CSO Political Activities

September 10, 2015

2

Charter Enrollment in Chicago19

97

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Students

2% of CPS students

14% of CPS students

Customary C(3) Advocacy

4

Charters lead on college-readiness

2004 Today

ACT College Readiness Benchmark: 21

Charter

Non-selective, district-run

5

…charter schools are closing the gap

Charter

Non-selective, district-run

42 schools with 90% or more African-American students

Why Add Political Work?

7

2014 Illinois Bills

Bill Overview Sponsors

1 HB6005/SB3030/SB588

Creates vast and varied administrative burdens on charter schools and authorizers

Senate:Jacqueline Collins (D)House:Rep. Chris Welch (D) *

2 SB2627/HB3754

Eliminates the Illinois State Charter School Commission

Senate:Kimberly Lightford (D)House:Rep. Chapa LaVia (D)

3 SB2779/HB4237

Prohibits the Commission from hearing appeals on the merits of the charter application

Senate:Linda Holmes (D)House:Rep. Sandra Pihos (R) *

4 HB4527 Mandates charter school compliance with state and federal SPED and ELL laws

Senate:Kim Lightford (D)House:Rep. Chapa LaVia (D)

5 HB5328 Mandates Chicago charter schools be administered by a local school council

House:Elizabeth Hernandez (D)

8

2014 Illinois Bills

Bill Overview Sponsors

6 HB4655/SB3004

Applies sections of the School Code that pertain to student discipline policies to charter schools

Senate: Kimberly Lightford (D) House:Will Davis (D)

7 HB 3937 Extends Moratorium on virtual charter schools

Senate:Bertino-Tarrant *House:Rep. Chapa LaVia

8 SB 3303 Provides rigid restrictions on the opening of, and access to, charter school options

Senate:Jacqueline Collins

9 HB3745 Requires all charter high schools to establish vocational academies

House: LaShawn Ford (D)

10 HB 5887 Creates restrictions on virtual school options for students

House: Rep. Chapa LaVia *

*Denotes new sponsor

Building a Political Organization

11

Expanded our Toolkit

Help pass supportive public school legislation (501c4)

Support directly elected officials that will champion charter public schools (PAC)

Promote charter public schools and ensure the laws work for all students (501c3)

Support or oppose political candidates through communications strategies (IC)

Roadmap to Pro-Charter Majorities in Springfield

2014 2015

November 2016Illinois General Election

HOUSENeed 60

to pass bill

SENATENeed 30

to pass bill

48

25

2016

29

54

34

64

today

+6 Representatives +10 Representatives

+4 Senators +5 Senators

November 2014Illinois General Election

45

23 +2 Senators

+3 Representatives

January 2014INCS Action/INCS Action PAC launch

March 2016Illinois Primaries

2014 and 2015 Political Activities

14

Lobbying Activities

Charter school supporters line up to speak with Representative Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora).

15

State Work: INCS Action had a tremendous impact in the 2014 General Election.

16

State Work: INCS Action Impact 2014 Race

• INCS Action targeted Kate Cloonen, a Democratic incumbent with a terrible voting record running in a lean district

• Opposition research discovered that Rep. Cloonen took a senior citizen tax exemption each of the previous 10 years. She is 52.

• Four target mail pieces to each of 18,000 registered voters in the weeks before election. 3 contrast pieces; 1 positive piece.

• Communication from leadership

• Result: Cloonen defeated challenger by 112 votes out of 32,000.

• Coda: Education Committee

17

City Work: INCS Action Impact in the 37th Ward

• Alderman Emma Mitts faced a run-off against CTU-backed candidate Tara Stamps

• Two separate mailings reached 6,500 registered voters between March 23 and April 1. Two rounds of persuasion calls reached 4,813 registered voters. GOTV calls the day before election.

• Result: Emma Mitts defeated Tara Stamps by 536 votes out of 9,886 cast on April 7.

• In the 37th Ward, Rahm Emanuel defeated Chuy Garcia with 59% of the vote up from 41% support in the primary.

18

10 Lessons For CSOs Launching Political Arms

1. Ensure a strong CSO foundation first

2. One doesn’t need to match unions dollar for dollar to be effective

3. CSOs have a membership base: use it

4. Affecting electoral outcomes creates more leverage than donations

5. Go deep, not wide

6. Be selective (and rational) when going after incumbents

7. Be intentionally bipartisan (if possible)

8. Supporting champions is as important as sending messages

9. Compliance and reporting matters: watch for minefields

10.Build a foundation for the long haul

19

Gandhi’s Four Stages of Revolution

“First they ignore you,

then they ridicule you,

then they fight you

Then you win.”

CSO Political Activities

September 10, 2015