This week, DFER National President Shavar Jeffries took a stand with 160+ African American education leaders by signing a letter calling on the NAACP to reconsider the proposed national “moratorium” on public charter schools. Ahead of the national board meeting next month, the letter asks the national NAACP board representation to meet to discuss this resolution proposed at their national convention last month. The signers of this letter include dedicated leaders within the African American community including in education, clergy and public service.
Below is the full letter:
Dear Esteemed NAACP Board Members,
We write on behalf of the nearly 700,000 Black families choosing to send their children to charter public schools, and the tens of thousands more who are still on waiting lists. In light of the resolution adopted at your recent national convention calling for a nationwide moratorium on new charter schools, the signers of this letter—committed Black leaders in education, clergy and public service—ask for a meeting with national NAACP board representation, to take place before your fall board meeting.
The proposed resolution cites a variety of cherry-picked and debunked claims about charter schools. The notion of dedicated charter school founders and educators acting like predatory subprime mortgage lenders—a comparison the resolution explicitly makes—is a far cry from the truth. In reality, charter schools generally receive less per-pupil funding than traditional district public schools and often receive little or no funding to purchase buildings or maintain classrooms. Despite these hurdles, charter schools are helping students achieve at higher levels than traditional district schools.
Not only is the resolution’s mischaracterization of charter schools misinformed, but the proposed nationwide moratorium on new charter schools would ultimately reduce opportunities for Black students, many of whom come from low-income and working-class families.
Charter schools are immensely popular among Black families. According to a national public opinion survey of parents of school-aged children, 82 percent of Black parents believe that all parents should have the ability to choose their child’s public school, regardless of where they live. In just the past five years, Black student enrollment in charter schools has grown by 200,000. Black students now account for 27 percent of charter school enrollment, versus just 16 percent of traditional district school enrollment.
There is a reason for enthusiastic support in the Black community: parents see for themselves how their children are flourishing in charter schools. According to the most thorough and respected study of charter school results, conducted by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University, Black students learn more when they attend charter schools. Black students in charter schools gained the equivalent of 14 extra days of learning in reading and 14 extra days of learning in math per year compared with their Black peers in traditional district schools. For low-income Black students attending charter schools, the learning gains were even more dramatic—the equivalent of 29 extra learning days in reading and 36 extra learning days in math.
Because of these results, a substantial number of Black parents want to have the option of enrolling their children in high-quality charter schools. For many urban Black families, charter schools are making it possible to do what affluent families have long been able to do: rescue their children from failing schools. The NAACP should not support efforts to take that option away from low-income and working-class Black families.
A blanket moratorium on charter schools would limit Black students’ access to some of the best schools in America and deny Black parents the opportunity to make decisions about what’s best for their children. Instead of enforcing a moratorium, let’s work together to improve low-achieving public schools and expand those that are performing well. If a school is serving students well, we should hold it up as an example to emulate, regardless of whether it’s run by a traditional school district or an educational leader with an innovative governance structure.
We also want to work with you to support increasing funding for all public schools, district and charter. Our children need it. Our children deserve it. Making charter schools the enemy in a fight for adequate education funding doesn’t serve the interest of all students. We cannot sacrifice another generation of students to the status quo.
Every Black American has benefited from the NAACP’s honored history of securing justice, promoting equality and expanding opportunity. We urge NAACP board members to engage in serious conversation with Black charter school educators and families as they consider the resolution adopted at the national convention.
We ask for a meeting with NAACP national board representation, to take place before your fall convening, to discuss the very serious implications the proposed resolution will have for Black families who want and deserve high-quality educational options for their children. Black charter school parents, teachers and school founders know what a difference these schools are making in the lives of students across the country. We stand ready to work with the NAACP and everyone who is serious about improving education for every child in America, especially low-income and working-class Black students whose public education has not met the high standards of their potential.
