Happy holidays from the Public Advocates team!

Dear friend,

Looking back on the past 12 months, we are filled with a tremendous sense of hope for what the future holds. In defense of justice and equality, we saw a surge in activism throughout our country led by women, students, immigrants, people of color and progressive whites. Across California, the tenants rights movement gained unprecedented momentum, parents and students won improved funding for their local schools, and advocates won fair housing rights to dismantle segregation in our cities. Together, we've shown what is possible when we unite behind our social justice values and build the world we want to live in.  

Thank you so much for standing with us this year, whether as an ally, donor, volunteer, adviser, or as a reader of our newsletters. Our work is only possible because of you. Happy Holidays!

Guillermo Mayer
President and CEO, Public Advocates
Applying to a charter school? Know your rights!

Our  Know Your Rights materials demystify charter school admissions. Remember that charter schools are part of the California public school system and the law is clear:

  • All students have equal access to a charter school regardless of their disability status, academic performance, their language ability or prior experience with the criminal justice system

  • Charter schools cannot force parents to volunteer or to donate to the schools as a condition of enrollment

  • Students have due process protections before they are removed involuntarily from school 
A Bay Area housing plan that puts tenants first?

For 18 months, Bay Area mayors, developers and community organizations (including Public Advocates) have been putting together the pieces of a regional housing plan. We're excited that the long-awaited "CASA" plan includes three crucial pillars: (1) tenant Protections, (2) Preservation of existing affordable housing, and (3) Production of new affordable and market-rate housing. Many leaders now realize that we can't just build our way out of the housing crisis and we demand that they stay committed to the “3 P's” as the negotiations at the state level begin. 
Newsom gets a chance to make his mark on California schools

California is the world's 5th largest economy and yet our schools are still woefully underfunded. The next Governor can unleash the full potential of every student if he is willing to equitably invest the vast riches of this state.

Check out eight proposals to raise billions of dollars put forward in an EdSource Op-Ed by Public Advocates’ Managing Attorney John Affeldt .
Public Advocates in the News

The Los Angeles Times and the Sacramento Bee quote Policy Advocate Michelle Pariset on next steps after the failure of Proposition 10..... Richmond Confidential quotes Senior Staff Attorney Rigel Spencer Massaro in two articles on Richmond public schools and charter schools .....Managing Attorney John Affeldt pens an op-ed in EdSource on what the next Governor can do to close the education equity gap
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