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** Back to School: Prepare to Protect Education
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Beloved,

This month, alongside more than 54 million school-aged students across the country, my two youngest children headed back to class. My wife and I have purchased pencils and paper, book bags and lunch boxes, sneakers and “jorts.” (Yes, blue jean shorts are a thing again.)

For their part, as near as I can tell, my son and daughter have been crafting first-day outfits since the Fourth of July. By the time we got to that fateful first day, my 11-year-old daughter had laid out style combinations for an entire week, all hung in aligned succession with rotating kicks to match. Frankly, I hope the level of visible, psychic energy deployed on this school project extends into their academics. Our eleventh-grade son, who walks in the spirit of “look good, feel good,” is convinced that it will.

But children don’t just return to school each August; they reenter learning conditions we have created for them. Long before the first bell rang, we made decisions about their promise, practices, and possibilities. Unfortunately, while young people and parents are going to great lengths to look, act, and perform their best, barriers to academic success and persistence are being erected at every level.

A promise we made to give every child in the nation access to a head start through education is now contested with the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to quality standards ([link removed]) in the name of deregulation and cost savings. The Head Start program, initiated through the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and formalized as its own program through the Head Start Act of 1981, has enjoyed bipartisan support, reauthorization, and investment to serve more than 40 million children over two generations. In 2007, the Bush Administration added provisions to improve kindergarten readiness so every student would be prepared on day one.

As proposed Head Start changes would diminish student readiness for the first day, new student loan caps are already making it difficult for young people after graduation. At this end of the learning journey, saving money and a questionable theory for lowering tuition costs ([link removed]) have become the excuse for limiting access to federal resources for college. These arguments to reduce expenses and regulation are the same ones being leveled to dismantle the Department of Education ([link removed]) , its civil rights enforcements, and support for students with disabilities, altogether.

Conventional wisdom suggests that this time of year, when young people prepare for school, is also the season when adults begin to pay attention to the Fall election cycle. That works out well because the only way to definitively ward off these challenges to our children’s education is at the voting booth. So, we should approach Election Day like it’s our first day of school and prepare with the zeal of our students.

How to Prepare…

First, get registered. With efforts to redistrict and undermine voting underway, it is important to check your registration early and often. During a recent Justice Revival for voting rights in Dallas, Texas, I met a woman who was a regular voter and poll worker. While she was sure she was registered, when she checked her status at our rally (only a week since her last assessment), she had been purged from the registered voter list.

Second, check your “class” schedule. Learn the issues at stake in the mid-term elections. For the next few months, pay close attention to action alerts from trusted organizations, like CDF, your local congregation, or your labor union, and attend town halls for candidates seeking your vote. Make sure people answer the questions you have about your children and grandchildren’s education.

Finally, lay out your clothes, or make your voting plan. Plan ahead for how, when, and where you will vote. This year, CDF is asking all our partners to “Vote FOR your children and WITH your Children.” Take a child with you to the polls. Cast your vote for their future and model the value of civic participation.

If we prepare for our “first day” the way our children have, we will have no reason to fear the coming tests (or parent-teacher conferences). Just after the election, November 4-5 in Washington, DC, that’s exactly what we’re hosting. During the American Youth Policy Forum ([link removed]) , CDF is gathering parents, policymakers, students, and scholars to assess the impact of the election on children and youth. Like a good parent-teacher meeting, we’ll consider how we can improve so every student is ready for civic life and work.

Join us.

For our children,

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson
President and CEO
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** TAKING ACTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
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** CDF-Action | Voting Rights are Children’s Rights
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Every child deserves a voice, and every vote can help shape a future where children and young people can thrive. Register to vote, verify your registration, find your polling place, request an absentee ballot, and get election reminders so you’re ready to make your voice heard.
Take Action ([link removed])


** CDF-TX | Tell Congress: #FreeFamilies Now
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Families belong together, yet immigration detention and enforcement policies continue to separate children from parents and destabilize entire communities. CDF-TX is calling on Congress to reject policies that criminalize migration and instead advance child-centered approaches rooted in dignity, safety, and family unity. This action urges lawmakers to protect children in mixed-status families and support policies that keep families free, together, and connected to the care they need.
Take Action ([link removed])


** Couldn’t Make a Local NDSA Action? Raise Your Voice Virtually
Not everyone could gather in person for this year’s Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® National Day of Social Action ([link removed]) , but everyone can take action. As communities across the country ask, "Are the children well?,” you can join the movement virtually by contacting your member of Congress and urging them to co-sponsor critical legislation that advances child well-being and protects children’s futures. Advocacy does not begin and end in Washington. It begins wherever we are willing to raise our voices on behalf of young people.
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Take Action ([link removed])


** CDF IN THE NEWS
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** CBS News (July 11, 2026) | CDF Freedom Schools® Across the Twin Cities Foster Environments That Support Young People
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CBS Minnesota spotlights the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program in the Twin Cities, highlighting how the program helps young people build a love of reading, strengthen civic engagement, and develop confidence in their ability to create positive change in their families and communities. The story also features educators whose own experiences as CDF Freedom Schools scholars inspired them to return as mentors, underscoring the program's lasting impact across generations.
Read More ([link removed])