Sincerely,
Rev. David Craig
Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church
Fairfield, AL
W.L. ‘Trey’ Holladay, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Athens City Schools
Athens, AL
Toiya Allen
Principal
Hardy Brown College Prep
San Bernadino, CA
Marcus Atkins
Principal
Ephraim Williams College Prep Middle School
Sacramento, CA
Tanisha Barnett
Assistant Director
New West Charter Middle School
Los Angeles, CA
Vanessa Caigory
Coordinator of Compliance
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Dr. Deberae Culpepper
CEO/Founder
Life Source International Charter School
Lancaster, CA
Margaret Fortune
President/Chief Executive Officer
Fortune School
Sacramento, CA
Dr. Rex Fortune
Founder
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Kim Howard
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Shonda Hutton
Recruiter, Charter Schools
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Brooke Jackson
Principal
Center for Advanced Learning
Los Angeles, CA
Kenya Jackson
Chief Academic Officer
Magnolia Public Schools
Los Angeles, CA
Kevin Johnson
Mayor, City of Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
Jerold Ligons
Facilities Manager
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Laura McGowan-Robinson
Senior Vice President, Regional Advocacy
California Charter Schools Association
Los Angeles, CA
Tasneem Muhammad
Assistant Principal
Environmental Charter Schools
Gardena, CA
Alton Nelson
Chief Executive Officer
Making Waves Academy
Richmond, CA
Odisa Nyong
Principal
The Fortune School
Sacramento, CA
Min Owens
Principal
Alan Rowe College Prep
Elk Grove, CA
Andre Slade
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Joette Spencer Campbell
Chair
Concerned African American Parents Alliance
Sacramento, CA
Lisa Strong-Dodson
Director of Human Resources
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Tahirah Taalib-Din
Excursions Program Coordinator
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Gene Wade
Board Member
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
San Francisco, CA
Carolyn Wilder
Co-Founder
Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter School
Inglewood, CA
Ramona Wilder
Chief Executive Officer/
Administrative Director
Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter School
Inglewood, CA
Johnathan Williams
Founder & CEO
The Accelerated Schools
Los Angeles, CA
Tamara Williams
Principal
Hazel Mahone College Prep
Sacramento, CA
Gayle Windom
Director
Watts Learning Center Charter Middle School
Watts, CA
Maya Woods-Cadiz
Superintendent
American Indian Model Schools
Oakland, CA
Amos Young
Fortune School of Education
Sacramento, CA
Darryl Cobb
Partner
Charter School Growth Fund
Broomfield, CO
Derrick Diggs
Chair, Board of Directors
ConnCAN
Hartford, CT
Jeremiah Grace
Connecticut State Director
Northeast Charter Schools Network
New Haven, CT
Dr. Steve Perry
Founder & Head of Schools
CNN Education Contributor
Capital Prepatory Schools
Hartford, CT
Peter Anderson
Head of School
Washington Latin Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Mashea Ashton
Board Vice-Chair
National Association of Charter School Authorizers
Washington, DC
Patricia A. Brantley
CEO
Friendship Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Reginald J. Brown
Former Special Assistant to the President and Associate White House Counsel
Washington, DC
Dr. Marco Clark
Chief Executive Officer
Richard Wright Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Jacqueline Cooper
President
Black Alliance for Educational Options
Washington, DC
Diane Cottman
Executive Director
Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Jami Dunham
Chief Executive Officer
Paul Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Ramona H. Edelin, Ph.D.
Executive Director
DC Association of Chartered Public Schools
Washington, DC
Donald Hense
Chairman and Founder, Board of Trustees
Friendship Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Kevin Hinton
Board Member
Black Alliance for Educational Options
Washington, DC
Shavar Jeffries
National President
Democrats for Education Reform
Washington, DC
Brian Jones
Chair, Board of Directors
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Washington, DC
Dr. Michael Lomax
Chief Executive Officer
United Negro College Fund
Washington, DC
Linda Moore
Founder & Senior Advisor
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School
Washington, DC
George Parker
Former President
Washington Teachers’ Union
Washington, DC
Cassandra Pinkney
Founder and Executive Director
Eagle Academy Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Nasir Qadree
Head of Education
Village Capital
Washington, DC
Joe Smith, Ph.D
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Eagle Academy Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Deborah Dantzler Williams
Head of School
Inspired Teaching Demonstration
Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Shantelle Wright
Chief Executive Officer
Achievement Prep
Washington, DC
Aaron Bass
Chief Executive Officer
EastSide Charter School
Family Foundations Academy
Wilmington, DE
Kia Childs
Executive Director
Great Oaks Charter Schools
Wilmington, DE
Evelyn Edney
School Leader
Early College High School at
Delaware State University
Dover, DE
Herbert Sheldon
Head of School
Delaware Academy of Public Safety & Security
New Castle, DE
Salome Thomas-El
Principal and Head of School
Thomas Edison Charter School
Wilmington, DE
The Honorable Mike Glanton
State Representative, District 75
Jonesboro, GA
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson
Sixth District (Georgia)
African Methodist Episcopal Church of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
The Honorable Alisha T. Morgan
Former State Representative, District 39
Atlanta, GA
The Honorable Valencia Stovall
State Representative, District 74
Ellenwood, GA
Lionel Allen, Jr.
