MALDEF SUPPORTS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS TO ENSURE SCHOOL FUNDING GETS TO STUDENTS IT IS SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT

WASHINGTON, DC – MALDEF supports the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed regulation on school funding, released yesterday. The regulation would implement a school finance provision known as “supplement not supplant” in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, reauthorized in December 2015 as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

MALDEF/ LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF STATEMENTS ON U.S. SUPREME COURT AFFIRMATION OF RACE-CONSCIOUS ADMISSIONS PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, DC – This morning, the Supreme Court affirmed the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Fisher v. University of Texas, and held that that the University of Texas at Austin’s race-conscious admission program is lawful under the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Late last year, MALDEF and LatinoJustice PRLDEF filed an amicus brief on behalf of over 20 national Latino advocacy groups supporting the race-conscious admissions program. Statements from MALDEF and LatinoJustice PRLDEF in reaction to today’s decision are below.

MALDEF SUPPORTS LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO HELP FIX UNCONSTITUTIONAL TEXAS SCHOOL FINANCING SYSTEM

AUSTIN, TX – MALDEF strongly supports a bill introduced late last week by Texas State Representatives Armando Walle and Mary Gonzalez, HB 3671, the only comprehensive school finance bill filed during the 84th Texas Legislative Session. MALDEF, Intercultural Development Research Association, and The CPPP (Center for Public Policy Priorities) served as a resource to Reps. Walle and Gonzalez on the bill. This legislation aims to bring Texas closer to realizing equitable and adequate educational opportunities for all Texas students than ever before and reduce inefficiencies in the school finance system.

MALDEF WELCOMES TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DECISION ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS FOR ETHNIC STUDIES COURSES

SAN ANTONIO, TX – Today, MALDEF congratulated the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) for its approval of a measure asking publishers to develop instructional materials for locally developed courses next year in Mexican American, African American, Native American, and Asian American Studies. The 12-2 SBOE vote allows public schools to use these materials to teach ethnic studies courses under the Special Topics in Social Studies curriculum standards.

MALDEF Calls on Community Leaders, Parents to Advocate for Equity in Implementation of Common Core State Standards

An important initiative is catching on nationwide to assure that public schools everywhere provide education on the same set of core skills and knowledge. Still, there remains much work to be done in ensuring that implementation of common core state standards is completed in the best way to serve all students. As state budgets for education face serious challenges in virtually every state, public school parents, community leaders and education advocates must be involved and stay informed in order to ensure that implementation achieves this goal.