EdTrust-New York, June 2021-2024

Moving New York Forward: A Look at EdTrust-New York’s Recent Impact

EdTrust-New York officially launched in July of 2016, becoming the first statewide organization focused on equity in education for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.

New York is a place where we champion equity for students of color — particularly Black, Latinx, and Native American students — and students from low-income backgrounds. Since our launch we have built a reputation of saying the hard truths and pointing out the equity implications for education policy decisions and unapologetically make the case for doing what is right for students.

Over the past three years, EdTrust-New York helped to pass 16 pieces of state and local legislation and policy guidance.

Our approach gives us the unique ability to be powerful in all the places where policy is created — from cities, school districts, and colleges to the state capitol.

By the Numbers

Our media reach extends across New York State, with significant impact in Western New York, Albany, and New York City, helping to elevate key issues in education equity and engage communities, policymakers, and advocates in these regions.

Building a statewide equity narrative

Shaping
the conversation

mentions or features in news articles, op-eds, and blogs

Providing resources families
and advocates can use

website views

Reaching far and wide to inform the field

social media impressions

Supporting and equipping equity champions

hours of capacity building and advocacy training for 31 parent leaders

Shaping a collective vision for equity in education

reports, press statements, and press releases put out with coalition partners

Equipping children and families with what they need to thrive

Successfully advocating for equitable school funding

increase in Foundation Aid funding, fully funding the formula for the first time in history

Supporting families and setting children up for success

in child care and early learning funding

Raising awareness and dollars to help ensure all kids can read

to tackle the literacy crisis in New York schools

Reducing child poverty and expanding access to necessities

more families receiving help with essential expenses like food and housing through the Empire State Child Tax Credit expansion

Taking bold steps to ensure economic mobility

%

by 2032 - poverty reduction target set by Child Poverty Reduction Act

Eliminating barriers to educational opportunity

Investing in proven strategies to help more students go to college

investment in expanding early college access

Ensuring state support is directed to students from low-income backgrounds

dollar increase per student for the minimum Tuition Assistance Program grant award

Removing barriers that limit some of our most marginalized students

to expand the Tuition Assistance Program to reach part-time students and students who have been impacted by the criminal justice system

Holding leaders accountable for student success

Prioritizing transparency
and public accountability

FOIL requests to share data on how schools and colleges are doing to support students who are Black, Latinx or Native American, and students from low-income backgrounds

Providing evidence-based information for policymakers and advocates

reports analyzing school and college data to hold leaders accountable for improving student outcomes

Breaking down data to show racial and socioeconomic inequities

key findings on student outcomes in New York State, disaggregated by race and socioeconomic background

Driving the Conversation: Making sure all of New York’s kids learn to read

EdTrust-New York is tackling an urgent problem head on with the New York Campaign for Early Literacy. Less than half of the state’s third graders are reading at grade level. In fact, when we look at how students of color and those from low-income backgrounds are faring, the need is even more urgent. Only 29% of Black and Latinx students, and just 12% of Native American students, are reading at grade-level, compared to 46% of White students and 56% of non-low-income students.

Bringing together individuals, libraries, and civil rights, education, parent, nonprofit, and early childhood organizations to harness the power of shifting narratives and mobilize advocates, EdTrust-New York is leading the fight to improve literacy outcomes and make sure all of New York’s kids learn to read. With an initial win in 2024 — successfully advocating for $10 million in initial state investments for professional development for teachers — we’re off to a good start. EdTrust-New York will continue to build the awareness, sense of urgency, and public will necessary for additional funding and legislation to make the literacy crisis a thing of the past.

In 2024, we successfully advocated for

in initial state investments for professional development for teachers — we’re off to a good start.

Connecting the Dots: Well-connected and community-driven

“I used strategies I acquired during the Lab to advocate and recruit other parents to join the effort to push for more resources for English Language Learners and their families in my district. As a result, the district established a summer program for incoming kindergarteners who are English Language Learners, which will ensure they are socially ready and screened for learning needs.”
– Mai Abdullah, Rush-Henrietta School District, Parent Advocate & Policy Lab Participant

Our 210+ partners include organizations from civil rights, education, parent, nonprofit, business, and government sectors as part of the statewide coalitions and campaigns we lead and convene, covering a child’s trajectory from birth, through college, and into the workforce.

We know the solutions that will move New York forward are strongest when they are collectively developed. EdTrust-New York’s unique positionality in the state means we both convene stakeholders ourselves and, together with our partners, are a “convener of conveners.” And in recent years, over 1,100 students participated in EdTrust-New York and New York Equity Coalition-led events, sharing their perspectives and informing our policy solutions. EdTrust-New York events run the gamut from town halls and focus groups to panels, film screenings, and legislative briefings, enabling us to forge connections between and with a wide range of advocates and leaders.

In 2023, our work as part of the New York Equity Coalition led to a seemingly simple yet powerful practice being instituted in every school district in the state. Families are now informed about the benefits of enrolling in advanced classes and what courses are offered in the district.

partners

as part of the statewide coalitions and campaigns we lead and conviene.

Policy Solutions that Work

With a team whose background includes many “on the ground” roles in education and a vast network of coalition partners in schools, on campuses, and in leadership positions, EdTrust-New York knows just how much goes into centering equity in policymaking. Our combination of community-informed coalition work plus extensive expertise in education policy research drives our ability to make sure the policies we advocate for are intentional, actionable, and truly designed to boost student support and improve outcomes.

Our team regularly shares data, insights, research, and recommendations with decision-makers, including spending over 1,500 hours directly connecting with these leaders making sure they are well-informed on the educational and racial equity implications of proposed policy ideas. Our policy positions are driven by data we collect in a variety of ways — from qualitative information gathered through student surveys, parent polls, and community focus groups to quantitative data analysis we conduct using disaggregated student outcome data, school funding data, and more. In the past three years, EdTrust-New York has served on five key workgroups and commissions in the state, including The Governor’s Child Care Availability Task Force.

We’ve successfully advocated for important pieces of legislation and state guidance that will:



Increase access to advanced courses for students



Help families experiencing poverty, and;



Provide mechanisms for school districts to cultivate more educators of color to reflect our communities



Produce guidance for schools across the state on early literacy



Require high schools to inform students about financial aid options for college



Increase accountability for state and higher education institutions to boost college degree attainment

We’ve been instrumental in securing the passage and signage of 4 important pieces of New York State legislation that will:



Increase access to advanced courses for students



Help families experiencing poverty, and;



Provide mechanisms for school districts to cultivate more educators of color to reflect our communities.

We’ve successfully advocated for 4 pieces of important statewide guidance, including:



Guidance for schools across the state on early literacy



High schools statewide must inform students about financial aid options



State and higher education institutions are responsible for increasing college degree attainment

We’ve worked hard on – and won — 8 local wins in cities and districts across the state, including:



Making sure families in New York City can access high-quality early education and child care options and;



That schools are fairly funded

Support EdTrust-New York

EdTrust-New York believes that students, particularly students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, have the right to access a high-quality education that will allow them to live the life of their choosing. Join us in our effort to achieve education equity.

Donate