Chief Academic Officer
Urban Prep Academies
Chicago, IL
Rhonda Hopps
Chief Executive Officer
Perspectives Charter Schools
Chicago, IL
David Ireland
Chief Executive Officer
Betty Shabazz International Charter School
Chicago, IL
Tim King
Founder & CEO
Urban Prep Academies
Chicago, IL
Bishop G.E. Livingston
President and Chief Executive Officer
Robertson Charter School
Chicago, IL
Lisa T. Scruggs
Partner
Duane Morris LLP
Co-Founder
The Young Woman’s Leadership Charter School of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Chris Stewart
Director of Outreach & External Affairs
Education Post
Chicago, IL
Greg White
Chief Executive Officer
LEARN Charter School Network
Chicago, IL
Acey Byrd
Founder and President
EdFit Consulting
Board Member
100 Black Men of America
Indianapolis, IN
Mariama Carson
Founder
Global Preparatory Academy Charter School
Indianapolis, IN
Linda Karressy
Board Member
Global Preparatory Academy Charter School
Indianapolis, IN
Jeannine Murray
Board Member
Global Preparatory Academy Charter School
Indianapolis, IN
Earl Martin Phalen
Founder and CEO
Phalen Leadership Academies
Indianapolis, IN
David Shaheed
Senior Advisor
Global Preparatory Academy Charter School
Indianapolis, IN
Tiffany Thomas
Founder
The Mind Program Charter School
Indianapolis, IN
Bill West
Board Member
Global Preparatory Academy Charter School
Indianapolis, IN
Cheryl Brown Henderson
President
Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research
Mission, KS
Pastor Robert Brown
Ray Avenue Baptist Church
New Orleans, LA
Kenneth Campbell
Executive Director, Baton Rouge
IDEA Public Schools
Baton Rouge, LA
Patrick Dobard
Superintendent
Louisiana Recovery School District
New Orleans, LA
Apostle Leonard Lucas
Light City Church
New Orleans, LA
Bishop Wiley Taylor
Life Center Cathedral
Marrerro, LA
Pastor Corey Watson
Watson Memorial Teaching Ministries
New Orleans, LA
Keri Lorenzo
Massachusetts State Director
Families for Excellent Schools
Boston, MA
Jean-Claude Brizard
Partner and Vice President
Cross & Joftus
Former CEO of Chicago Public Schools
Bethesda, MD
Robert Reed, Jr.
Senior Director of Legal Affairs
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Silver Spring, MD
The Honorable Samuel Buzz Thomas
Former State Senator, District 4
Detroit, MI
Michael Carter, Sr.
Co-Founder
Jalen Rose Leadership Academy
Detroit, MI
Larry Patrick
Attorney
Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss
Detroit, MI
Jalen Rose
Co-Founder
Jalen Rose Leadership Academy
Detroit, MI
Dr. Charvez Russell
Executive Director
Friendship Academy of the Arts
Minneapolis, MN
Carlton Brooks
Chief Financial Officer
St. Louis Language Immersion Schools
St. Louis, MO
Tysie McDowell-Ray
Co-Founder and Chief Academic Officer
Crossroads Academy of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
Katrice Noble
Deputy Director
Lift for Life Academy
St. Louis, MO
Nev Savala
Director of Public Relations
Confluence Academies
St. Louis, MO
Amber Simpson
Founder
Venare Learning, LLC
Kansas City, MO
Garvey Ince
Executive Director
Friends of Marion P. Thomas Charter School
Newark, NJ
Dominique Lee
CEO
BRICK: Brick Academy & South Ward Children’s Alliance
Newark, NJ
Charles Love
Special Projects Manager
Parent Coalition for Excellent Education
Newark, NJ
Michele Mason
Executive Director
Newark Charter School Fund
Newark, NJ
The Honorable Ronald C. Rice
Senior Director, Government Relations
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Former City Councilman
Newark, NJ
Reverend Ronald Slaughter
Senior Pastor
St. James AME Church
Newark, NJ
Dr. Karen Thomas
Chief Executive Officer
Marion P. Thomas Charter School
Newark, NJ
Abena Agyemang
Chief of Staff
Families for Excellent Schools
New York, NY
Tenicka Boyd
Senior Director
StudentsFirstNY
New York, NY
Derrell Bradford
Executive Director
NYCAN
New York, NY
Duncan Kirkwood
Western New York Advocacy Manager
Northeast Charter Schools Network
New York, NY
Robert Louis-Charles
Director, Partner Strategy
Families for Excellent Schools
New York, NY
Charlene Reid
Chief Executive Officer
Excellence Community Schools
Bronx, NY
Rev. Dr. Calvin Rice
Chief Executive Officer
Rochdale Early Advantage Charter School
Jamaica, NY
Geoffrey Canada
President
Harlem Children’s Zone
New York, NY
Darrell Allison
President
Parents/Partners for Educational Freedom in North Carolina
Raleigh, NC
