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Dear John,

As legislative sessions open across the country, we’re excited to launch 50CAN’s policy agenda for 2026: 57 concrete goals from across our state network that we want you to hold us accountable for achieving this year.

Taken together, under the umbrella of our Believe in Better ([link removed]) policy vision, these policy goals are a testament to the power of local advocacy campaigns built to last. The majority of the goals you’ll see below build on prior victories and are designed to ensure that all this effort adds up to real change in the lives of the kids and families in our states. Others have been chosen to prepare the field for future reforms, as part of a multi-year strategy grounded in a belief that our education system can be, and must be, much better. Both cases are proof points for the value of a campaign driven forward by respected local leaders who don’t know how to quit.

Among the themes emerging this year:

* After five years of reform, literacy is now about execution. Six states across the network have literacy goals for 2026, with the focus turning to ensure that new policies have quality implementation that results in strong academic gains.
* Math is up next in a big way. Seven states have set goals around math, from revisiting state standards to creating multiple math pathways ([link removed]) for high school students. These goals emerge from early success in states like Alabama, Louisiana and Kentucky.
* Tutoring has staying power. While some states in the network have set goals to create new tutoring programs, in many states established programs have been seen as critical to the success of literacy and math reforms. In those states, local leaders are focusing on scaling existing programs and ensuring quality.
* We’re holding the line on transparency for parents. From providing parents with financial transparency to mandatory academic plans, five states have set goals around ensuring parents are better informed. And four states have set goals on defending state accountability frameworks against active attempts to dismantle them.

Stay tuned to the New Reality Roundup for updates throughout the legislative sessions on the states’ progress toward these goals. And a final note for eagle-eyed readers about our two new states: Battle Born Kids Matter, in our new state ([link removed]) of Nevada, does not have a legislative session this year but will be preparing the ground for a strong 2027. Ohio is hard at work with coalition partners and we’ll release policy goals for the Buckeye State later this year.

Let’s get to work.

Marc Porter Magee
CEO & Founder of 50CAN

2026 Policy Goals

Colorado

Transform Education Now will expand access to high quality schools across the state of Colorado by organizing parents to open three new schools in priority regions.

Transform Education Now will create transparency in open enrollment practices by forcing public reporting on the number of students for each school enrolled or rejected.

Transform Education Now will refresh math standards to create expanded math pathways from data science to calculus, and expand high school students’ access to advanced courses.

Connecticut

ConnCAN will improve and streamline the state’s charter authorization process, including aligning the process with the state budget timeline.

ConnCAN will ensure high quality instructional materials are used in K-12 math courses through convening a coalition of state education leaders to build a statewide math strategy.

ConnCAN will pass legislation that prohibits student cell phone use in schools.

ConnCAN will implement the state's literacy program, with a focus on extended reading plans, dyslexia screening, and effective K-3 reading screeners.

ConnCAN will align educator prep programs with a focus on the science of reading.

ConnCAN will ensure all students receive individual academic support plans and parental notification when they have fallen behind in reading.

ConnCAN will implement and build on the multi-lingual learners parents bill of rights through the creation of a statewide language access plan.

ConnCAN will retain and attract new teachers through alternative pathways, and by resourcing supports like the Aspiring Educator Scholarship program.

Delaware

DelawareKidsCAN will enact a weighted student funding formula that distributes state resources based on individual student and school needs.

DelawareKidsCAN will expand the number of charter seats and ensure charter schools have the right to operate Pre-K programs.

DelawareKidsCAN will advocate to the Governor and his team to ensure the state accepts the federal scholarship tax credit.

DelawareKidsCAN will revise the boundaries of Christina School District, one of only a handful of non-contiguous districts in the United States, to address parent concerns over travel time to schools.

DelawareKidsCAN will continue their package of literacy reforms by banning three-cueing as an instructional practice.

DelawareKidsCAN will guarantee access to advanced math for qualifying students by reforming the current subjective recommendation process for higher-level classes.

DelawareKidsCAN will implement state literacy policies by emphasizing high quality instructional materials and early literacy professional development.

DelawareKidsCAN will require school districts to undergo a yearly independent financial audit that is communicated to parents and made public.

Georgia

GeorgiaCAN will work to support charter schools with financing solutions for facilities to address their top growth restraint in the Peach State.

GeorgiaCAN will also build on last year’s passage of a law that incentivizes local charter school approval by growing the appropriation.

