The month of May is a special time at our schools! Not only do we celebrate Staff Appreciation Week, but we also recognize National Charter School Week! This week is a very important time as we commemorate the charter movement, the victories we’ve shared and the continued work toward equitable charter school support. A significant focus for us this year in our advocacy work has been our legislative engagement efforts. We have always identified the importance of this work, and this year, we have pursued active relationships with our lawmakers to ensure our schools are represented at the Capitol.
These elected officials determine funding for all public school students. Touchpoints with our lawmakers have allowed our leaders to share the simple message that every student deserves equitable resources for their education. Currently, the charter movement is facing unique challenges surrounding governmental support for our schools. We appreciate our partnership with the Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA) and their dedicated work for charter students in Michigan. We are sounding the alarm for our entire Charter community; the time is now to roll up our sleeves and get involved in charter school advocacy.
We are actively working toward inviting our lawmakers to our schools to experience the unique differences of our schools and see first-hand how our charter schools are invaluable in supporting every scholar with their educational needs, allowing them to thrive. Alongside MAPSA, we are enlisting support from our entire school community, from classroom teachers to our families, to submit hand-written letters to their legislators. This engagement creates a personal advocacy approach, sharing testimonies of why students and parents love their school and how their school supports their individual educational path toward greatness. Showing first-hand how charter schools positively influence lawmaker’s constituents in their district is an invaluable example. As we move forward with our engagement, we remain rooted in the student experience.
Now is the time to continue relationships that can positively influence the trajectory of charter school policy decisions. We encourage you to join us in our letter-writing campaign, and extend the invite to join us at Charter Day at the Capitol on May 15! Please visit this link for more information. Celebrate the charter movement with hundreds of charter staff, students and families and commemorate the charter difference. Thank you for your continued partnership in advocating for our schools. It is an all-hands-on-deck job, and we are excited to see the ripple effect of charter support!