** Austin Current (July 21, 2026) | As Austin ISD Faces Another Turbulent Year, One Summer Program Helps Children Find Their Voice
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Austin Current highlights how Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools® are providing stability, literacy enrichment, and leadership development for children in East Austin, Texas, as local schools navigate budget cuts, closures, and other challenges. The story features students finding their voices through the program, including one scholar who progressed from communicating primarily through assistive technology to confidently participating in classroom discussions.
Read More ([link removed])


** Springfield News-Sun (July 21, 2026) | | The Conscious Connect Celebrates Free Book Milestone in Springfield
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Springfield News-Sun highlights The Conscious Connect's milestone of distributing more than 100,000 free books across the Greater Miami Valley, celebrating a decade of expanding literacy access for children and families. The story also featured scholars participating in the Covenant Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program, where they selected free books as part of a broader effort to foster a lifelong love of reading and learning.
Read More ([link removed])


** The LA Local (July 22, 2026) | CDF Freedom Schools® Give South L.A. Students Enrichment, Safety, Inspiration, and Joy
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The LA Local highlights Community Coalition's Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program in South Los Angeles, where scholars spend six weeks strengthening literacy, exploring their cultural identity, and building leadership skills in a safe, affirming environment. The feature also emphasizes the program's holistic approach, providing meals, books, transportation, and enriching experiences at no cost to families while fostering a lasting love of reading and learning.
Read More ([link removed])


** NPR (August 3, 2026) | How SNAP Changes Affect Children and Families
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As SNAP participation declines amid sweeping federal changes to the food assistance program, CDF President and CEO Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson discusses the growing impact on children and families. Wilson warns that additional changes taking effect later this year could deepen food insecurity and place even greater strain on families and communities.
Read More ([link removed])


** CNN (August 20, 2026) | Melania Trump’s behind-the-scenes foster youth work comes into focus
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As her Fostering the Future and Be Best initiatives get attention, Senior Policy Manager Chantal Hinds of CDF-New York (CDF-NY) astutely noted the imbalance between the First Lady’s efforts to champion investments in foster youth and the administration’s policies weakening the social safety net.
Read More ([link removed])


** WHAT WE’RE READING: RESOURCES, RESEARCH, AND REPORTS
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** Making the Grade 2025 | Research Report | Education Law Center
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Education Law Center's annual Making the Grade 2025 report evaluates every state's school funding system across three measures of fairness: funding level, funding distribution, and funding effort. The findings highlight persistent disparities in school funding and reinforce the importance of equitable investments to ensure every child has access to a high-quality public education.
View Report ([link removed])


** Beyond the Doll Tests: Affirming and Uplifting Black Students' Well-Being by Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy | Review | Harvard Educational Review (June 2026)
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Drawing on research and lived experience, Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy explores how schools can become affirming, healing-centered environments where Black students are supported academically, socially, and emotionally. It's a timely read as educators and advocates prepare for a new school year.
Learn More ([link removed])


** UPCOMING CDF EVENTS: JOIN US!
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CDF-Ohio | A Celebration of Joy®
September 10, 2026 | Ohio

Join us for A Celebration of Joy ([link removed]) : A Hole in One for Hope, an inspiring evening dedicated to advancing hope, opportunity, and justice for children in Ohio. Together, we'll celebrate the champions, partners, and community leaders who are helping create a brighter future while raising critical support for our work on behalf of children and families. Through powerful stories, meaningful connections, and a shared commitment to action, this special event reminds us that lasting change begins with all of us.
Learn More ([link removed])

CDF-California | Child Watch

September 24, 2026 | California

Join Children’s Defense Fund-California (CDF-CA) for the 2026 Child Watch ([link removed]) , our signature annual convening that brings together young people, policymakers, and community leaders committed to improving outcomes for California’s children and families.

Purchase Tickets ([link removed])

CDF-Texas | A Celebration of Joy®

October 8, 2026 | Texas

Children’s Defense Fund-Texas invites you to A Celebration of Joy: Through Their Eyes ([link removed]) , an evening dedicated to honoring the world as seen through the creative lens of children and youth. This inspiring event will feature artwork that reflects the hopes, truths, and bold imaginations of young people in the Austin community. Through their voices and vision, we are reminded of what joy, justice, and belonging can look like when children and youth are centered in community.
Purchase Tickets ([link removed]*1y0fwl*_ga*NDE2NzU1MzY2LjE3MzgwMTI3NDI.*_ga_9QQTCTFDQL*czE3ODQ2NjUwNTMkbzM0JGcxJHQxNzg0NjY1MzE2JGo2MCRsMCRoMA.&utm_source=Children%27s+Defense+Fund&utm_campaign=b3e145eaf6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_03_31_06_28_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-9ab68f3fa2-59342.)


** SAVE-THE-DATES
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National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths®

October 16-18, 2026 | Nationwide

American Youth Policy Forum ([link removed]) , powered by CDF

November 4-5, 2026 | Washington, D.C.

A National Celebration of Joy ([link removed]) ®
November 5, 2026 | Washington, D.C.


** STAY CONNECTED
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Stay connected ([link removed]) for more updates on our advocacy and organizing efforts.

Thank you for your continued support. Together we build community, so young people grow up with dignity, hope, and joy.
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