Stand for Children

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Stand for Children Logo

Based in Portland, Oregon, Stand for Children "is a unique catalyst for educational equity and racial justice." Stand for Children's focus is on "strategically selected states": Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington. Stand for Children works to pass leftist legislation locally, statewide and nationally. Jonah Edelman is co-founder and executive officer of Stand for Children.[1]

Background

From a financial statement for the year ended August 31, 2022:[2]

On June 1, 1996, more than 300,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. to attend the first Stand for Children Day, the largest rally for children in American history. Stand for Children, Inc. (the Organization), a private nonprofit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia in January 1999 under section 501(c)(4) of IRS tax code grew from this event. Stand for Children, Inc. (the Organization) is a grassroots membership organization that advocates for programs that give children a fair chance in life. Its mission is to use the power of grassroots action to help all children get the excellent public education and strong support they need to thrive.
Prior to establishing the Organization, Stand for Children Leadership Center, a private nonprofit education advocacy organization, was formed in January 1996. Governing control of these related organizations is now independent, and operating agreements define their administrative and operational relationship. These financial statements present the accounts of Stand for Children, Inc. The Organization’s primary sources of funding are from contributions.
The Organization is building a diverse grassroots constituency that is strong and effective enough to give all children a fair chance in life. Its achievements for children are the result of enabling parents, teachers and other concerned community members to unite into a powerful voice for children and take collective action in support of concrete, systematic solutions for children.
Stand for Children, Inc. benefits children by utilizing the democratic process to make changes to the education system that result in better outcomes for children. The Organization focuses its efforts in strategically selected states. During 2022, the Organization had activity and staff in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington.

2023 School Board Endorsements

From the Stand for Children website:[3]

"Oregon School Board elections are coming up on May 16th, 2023...School Boards set local education priorities that impact every students, and Stand for Children is committed to electing candidates who will fight for an equitable public education system that gives all students a chance to succeed.
We’re proud to endorse the following candidates in the upcoming School Board elections:

BENTON COUNTY

CLACKAMAS COUNTY

DESCHUTES COUNTY

JACKSON COUNTY

LANE COUNTY

MARION COUNTY

MULTNOMAH COUNTY

WASHINGTON COUNTY

YAMHILL COUNTY

Build Back Better and More

Stand for Children Activities (partial) (screenshot)

According to their latest published 990 form, Stand for Children made over $30M in grants and donations in 2021.[4] They spent almost $18.5M in "a national multifaceted campaign" in support of Build Back Better legislation. Their "Stand up for Equity" program "organizes and advocates to prevent the passage of anti-equity bills at the state level and partners with organizations to promote pro-equity campaigns in local communities."

Programs

From the Stand for Children website:[5]

"Stand for Children operates several programs that directly support educators and students, including the Center for High School Success, which supports educators in more than 150 high schools to increase the rate of ninth graders who finish that make-or-break year on track, Stand’s Teach Kindness program, which provides high quality kindness-building lessons to educators across the country, and the new Center for Early Literacy Success, led by world-renowned early literacy expert, Dr. Nell Duke."

Fighting Children's Education Law

3rd Grade Retention Town Hall Flyer Feb 22 2023

Stand for Children is fighting legislation 49-6-3115,[6] which states that third-grade students who "don’t show proficiency on the English Language Arts (ELA) section of the Tennessee Comprehensive Program (TCAP) may have requirements related to summer school and/or tutoring to be promoted to fourth grade."[7],[8]

Notably, the Stand for Children position that third graders do not need to be proficient in reading contradicts their previously stated mission[9] (now only available via archive) that Stand for Children advocates "mainly at the state and local level, for proven policies and funding primarily focused on helping students reach make-or-break milestones." One of these milestones is "[R]eading well by the end of third grade".

From a mass email dated February 16. 2023:

"Did you know?
Effective this year, state law, TCA 49-6-3115 requires all third graders who do not pass a single standardized reading test to repeat third grade. This puts about 70% of students at risk of being held back.
To learn more about this harmful law and get involved with the campaign, we are encouraging parents and educators of public-school children in grades third and below, as well as any concerned Memphis residents, to join Memphis For All, MICAH, Stand for Children, Memphis Education Fund, and Momentum Memphis for a Town Hall on Wednesday, February 22 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at First Congo Church (1000 Cooper St., Memphis, TN 38104).
Please note: This town hall was rescheduled to next week due to a conflict with the District's parent/teacher conference night.
3rd Grade Retention Law Townhall...Click Here to Register
The town hall on Wednesday, Feb. 22 will educate families about how the law will affect them, discuss the proposed amendments to the law, and mobilize parents to urge lawmakers to fix this punishing law. With many amendments bills already filed, parents and concerned community members are urging the General Assembly to pass a bill that fixes the core flaws of the law.
  • Food will be provided, and childcare is available with prior registration. *
We look forward to seeing you there.
On March 14, 2023, working people across the state are showing up in Nashville to send a message that corporations pay their fair share so we can fund our communities and our families can thrive.
We will be providing folks with food (breakfast and lunch), transportation, and lobbying materials to make our voices heard at the capital. Busses will be leaving from Memphis (6:30AM CT), Knoxville (7:30AM ET), and Chattanooga (8:30AM ET) on the morning of the 14th. We will leave Nashville to return home at 3:30PM CT.
Click Here to Register to Join Us @ Rally on The Hill
Solidarity,
Tikeila Rucker
Political Organizer, Memphis For All

