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Education Justice Victories That Give Us Hope for 2026
Education and racial justice advocates organized in 2025, and despite attacks from the far right, victories were won in states and communities across the country, from Arkansas and Rhode Island to North Carolina and New York. Here are some of the big victories from the past year that give us hope for 2026!
Arkansas Statewide Re‑accreditation of AP African American Studies
Region: South • Issue Area: Culturally Responsive Curriculum
Schott partner Grassroots Arkansas helped secure statewide re‑accreditation of AP African American Studies for the 2024-2025 academic year, ensuring students can enroll in and receive credit for the course across the state.
Community Schools Supports Implemented in Jackson, MS
Region: South • Issue Area: Community Schools
In Jackson, Lanier High School, a full-service community school, launched a new Resource Center to provide essentials to students and an on‑campus barbershop to reduce absenteeism and increase student engagement. Schott partner the Institute for Democratic Education in America (IDEA) and the local Jackson Community Schools Coalition were vital contributors to this effort.
Ethnic Studies Graduation Requirement Bill Introduced in Rhode Island
Region: Northeast • Issue Area: Culturally Responsive Curriculum; Student Voice
House Bill 5836, developed in partnership with public school students, was introduced to make Ethnic Studies a graduation requirement in all Rhode Island high schools marking a major step toward transformative education. This effort was led by student leaders at the Providence Student Union and ARISE of the Our Schools PVD Coalition. Youth leaders have been in active dialogue with the Rhode Island Department of Education to develop a comprehensive model of course framework/curriculum.
Thrive Act 2.0 introduced to end state takeovers and reform assessments in Mass.
Region: Northeast • Issue Area: Student Voice, Fair Testing, Democracy
Following the success of ending MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) as a graduation requirement, The Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA) introduced the Thrive Act 2.0 to fundamentally shift how the state supports public schools. This legislation would eliminate the state’s authority to impose receiverships—where local control is stripped away—and instead invest in collaborative solutions that strengthen schools rather than punish them.
Thrive Act 2.0 calls for replacing the high-stakes MCAS graduation requirement with a more comprehensive assessment system that values student growth, creativity, and critical thinking. It ensures that families, educators, and community leaders have a real voice in shaping accountability measures, prioritizing culturally responsive practices and equitable resources for historically underfunded districts.
Solutions Not Suspensions Act advanced in New York legislature
Region: Northeast • Issue Area: School discipline
The Solutions Not Suspensions Act (S.134/A.118) is moving forward to end exclusionary discipline practices and replace them with restorative, age-appropriate approaches addressing disproportionate impacts on Black and Brown students. This effort was led by Schott partners, the Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), and Girls for Gender Equity (GGE).
Momentum is building for the Solutions Not Suspensions bill as New York heads into the 2026 state budget fight. After years of advocacy, State Legislators are increasingly recognizing the urgency of replacing punitive, exclusionary discipline with research-backed approaches that keep students in school. As budget negotiations approach, the Solutions Not Suspensions coalition will continue working with legislators to strengthen support, not only to pass the bill, but to expand the broader movement at what could be a turning point for educational justice across the state.
First opportunity weight added to Georgia’s school funding formula
Region: South • Issue Area: School funding equity
The Fund Georgia’s Future coalition secured the first opportunity weight in the state’s public education funding formula, resulting in a $15 million one-time pilot funds to school districts for economically disadvantaged students. Georgia Youth Justice Coalition is both a coalition member organization and a Schott grantee partner.
Louisiana advocates blocked harmful youth justice bill
Region: South • Issue Area: Restorative justice
Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC) and Step Up Louisiana, in coalition with a number of other organizations, successfully organized to help prevent S.B. 74 from advancing in the state legislature, stopping the reactionary effort to expand the ability to try children as adults at younger ages and for an expanded list of offenses.
North Carolina report drives policy conversation on early grade suspensions
Region: South • Issue Area: School discipline; Early childhood
The Education Justice Alliance (EJA) and Duke Children’s Law Clinic released Protecting North Carolina’s Youngest Learners From Early Grade Suspension, a data-driven report advocating for policy changes and increased resources to end harmful suspensions for PreK–2 students.
Major divestment from school policing and reinvestment in Black student achievement in Los Angeles
Region: South • Issue Area: School policing
Schott partner Students Deserve and other California Police Free Schools partners secured a $25 million divestment from LAUSD School Police, banned random searches and pepper spray use, removed police from campuses, and reinvested funds into the California Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP).
Students later helped secure an additional $59.7 million for the Black Student Achievement Plan and future annual expansions. The BSAP funding supports expanded culturally responsive curriculum, mental health resources, and programs that affirm Black identity and excellence, addressing decades of underinvestment in Black students.
