Justin Barkhuff’s Post

School choice - the only real way to improve the lives of City minorities. If Democrats really wanted to help this demographic (they claim they do), they would support School Choice. Unfortunately, school teacher unions do not care about anything then preserving their own power and control. Teacher unions fear competition, but that is the proven way for improvement to be incentivized. It is very sadly understandable why teacher unions, whose "customers" are forced by law to "buy" their services, do not want any competition. All the poor (mostly) suffer the consequences. According to this was encouraged by pres Obama's school policy. But, Biden - not at all. If you wish to improve the lives of minorities - Trump is your choice for school choice. "Every child deserves access to a quality education. For several decades my wife and I have tried to make that ideal a reality by concentrating our philanthropy and political donations on advancing school choice. We want children to have a chance at success—and, if necessary, to be able to leave schools that aren’t allowing them to meet their full potential. Often solving public-policy challenges is complicated, but in this case it isn’t. School choice is the answer. In 2007 we met with presidential candidate Barack Obama to discuss the issue. We left encouraged: He understood the costs urban public-school systems impose on families nationwide and was supportive of broad-based school choice as the solution. Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush supported charter schools, and Mr. Obama seemed poised to continue the momentum." "Yet the fruits of that giving haven’t been sweet. I was wrong to think that Democrats would support school choice to help their constituents out of poverty. Although polling consistently shows that a majority of minority parents want school choice, progressive politicians consistently oppose all such programs. To understand why, consider who’s funding their campaigns: teachers unions. For unions, choice means competition, and urban public schools with low proficiency ratings can’t compete. Unions know the only way to keep their political power is to keep children trapped in failing schools. Give parents access to other educational options, and they’ll ditch the schools that take them for granted."

If you ever participated in collegiate recovery, had a friend of loved one who was involved with collegiate recovery, or wish you or a loved one had access to a collegiate recovery program at their college or trade school, please consider making a gift to Students Recover. As the first online recovery community specifically for post-secondary students our goal is to expand access to any student in or seeking recovery from substance use and mental health issues. Help us reach our goal of expanding access to recovery. We are halfway to our goal. Every dollar brings us closer to our goal. #CollegiateRecoveryWeek #RecoveryIsPossible #Recovery #SUD #MentalHealth #StudentsRecover https://lnkd.in/dUqBZ8Qr

Mathematically, this investment is $10,000 per human. Vs. $36,000 per human for housing needs. Or, $72,000 per year for crisis outcomes. Let’s be ahead of the curve and invest in humans who want better. Let’s truly *invest* as if it were the Dow Jones riding on it. Or Social Security. Or famine. Because it is. Global survival depends on reaping what we sow today.

Announcing one of our top awardees from the 2023 grant cycle, IN! Pathways to Inclusive Higher Education! We are overjoyed to support this organization for the third year whose mission is to create inclusive college opportunities in Colorado for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to foster academic growth, social development, career advancement, and independence. DB's grant will help IN! to fund outreach, engagement, and mentorship that supports students with IDD in southern Colorado on inclusive pathways to achieve self-growth, academic and career advancement, and independent living. "Studies show that students with IDD who were given opportunities to attend and complete higher education achieved a 72-80% employment rate. When given the opportunity, students with IDD benefit greatly from post-secondary education and experience increased access to meaningful socialization, community belonging, independence, and employment" (Tracy Murphy, Executive Director of IN!). You can learn more about IN! Pathways to Inclusive Higher Education at https://lnkd.in/eXTMke2 #grantawardee #disablingbarriers #inclusivecollege #inclusivehighered #grantannouncement #iddcommunity #nonprofitsupport #ruralcommunities #iddsupport #grantrecipient #communitysupport #unmetneeds #inclusiveeducation #southerncolorado #resourcesforchange

A Call To Action! All of us working in the US Higher Ed world are aware of the issues with FAFSA and that the numbers of applications are vastly down. White House and the US Department of Education (ED) are announcing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Week of Action, which will take place April 15-19. They are encouraging high school counselors, principals, and other school leaders, superintendents, after school programs, parent groups, nonprofit organizations, and other local and state education organizations to commit to taking action to raise awareness about the FAFSA. Organizers of the FAFSA Week of Action are asking stakeholders to commit to any (or all) of a series of actions, including: *Hosting an in-person or virtual FAFSA Week of Action FAFSA submission event. *Emailing, texting, or sending push notifications with information about the Better FAFSA and how to submit the form. *Incorporating information about Better FAFSA and FAFSA Week of Action into newsletters, webinars, upcoming events/conferences, or resource sites. The commitment form also includes more specific suggestions of commitments for high school counselors, district and school leaders, non-profit and community organizations, and elected officials. If you would like to commit to taking one or more of these actions, please complete this form and email back to Jessica.I.Cardichon@who.eop.gov by 6:00 PM ET on April 5, 2024.

