2011 ANNUAL REPORT OUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, Dear Friend, GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL PREPARED FOR, AND WITH ACCESS TO, A COLLEGE EDUCATION. It has been an exciting year for Stand. With the launch of new Stand affiliates in Texas and Indiana, we are reaching more To make that happen, students than ever before. We have also accelerated our impact by helping to enact or implement legislation to improve staff and volunteers of Stand for Children teacher effectiveness in seven of our ten* state affiliates. Leadership Center, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and Stand for Children, Inc., We are particularly inspired by Stand’s renewed focus on helping students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. a 501(c)(4) membership organization: Stand staff are actively engaging with parents and teachers in Three years ago, Stand set out to dramatically increase our organizational impact. We committed that districts like Chicago, Boston, Houston, Memphis, and by the end of 2011, we would play a key role in enacting education policies and investments at the state Indianapolis to uncover real problems and identify solutions and district levels to impact the lives of over 1.6 million children. We pledged to grow from four to ten Educate and empower parents, that work in those communities. states, and from 40,000 to 160,000 supporters. teachers and community members Thanks to hard work by our talented staff and volunteers, tremendous support from our National Boards, to demand excellent schools. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of Stand’s staff, volunteers, and supporters for their relentless Advisory Boards, and other generous donors, we met and exceeded these goals. commitment to making a difference for children. We are proud Advocate for effective local, state of all that Stand has accomplished on behalf of students in the • From 2009-2011, we worked with partners at the state level to achieve 22 education reform victories. past year. • These laws we helped to pass will positively impact 8 million children when implemented. and national education policies and • We’ve grown to 19 urban chapters and more than 250,000 supporters. investments. Standing with you, • In December 2011 we began planning for our tenth state affiliate, Louisiana. Julie Mikuta, Board Chair, Stand for Children Leadership Center These successes, though significant, are not nearly enough. We pledge to continue with determina- Ensure the policies and funding we Emma Bloomberg, Board Chair, Stand for Children, Inc. tion and urgency: empowering parents, electing champions for education, and pushing for legislative advocate for reach classrooms and changes that will make a difference for the future of millions of children. help students. Already, we’re preparing for expansion into more states. We’re also launching Stand University for Parents (Stand UP), a ten week course to help parents and guardians support their students toward academic success. In addition, staff, volunteers, and members of Stand for Children, Inc. Stand volunteers show their passion for making a difference every day. I am constantly motivated by their inspiring words – like these from Robin Campbell, a Memphis parent who participated in the first work to: Stand UP class: “No one has ever talked to me about believing my child can go to college. [Stand is] allowing me and others to see we can get my daughter there.” Elect courageous leaders who will Thank you for your continuing support of Stand. We deeply appreciate your help. stand up for our priorities. * The Louisiana expansion was approved by the board of Jonah Edelman directors in December 2011. Chief Executive Officer * Electoral activities are conducted exclusively by Stand for Children or one or more of its affiliated political committees. Stand for Children Leadership Center does not endorse or otherwise support the election or defeat of any candidate for elective public office. 2011 HIGHLIGHTS In 2011, Stand for Children catalyzed significant legislative and electoral victories. A few are 1201 E. Colfax Avenue, Suite 203 PRSRT STD detailed here and more are on our website at US POSTAGE Denver, CO 80218 Paid Denver, CO www.stand.org/about. Permit #4033 DSBAL_1 We also celebrate Stand for Children Leadership Cen- ter’s work in nine states to engage parents, teachers Paid for by Better Schools for a Stronger Colorado Independent Expenditure Committee and other community members; deliver training; and organize people to become powerful advocates for improving public education. The Denver Post says…“Happy Haynes is head and shoulders above other candidates” Endorsed by Mayor Hancock and Denver Post! Texas: An end to damaging “last in, first Oregon: Passage of 16 bills aimed