Gail Taylor
Former Executive Director
Carter Community Charter School
Raleigh, NC
Cheryl Turner
School Director
Sugar Creek Charter School
Charlotte, NC
Tracy McDaniel
Executive Director
KIPP Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, OK
Dr. Stacy Gill-Phillips
Chief Executive Officer
West Philadelphia Achievement Charter Elementary School
Philadelphia, PA
Sandra Dungee Glenn
Chief Executive Officer
Harambee Institute of Science and Technology Charter School
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Naomi Johnson-Booker
Chief Executive Officer
Global Leadership Academy Charter School
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Claudia Lyles
Chief Executive Officer
Keystone Academy Charter School
Philadelphia, P
Kareem Thomas
Chief Executive Officer
General David B. Birney Charter School
Philadelphia, PA
Rodney Johnson
Director
My Lead Academy
Greenville, SC
Angel L. Malone
Principal
OCSD 5 High School for Health Professions
Orangeburg, SC
Valissia Allen
Founder and Head of School
Leadership Preparatory Charter School
Memphis, TN
NeShante Brown
Executive Director
The Soulsville Charter School
Memphis, TN
Maya M. Bugg
Chief Executive Officer
Tennessee Charter School Center
Nashville, TN
LaKendra Butler
Founder and School Leader
STRIVE Collegiate Academy of Nashville
Nashville, TN
Art Fuller
President
Knowledge Academies, Inc
Antioch, TN
Mendell Grinter
Executive Director
Campaign for School Equity
Memphis, TN
Mia Howard
Founder and Executive Director
Intrepid College Prep Schools
Nashville, TN
Yetta Lewis
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Gestalt Community Schools
Memphis, TN
Shaka Mitchell
Regional Director
Rocketship Education
Nashville, TN
Lagra Newman
Founder and Head of School
Purpose Preparatory Academy
Nashville, TN
Jon S. Robertson
School Director
STEM Prep Academy
Nashville, TN
Rev. James C. Turner, II
Senior Pastor
New Hope Ministry Baptist Church
Nashville, TN
DeAnna Bruce
Principal
IDEA Bluff Springs College Prep
Austin, TX
Lester Bryant
San Antonio, TX
Charmaine Constantine
Superintendent
SER-Niños Charter School
Houston, TX
Danielle Davis
Member, Board of Trustees
KIPP Houston
Houston, TX
Denise Duvernay
Member, Board of Trustees
KIPP Houston
Houston, TX
Jon Edmonds
Executive Director
Greater Movement Day
Uplift Education
Dallas, TX
Barbara Gervin-Hawkins
Founder and Superintendent
George Gervin Academy
San Antonio, TX
Michael A. Horne
Superintendent
KIPP Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas, TX
Jodie L. Jiles
Board Member
KIPP Houston
Houston, TX
Sonceria ‘Sonny’ Messiah Jiles
Board Member
KIPP Houston
Houston, TX
Joi Kidd-Stamps, Ed. S
Emerging Leaders Program Director
New Leaders for New Schools
Arlington, TX
Dawn Mann
Board Member
Uplift Education
Dallas, TX
Andre’ R. McEwing
Advisory Council Member
Uplift Education Fort Worth Campus
Fort Worth, TX
Shree’ Medlock
Director of Community and Parent Engagement
Texans for Quality Public Charter Schools
Houston, TX
Dr. Rod Paige
Former U.S. Secretary of Education
Chair of Board
Texas Charter School Association
Houston, TX
Rev. Denise Nance Pierce, Esq.
Founding Principal
The Law Office of Denise Nance Pierce
Greater Mt. Zion Church
Austin, TX
Bryon Sanders
Board Member
KIPP Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas, TX
Juno Simmons
Advisory Board Member
IDEA Austin
Austin, TX
Bruce Ware
Board Member
Uplift Education
Dallas, TX
Martin Brown
Former Commissioner
Virginia Department of Social Services
Richmond, VA
Antione M. Green
Co-Founder and Former Chief Executive Officer
Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts
Richmond, VA
William E. Butler
Principal
BEAM of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
Devona Wright-Cottrell
Secretary and Board Member
Milwaukee Collegiate Academy
Milwaukee, WI
Howard Fuller
Founder & Chair Emeritus
Black Alliance for Educational Options
Former Superintendent
Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee, WI
Pastor Dr. Archie Ivy
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
Milwaukee, WI
Deborah McGriff
Managing Partner
NewSchools Venture Fund
Milwaukee, WI
Pastor John McVicker
Christ The King Baptist Church
Milwaukee, WI
Michelle Nettles
Board Chair
Milwaukee Collegiate Academy
Milwaukee, WI
Kenneth Robertson
Treasurer and Board Member
Milwaukee Collegiate Academy
Milwaukee, WI