November 2015
Dear Charter School Supporter,
An important reminder: runoff elections will be held on Saturday, November 21. At stake are the Governor's seat and two key BESE seats in district 4 (Shreveport) and district 6 (Baton Rouge). It's no secret that the candidates for these seats hold very different views on education and charter schools. We encourage you to focus on the issues that matter to you and your school communities, get informed, and most importantly, get out and vote.
No matter the outcome of these races, the charter school community will face a very different landscape come January 2016 -- one that we must start preparing for today. You'll be hearing from LAPCS more frequently in the upcoming months as we as an association get ready for the new year. Beginning with National School Choice Week in late January and continuing through the 2016 legislative session, we'll be calling on all of you to stand up for charter schools by contacting your legislators, testifying on behalf of your school, and supporting our advocacy efforts. We know the landscape will be more challenging, but we hope that with your help, we will sustain and strengthen the charter school movement we've built over the past 20 years.
Start thinking about what it means for your school community to build your advocacy army, and how you are preparing your supporters for what's to come. A quick and easy way to do this is to start inviting your legislators and elected officials to your school events, like your upcoming holiday celebrations. Show policymakers how important your school is to your students, families, and communities -- and start building relationships with them now.
As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to thank the majority of charter schools in our state who have chosen to be members of LAPCS. Thanks for trusting us to be your advocate for the 80,000+ students, educators, and families you serve.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Caroline Roemer
Executive Director, LAPCS