A Call To Action and to re-post. All of us working in the US Higher Ed world are aware of the issues with FAFSA and that the numbers of applications are vastly down. White House and the US Department of Education (ED) are announcing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Week of Action, which will take place April 15-19. They are encouraging high school counselors, principals, and other school leaders, superintendents, after school programs, parent groups, nonprofit organizations, and other local and state education organizations to commit to taking action to raise awareness about the FAFSA. Organizers of the FAFSA Week of Action are asking stakeholders to commit to any (or all) of a series of actions, including: *Hosting an in-person or virtual FAFSA Week of Action FAFSA submission event. *Emailing, texting, or sending push notifications with information about the Better FAFSA and how to submit the form. *Incorporating information about Better FAFSA and FAFSA Week of Action into newsletters, webinars, upcoming events/conferences, or resource sites. The commitment form also includes more specific suggestions of commitments for high school counselors, district and school leaders, non-profit and community organizations, and elected officials. If you would like to commit to taking one or more of these actions, please complete this form and email back to Jessica.I.Cardichon@who.eop.gov by 6:00 PM ET on April 5, 2024

Are we helping or hurting? That is a question many residents of San Francisco ask ourselves in the midst of a stark and increasing equity gap. As a parent, community member, and incoming board member of the Horizons at San Francisco Friends School, I’m keenly aware of the potential learning loss our public school students in the Mission District experience in the summer months without our support. Our city is undergoing another crisis - looming budget cuts threaten vital programs like Horizons at SFFS that provide equitable learning for Mission youth. We urgently need your support to secure bridge funding and ensure our summer enrichment continues. Our scholars and families are relying on Horizons' high-quality academics and social-emotional growth.  Horizons has been successfully leveraging the months when students are out of school to stem summer learning loss for children in San Francisco for ~10 years. The program has also intentionally increased impact by supporting their scholars through their educational journey during the school year and into High School. Last year, Horizons impacted 150+ scholars with targeted small classroom instruction, confidence-building, and joyful community enrichment experiences- thanks to our dedicated summer education workforce. But we can't continue without you. Please join me in supporting Horizons at SFFS today to expand partnerships, engage more crisis-impacted families, and grow our supportive community stronger. In past years, the SF Department of Children, Youth and Families has been a partner to increase access to education for our students. This summer, as we face a potential 40% loss to our summer program due to DCYF funding cuts that have impacted so many vital programs in our city, we’ve decided to celebrate Horizons Giving Day, the whole month of May. Please join me in our movement - your gift saves the summer for San Francisco scholars and helps bridge the educational equity gap in our city. Let’s help together. In gratitude, friendship and community, Aneesha #GiveTheGiftofSummer #SparkPassions #HorizonsGivingDay https://lnkd.in/gJAYnibC Links for reference: Horizons at SFFS: https://lnkd.in/gfsdugDX Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/gZc2jn85 Press Release on DCYF Loss of Funding: https://lnkd.in/gNprpSyB

Did you know that applying for the largest scholarship out there is not the easiest or smartest way to get aid for school? Large corporations offering scholarships are flooded with individuals seeking scholarships that shell out big money, while many smaller, more local scholarships are often overlooked. If you start early and spend time researching places in your own backyard, like your local community foundations, you can often find scholarships available that will help begin closing the gaps. https://lnkd.in/grvPPDtX

Education is a Right for Everyone: 5 Key Points👇 Life can sometimes feel overwhelming and unfair. But in these moments, I often reflect on an image that never fails to move me - a homeless mother, despite her difficult circumstances, carefully dressing her daughter for school. This image is a powerful reminder of the incredible resilience and determination of those who face challenges far greater than our own. It inspires me to think about how we can all contribute to helping underprivileged children succeed in their education and break the cycle of poverty. Here are five ways we can make a difference: 👉 Donate School Supplies: Consider contributing notebooks, backpacks, uniforms, and other essential items to children in need. 👉 Volunteer Your Time: Offer your time to tutor, mentor, or assist in after-school programs, supporting children's learning and development. 👉 Support Scholarships: Fund or promote scholarships that provide financial assistance to underprivileged students, helping them cover educational expenses. 👉 Advocate for Education: Raise awareness about the importance of education and the challenges underprivileged children face. Advocate for policies that support equitable education for all. 👉 Engage in Community Programs: Participate in or support community initiatives focused on improving access to quality education, such as building libraries, improving school facilities, or organizing educational workshops. Together, we can help ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to achieve their dreams through education. Share your thoughts in the comments below✍️ Follow Madhu Simhadri for more #education #inspiration #gratitude