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.
By the Numbers
79 media stories
41 media stories
54 media stories
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 collection 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
%
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.
“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
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.
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.
