Stand for Children
Encyclopedia
Stand for Children is an American
organization that is an independent and non-partisan advocate for American
children's education. Founded in 1996 following the largest rally for children in American history, the non-profit helps organize and mobilize citizen activists who care about children to fight for real changes in public education. Since 1999, Stand members have affected policy reforms and leveraged over $3.5 billion in public funding for programs to impact the lives of nearly 3.9 million children. Over the years, Stand has shifted its focus from rallying for children’s issues to improving public education funding to changing the public education system. The organization is structured as both a 501(c)(4) grassroots advocacy organization called Stand for Children, as well as a 501(c)(3) leadership and training organization called Stand for Children Leadership Center.
, civil rights movement
icon, made a statement that challenged the people of nation to commit themselves to improving the lives of children, saying, "If I can sit down for justice, you can stand up for children." Two days later, the cover of Time Magazine featured a young girl’s face with the headline, “Who Speaks for Kids?,” and an article inside had an interview with long-time children’s activist Marian Wright Edelman
, the mother of Stand’s CEO and co-founder, Jonah Edelman
.
Following their work at the rally, Jonah Edelman and Eliza Leighton founded Stand for Children seeking to pursue ongoing advocacy for the nation’s children. The organization backed hundreds of rallies nationwide over the next two years, but realized that the types of systemic changes they sought weren’t coming to fruition. Today, Jonah Edelman is the CEO of Stand for Children, and Eliza Leighton is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stand for Children Leadership Center.
Edelman decided to study what other like-minded organizations were doing to accomplish more meaningful improvement in children’s lives, and thus put together a grassroots community organizing approach by opening affiliate offices in three states where he thought the situation was most dire, and he could make the most difference. Two of those states, Oregon and Tennessee, are still home to Stand offices, and Portland, Oregon is the seat of Stand’s headquarters, where Edelman moved in 1999 so that he could start working on the ground. At the start, the ways in which the organization sought to help children were sweeping in scope, while victories were very localized. Over time, Stand grew in the direction of focusing on statewide issues—particularly public education funding, which seemed of highest concern to parents and other community members.
Since 1999, Stand members have seen over 100 state and local victories and leveraged billions of dollars in public funding that affect the lives of nearly 4 million children. After seeing successes in the effort to increase funding for public education, the organization decided to reassess its efforts. The organization saw that the problems it sought to solve couldn’t simply be dealt with from a financial angle but rather needed to be addressed with a vision for systemic change. Currently, Stand is in a strategic expansion phase, broadening its reach to states where it believes it can make the most significant difference for children at all levels of government.
, Colorado
, Indiana
, Illinois
, Massachusetts
, Oregon
, Tennessee
, Texas
and Washington, and has plans to expand to more states. They are supported by national offices in Portland, Oregon, and Boston, Massachusetts. While Stand for Children and Stand for Children Leadership Center are jointly led by CEO Jonah Edelman
, they have distinct goals and methods of execution aligned with the sections of the federal tax code under which they are each described. Stand for Children, which is described under section 501(c)(4) is the grassroots advocacy group that works on the ground to mobilize concerned citizen activists at the local and state level to convince elected officials and voters to pass lasting and necessary education reforms (and to convince voters to hold elected officials accountable if they don’t). Stand for Children Leadership Center is a section 501(c)(3) organization that trains ordinary people to be effective citizen leaders capable of solving problems facing children, both locally and statewide.
In 2011, Stand for Children was cited in Time Magazine for “delivering results and changing how politicians think about grassroots education reform.” This acclaim was attributed to their work to improve school funding in Oregon, teacher evaluations in Colorado, and teacher policy in Illinois.