at out” retention practices improving the state’s public education Stand for Children championed a successful legis- HAPPY HAYNES believes in: system ◾ High-quality public school options lative amendment in the state with the second-high- in every Denver neighborhood During a five-month legislative session, Stand for ◾ High expectations for all Denver Mail in your ballot today! est number of K-12 students in the nation. Working students and the support they Ballots must be postmarked by 5pm on Oct 27. need to reach them Children Oregon advocated for more than a dozen When you mail in your ballot, use 2 stamps. ◾ Accountability and support for in partnership with other advocates, we helped To find out more about a drop-off location near you, please visit: Massachusetts: Improved teacher school leaders and teachers education proposals aimed at improving public www.denvergov.org/Election_Commission pass a measure to require school administrators education, and the state made unprecedented progress effectiveness measures to take into account a teacher’s evaluation, not just HAPPY HAYNES. Quality Leadership for Denver School Board. toward that goal. New laws strengthen state education In 2011 Stand for Children campaigned at the state the number of years they’ve been on the job, when governance, improve access to college, prepare more Board of Education to improve teacher evaluation making reductions in force. Colorado: Preserving a pro-reform school kids for success, and limit time students spend on regulations, and laid groundwork for the Great Teachers board majority in Denver standardized testing. Great Schools campaign, through which we proposed legislation that would ensure all public schools in Mas- Stand for Children helped maintain a 4-3 pro-school Tennessee: Community engagement to put sachusetts put performance first when deciding which reform majority by playing a key role in the elec- Stand for Children staff and volunteers also got out education first the vote to elect 21 Stand-endorsed school board teachers to place and keep in our classrooms. Stand Indiana: Supporting the tion of two reform candidates to the Denver School In Memphis, Stand for Children rallied the community members in districts throughout the state. gathered 81,000 signatures to qualify a ballot ques- passage of Senate Bill 1 Board in November. Stand played a significant role with a Put Education First campaign and supported four tion and prepare to advocate for teacher effectiveness Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signs Senate Bill 7 on June 13, 2011. Stand for Children advocated in candidate recruitment and reached 21,000 voters out of seven candidates that won appointment to the Stand for Children Leadership Center partnered with legislation or a ballot measure campaign. successfully for Senate Bill 1, through phone banks and door-to-door canvassing. new unified Shelby County School Board, two of whom local and statewide organizations to host a series of Illinois: Landmark educator which implements annual are Stand members. Community Conversations throughout the fall on key effectiveness legislation performance evaluations topics: the achievement gap, funding, and supporting Stand for Children played a key role in crafting and for teachers and provides Stand for Children Leadership Center partnered with educators. driving one of the most significant pieces of educa- a new performance-based local organizations to run Education Study Circles that tion reform legislation ever passed. Senate Bill 7 compensation model. brought dozens of Memphis parents into a citywide received broad bipartisan support and ensures It also ends harmful “last in, first out” policies. conversation about how best to improve Memphis that more Illinois students will have great teachers public schools. in their classrooms. It reforms teacher tenure and makes performance count, rather than seniority, in personnel decisions. ACROSS THE NATION In 2011 Stand worked in 9 states and in major cities across the country. We expanded into Indiana and Texas, and our board approved expansion into Louisiana in December 2011. Seattle Tacoma WASHINGTON Portland Salem Eugene OREGON MASSACHUSETTS Boston Worcester Springfield Chicago Arizona families get involved in their children’s We work with Memphis teachers and families to Stand for Children Leadership Center initiatives Indianapolis Denver Aurora ILLINOIS education with Stand for Children Leadership put education first. bring together Houston families, schools, and Center. local leaders. INDIANA COLORADO Nashville STAND FOR CHILDREN, INC. 501(c)(4) STAND FOR CHILDREN LEADERSHIP CENTER 501(c)(3) ARIZONA TENNESSEE Memphis BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Phoenix Emma Bloomberg (Chair), Senior Planning Officer, Robin Hood Julie