill out this form and we will get in touch with you shortly.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*

* Required

Questions?

Email us at info@yassprize.org or call us at 202-750-0016.

Stay Informed

"*" indicates required fields

Name*