The Performance Counts legislative agenda passed the IL Senate with a 59-0 vote on April 15th. The IL House passed SB 7 on May 12th by a vote of 112-1-1. Governor Pat Quinn signed it into law on June 13, 2011. It was introduced and passed as Senate Bill 7 after months of open negotiations with all stakeholders, including Advance Illinois, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Chicago Teacher’s Union, school management groups, Chicago Public Schools, and Stand for Children, and consensus was initially reached on Stand and Advance Illinois’ preferred reforms to teacher tenure, layoffs, and dismissal; principal discretion in hiring; and even on the contract negotiation process. Nevertheless, Stand for Children has come under criticism for Jonah Edelman's account of their generously financed campaign for SB 7 and their clever outmaneuvering of the Chicago Teachers Union as well as the Illinois Education Association.
Although a few people are upset about the process, the Chicago Tribune called Stand “a new force in Illinois politics.” In all, two Chicago newspapers published editorials in favor of Performance Counts. Some journalists questioned the $2.9 million raised by Stand for Children’s Illinois PAC due to the affiliate’s recent formation and fundraising in the months before a new Illinois law capped campaign contributions for individuals and corporations. Due to these factors, detractors question the organization’s grassroots support in the state.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
organization that is an independent and non-partisan advocate for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
children's education. Founded in 1996 following the largest rally for children in American history, the non-profit helps organize and mobilize citizen activists who care about children to fight for real changes in public education. Since 1999, Stand members have affected policy reforms and leveraged over $3.5 billion in public funding for programs to impact the lives of nearly 3.9 million children. Over the years, Stand has shifted its focus from rallying for children’s issues to improving public education funding to changing the public education system. The organization is structured as both a 501(c)(4) grassroots advocacy organization called Stand for Children, as well as a 501(c)(3) leadership and training organization called Stand for Children Leadership Center.
Mission
Stand for Children's mission is to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, graduate from high school prepared for, and with access to, a college education. To this end, they educate constituents, advocate for relevant policies and funding, monitor the implementation of policies and funding, and elect leaders aligned with their priorities.Core values
In order to execute Stand’s strategic goals, they structure their efforts on 5 core values:- Results for All Children — Every single child matters; and children’s lives and futures are being shaped right now. That’s why the goal is to maximize every day, every dollar, and every person involved in Stand for Children to create a just society where all children get the excellent education and support they need to thrive.
- Bold Independence — In a political arena dominated by parties and adult-focused special interest groups, Stand is non-partisan and child-focused. The organization fearlessly challenges the status quo in pursuit of solutions that help children thrive.
- Empowering, Entrepreneurial Leadership — Stand is relentless in its drive to empower its volunteers and staff, and the organization continually pushes itself to innovate and improve in order to accomplish more and more for children who urgently need help.
- Being the Change We Seek — Active participation makes Stand’s member-driven organization work, and enables them to make democracy work for children.
- Direct and Respectful Communication — Stand communicates directly and with respect at all times, which enables the people involved to be transparent, foster learning, and create long-lasting, accountable relationships.
History
On June 1, 1996, over 300,000 people rallied in Washington, DC for “Stand for Children Day” at the Lincoln Memorial. This event was the largest demonstration for children in US history, and it also sent a clear message about how strongly Americans felt about improving the lives of children across the country. Rosa ParksRosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African-American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress called "the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement"....
, civil rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
icon, made a statement that challenged the people of nation to commit themselves to improving the lives of children, saying, "If I can sit down for justice, you can stand up for children." Two days later, the cover of Time Magazine featured a young girl’s face with the headline, “Who Speaks for Kids?,” and an article inside had an interview with long-time children’s activist Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman is an American activist for the rights of children. She is president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.-Early years:...
, the mother of Stand’s CEO and co-founder, Jonah Edelman
Jonah Edelman
Jonah Martin Edelman is an American advocate for public education. He is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stand for Children, a national American education advocacy organization based in Portland, Oregon and Waltham, Massachusetts, with affiliates in nine states...
.
Following their work at the rally, Jonah Edelman and Eliza Leighton founded Stand for Children seeking to pursue ongoing advocacy for the nation’s children. The organization backed hundreds of rallies nationwide over the next two years, but realized that the types of systemic changes they sought weren’t coming to fruition. Today, Jonah Edelman is the CEO of Stand for Children, and Eliza Leighton is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stand for Children Leadership Center.
