At Stand for Children, our mission is to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, graduate from high school prepared for, and with access to, a college education.
The facts are stark: roughly a quarter of American children drop out of high school every year. That translates to nearly one million young people leaving classrooms for the streets.
An American without a high school diploma is virtually guaranteed a lifetime of low earnings and poor health, and is at high risk for incarceration. Access to a quality education is a basic human right – one we are dedicated to protecting.
Stand for Children is among the nation’s most influential education advocacy organizations, and is working across the country – from the classroom to the Capitol – to mobilize Americans around a common goal of changing the odds for American children to ensure all children have an equal chance to succeed in life. This demands and evolved and effective education system for the 21st century.
In order to improve education for all children, Stand works state-by-state, community-by-community to build effective local and statewide networks of grassroots advocates. Since 2009, we have more than doubled in size and now have ten state offices: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
Our Focus
We are creating results our kids need and our communities demand, across the state and nation. In each Stand state, we focus on building a system of vibrant schools by:
- Educating and empowering parents, teachers, and community members to demand excellent public schools;
- Advocating for effective local, state and national education policies and investments;
- Ensuring the policies and funding we advocate for reach classrooms and help students; and
- Electing courageous leaders who will stand up for our priorities.
Stand has developed a unique set of capacities, relationship, and a track-record that lets us effectively intervene and engage across the system: with parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, and like-minded partners on behalf of the kids most at risk.
Stand is a powerful force working to change the odds and change the lives of millions of American children.