GeorgiaCAN will work to fully fund the Georgia Promise Scholarship, opening the opportunity to more students and their families.

GeorgiaCAN will secure funding to increase the number of literacy coaches in the state as the next step in their package of literacy reforms.

GeorgiaCAN will create a system to guarantee access to advanced math for middle school students who have demonstrated readiness.

GeorgiaCAN will establish an evaluation framework for educator prep programs.

GeorgiaCAN will continue to promote and defend the state’s accountability system from legislative attempts to rollback clear and accurate accounts of student and school progress.

GeorgiaCAN will better align K-12 career pathways with the jobs and opportunities of the state’s economic landscape.

Building upon the successful 2025 passage of the Distraction-Free Education Act, GeorgiaCAN will pursue full adoption for all grades.

Hawaii

HawaiiKidsCAN will ensure the Board of Education has a comprehensive literacy policy grounded in best practices, including universal screening in all public elementary schools, and the science of reading.

HawaiiKidsCAN will expand teacher training in structured literacy and access to supports for students with reading difficulties.

HawaiiKidsCAN will create innovative funding options for new public charter school facilities to address overcrowding and limited access to quality options.

After securing passage of Act 154 in 2025, which created the state's new data sharing commission, HawaiiKidsCAN will serve on the working group to ensure that data sharing on career pathways is strongly implemented.

HawaiiKidsCAN will ensure a rigorous, stand-alone financial literacy graduation requirement is adopted by the Board of Education.

HawaiiKidsCAN will amend the statutory language of the Hawaii Promise scholarship to increase accessibility and effectiveness of higher education.

Louisiana

Louisiana Kids Matter will secure an additional $80 million for the GATOR Scholarship.

Louisiana Kids Matter will create a charter facilities loan fund to expand existing schools and fund new campuses to open.

Louisiana Kids Matter will expand high dosage tutoring to students in sixth through eighth grade and will secure $45M in the state’s budget for students in K-8 participating in the program.

Louisiana Kids Matter will protect the state’s accountability system.

Louisiana Kids Matter will create, staff and execute a regional coaching program for school counselors to ensure students are employed in high-wage, high-demand jobs upon graduation.

New Jersey

After passing a comprehensive package of literacy reforms over the past three years, JerseyCAN will focus on implementation and that districts are following both the letter and spirit of the law.

JerseyCAN will revise the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in mathematics to establish math pathways that include data science, calculus and classes that prepare students for higher level coursework.

JerseyCAN will ensure that students who are below grade level in reading or math will be provided with access to a high-impact tutor.

JerseyCAN will increase funding and training opportunities for literacy coaches alongside other supplemental literacy reforms.

New Mexico

Building on the literacy policies passed last year, NewMexicoKidsCAN will establish requirements for parent notification, individual reading plans and additional supports for students behind in reading.

NewMexicoKidsCAN will expand the number of students accessing high-impact tutoring by enacting legislation to ensure it is required for the students furthest behind in reading and math.

NewMexicoKidsCAN will enact a K-3 math screener and mandated parent notification for students behind in math.

NewMexicoKidsCAN will ensure parents have timely access to student data by passing legislation that mandates the release of assessment data by September 1 of each year.

NewMexicoKidsCAN will protect and support the growth of high-quality charter schools by opposing restriction efforts and advocating for the protection of the state’s charter authorizer.

North Carolina

CarolinaCAN will expand access to ESA programs beyond the current population of students with special needs, by leveraging the federal scholarship tax credit.

CarolinaCAN will expand access to high-dosage tutoring for students who are behind across public, charter and private schools.

CarolinaCAN will reform teacher certification to allow local school leaders to provide conditional certification to high quality teachers.

Because the private schools serving predominantly Black students are subjected to different accountability measures, CarolinaCAN will revisit the system to increase flexibility for all students.

Tennessee

With 42,000 applications for 20,000 seats, TennesseeCAN will expand the Education Freedom Scholarship program to meet parent demand.

TennesseeCAN will increase funding for charter schools, given a significant facilities gap.

TennesseeCAN will strengthen math pathways in Tennessee to be better aligned to the jobs of today and tomorrow, including embedding data science into Tennessee’s math standards and career pathways.

TennesseeCAN will protect the public school accountability framework by defending the apples-to-apples measurement of student proficiency.

TennesseeCAN will strengthen transparency on public education spending by establishing reporting on how state TISA dollars are being used by districts.

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