Edelman decided to study what other like-minded organizations were doing to accomplish more meaningful improvement in children’s lives, and thus put together a grassroots community organizing approach by opening affiliate offices in three states where he thought the situation was most dire, and he could make the most difference. Two of those states, Oregon and Tennessee, are still home to Stand offices, and Portland, Oregon is the seat of Stand’s headquarters, where Edelman moved in 1999 so that he could start working on the ground. At the start, the ways in which the organization sought to help children were sweeping in scope, while victories were very localized. Over time, Stand grew in the direction of focusing on statewide issues—particularly public education funding, which seemed of highest concern to parents and other community members.
Since 1999, Stand members have seen over 100 state and local victories and leveraged billions of dollars in public funding that affect the lives of nearly 4 million children. After seeing successes in the effort to increase funding for public education, the organization decided to reassess its efforts. The organization saw that the problems it sought to solve couldn’t simply be dealt with from a financial angle but rather needed to be addressed with a vision for systemic change. Currently, Stand is in a strategic expansion phase, broadening its reach to states where it believes it can make the most significant difference for children at all levels of government.
Affiliate Offices
Currently, Stand for Children has nine state affiliates: ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Washington, and has plans to expand to more states. They are supported by national offices in Portland, Oregon, and Boston, Massachusetts. While Stand for Children and Stand for Children Leadership Center are jointly led by CEO Jonah Edelman
Jonah Edelman
Jonah Martin Edelman is an American advocate for public education. He is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stand for Children, a national American education advocacy organization based in Portland, Oregon and Waltham, Massachusetts, with affiliates in nine states...
, they have distinct goals and methods of execution aligned with the sections of the federal tax code under which they are each described. Stand for Children, which is described under section 501(c)(4) is the grassroots advocacy group that works on the ground to mobilize concerned citizen activists at the local and state level to convince elected officials and voters to pass lasting and necessary education reforms (and to convince voters to hold elected officials accountable if they don’t). Stand for Children Leadership Center is a section 501(c)(3) organization that trains ordinary people to be effective citizen leaders capable of solving problems facing children, both locally and statewide.
In 2011, Stand for Children was cited in Time Magazine for “delivering results and changing how politicians think about grassroots education reform.” This acclaim was attributed to their work to improve school funding in Oregon, teacher evaluations in Colorado, and teacher policy in Illinois.
Criticism
Stand for Children’s Illinois office attracted the attention of political commentators in the state for both their historically record-breaking Fall 2010 Illinois election campaign contributions and their support of the Performance Counts agenda, a legislative proposal that would overhaul current policies in areas including tenure rules and educator evaluation.The Performance Counts legislative agenda passed the IL Senate with a 59-0 vote on April 15th. The IL House passed SB 7 on May 12th by a vote of 112-1-1. Governor Pat Quinn signed it into law on June 13, 2011. It was introduced and passed as Senate Bill 7 after months of open negotiations with all stakeholders, including Advance Illinois, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Chicago Teacher’s Union, school management groups, Chicago Public Schools, and Stand for Children, and consensus was initially reached on Stand and Advance Illinois’ preferred reforms to teacher tenure, layoffs, and dismissal; principal discretion in hiring; and even on the contract negotiation process. Nevertheless, Stand for Children has come under criticism for Jonah Edelman's account of their generously financed campaign for SB 7 and their clever outmaneuvering of the Chicago Teachers Union as well as the Illinois Education Association.
Although a few people are upset about the process, the Chicago Tribune called Stand “a new force in Illinois politics.” In all, two Chicago newspapers published editorials in favor of Performance Counts. Some journalists questioned the $2.9 million raised by Stand for Children’s Illinois PAC due to the affiliate’s recent formation and fundraising in the months before a new Illinois law capped campaign contributions for individuals and corporations. Due to these factors, detractors question the organization’s grassroots support in the state.
External links
- Stand For Children (official website)