Spending hundreds of thousands on local elections

Verbatim from Dave Boucher of The Tennessean dated July 29, 2016:[10]

At the start of July, special interest group Stand for Children had about $12,000 in its independent expenditure account.
By the end of the month, the organization had spent more than $700,000 on state and local races, including more than $200,000 in support of the four pro-charter school candidates running for spots on the Metro Nashville Board of Education.
Those candidates are Jackson Miller, running against incumbent Will Pinkston in the 7th District; Thom Druffel, running against incumbent Amy Frogge in the 9th District; Miranda Christy, running to fill the seat vacated by the departing Elisa Kim in the 5th District; and Jane Grimes Meneely, running against incumbent Jill Speering in the 3rd District.
It's a significant amount of money for a Nashville school board race: By Aug. 2, 2014, the campaigns for all four school board candidates had raised $350,000 combined, according to Tennessean archives. This spending from Stand for Children doesn't include any spending from the campaigns themselves or other outside organizations.
"To ensure we have strong public schools across the state, it’s critical we have leaders in office that will keep kids at the center of their policy priorities. We invested significant resources this election cycle for a simple reason: It’s that important of an election," said Mary McClelland, a spokeswoman for the organization.
"The money pales in comparison to the long-term vision of strong public schools for all Tennessee kids.”

Pinkston files complaints against Martha O'Bryan Center

All of the money spent in Tennessee in July came from the organization's national headquarters. Stand for Children's latest campaign finance filing includes almost $90,000 in polling expenses and nearly $70,000 in advertising expenses not specifically listed as going toward a particular campaign. Earlier in the year Nashville businessmen John Ingram and Orrin Ingram each contributed $25,000 to the organization.
The biggest purchases for each school board candidate came in the form of mailers. Stand for Children spent $44,500 on fliers in all four races. They spent roughly an additional $10,000 on postage in each of the races.
McClelland said Stand for Children has advocated in Tennessee for the past 20 years. Carter Lawrence, campaign field director for the state's organization, recently told The Tennessean that Stand for Children is a pro-charter schools organization, while also supporting "protecting education gains" in the state and expanding quality prekindergarten programs.
Big spending isn't new for the organization: In 2013, it dumped $500,000 into the Boston mayoral race, according to the Boston Globe. It also spent more than $600,000 on Illinois statehouse races in 2010, according to the Illinois Times of Springfield, Ill.
First ads backing Jeremy Durham's challenger out in district
The organization also spent big in Republican primaries at the statehouse level.
Having already spent more than $65,000 on advertising and mailers in June in support of Sam Whitson — who's running against embattled Rep. Jeremy Durham for a seat representing parts of Williamson County — the group spent roughly an additional $15,000 on fliers in July for Whitson. It also spent roughly $9,000 on ads and mailers attacking Durham.
For the first time, Stand for Children also pitched in to help state Sen. Steve Dickerson, a Nashville Republican in a heated primary with challenger Ron McDow. Stand for Children spent more than $10,000 on mailers supporting Dickerson on July 19, according to campaign records.
The organization spent almost $20,000 attacking Rep. Courtney L. Rogers and an additional $15,000 in support of her GOP opponent Beth Cox. Stand for Children spent roughly $15,000 attacking state Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma, and ::the same amount in mailers supporting his opponent Will Lockhart.
Stand for Children also spent thousands to support Ron Gant, who's running for the West Tennessee legislative seat once held by Leigh Wilburn; Christy Sigler, who's running for an open seat in Rutherford County with Rep. Rick Womick retiring; and Chad Keen, who was recently appointed mayor of Bristol and who's running to fill the seat Rep. Jon Lundberg is leaving in order to run for the Senate.

The primary is Thursday.

Staff

Stand for Children 990 (screenshot)

Meg Ansara spent over nine years at Stand for Children.[11],[12]

From the Stand for Children website and 990 form as of February 17, 2023:[13]

Board Of Directors

Development

Executive Team

Family Engagement & Organizing

Finance

Marketing & Communications

People & Culture

State Operations

Technology


State Affiliates

Arizona

Colorado

Illinois

Indiana

Louisiana

Louisiana Lead Fellowship Facilitators

Oregon

Tennessee

Washington

Programs

Donors

Stand for Children has received funding from the Common Counsel Foundation.[14]

references

  1. ↑ Jonah Edelman (accessed February 17, 2023)
  2. ↑ Audited Financial Statements For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 (accessed February 17, 2023)
  3. ↑ 2023 ENDORSEMENTS (accessed February 17, 2023)
  4. ↑ Form 990 (accessed February 17, 2023)
  5. ↑ Jonah Edelman (accessed February 17, 2023)
  6. ↑ Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3115 (accessed February 16, 2023)
  7. ↑ Third Grade Retention Law Now in Effect (accessed February 16, 2023)
  8. ↑ 3rd Grade Retention Town Hall (accessed February 16, 2023)
  9. ↑ About (accessed February 18, 2023)
  10. ↑ Stand for Children spends over $200K on Nashville school board race in July (accessed February 18, 2023)
  11. ↑ Meg Ansara (accessed February 17, 2023)
  12. ↑ Our Team (accessed February 17, 2023)
  13. ↑ People (accessed February 17, 2023)
  14. ↑ 2008 PENNEY FAMILY FUND GRANTS (accessed February 17, 2023)
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