The Expectations Project

What a week it has been! The significance of President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 election and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris cannot be overstated. We affirm and celebrate the joy and hope this has ignited for many, envisioning the prospect of a woman – particularly a woman of color – as President of the United States.

At the same time, we acknowledge the anxiety, fear, and frustrations felt by many of us who are grappling with uncertainty about the future direction of our government, both at home and abroad. There is deep concern about whether Black women will be safely held and supported in this season.

As we contend with complicated emotions and big feelings, this moment presents an opportunity to build collective power and demand a pro-child and pro-family agenda from our leaders, not just during this election season, but throughout the year at the federal, state, and local level. We anticipate many challenges in the months ahead, including misinformation, political theater, voter manipulation, and more. It is critical that we remain vigilant and steadfast in our pursuit of thriving for all children.

We stand together with you in spirit and in action.

As we contend with complicated emotions and big feelings about the upcoming election season, this moment presents an opportunity to build collective power and demand a pro-child and pro-family agenda from our leaders, not just during this election season, but throughout the year at the federal, state, and local level.

Hope, Anxiety, and Action: Demanding a Pro-Child Agenda | The Expectations Project What a week it has been! The significance of President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 election and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris cannot be overstated. We affirm and celebrate…

We knew other states would follow Florida's lead and Georgia is just the latest example in removing an ELECTIVE course designed for college level work and critical thought.

This is a political decision that ignores the needs of students and families.

Georgia school superintendent declined to adopt AP African American course Georgia school superintendent declines to adopt a popular AP African American Studies course, which means no state dollars can go to the class.

"Today, the regions most impacted by long-standing inequities—namely rural and urban communities—still have some of the highest rates of child hunger."

Food Justice Includes School Food. Here's Why — FoodCorps Food justice is key in building a world free from oppression. From early school meals to today's lunch trays, here's why school food is a justice issue.

It's still Pride Month, and in the remaining days of celebration, TEP firmly stands by our dedication to the success and well-being of our LGBTQ+ students and teachers.

We deeply believe in respecting every individual's dignity, ensuring their safety and supporting their wholeness. Recognizing the adverse effects of systemic marginalization, especially on Black and Brown communities, we work year-round for widespread healing and restoration. 🙏🏿❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🙏🏿

Check out our blog to learn more:
https://expectations.org/national/tep-celebrates-pride/

Economic empowerment is more than a buzzword—it's about creating real opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive, and it will be on ballots this November in different forms. ☑️

From education funding and small business support to affordable housing and financial literacy, local and federal policies shape access to economic resources that impact lives and livelihoods. 🏦

To learn more, visit our blog:

Economic Empowerment + Abundance | The Expectations Project There are numerous avenues to economic empowerment for families, particularly those from systematically disenfranchised and under-resourced communities. How can we talk about measuring economic wel…

This Juneteenth we celebrate freedom. A long-delayed and hard-won freedom.

We honor and engage in the struggle to build a better world for ourselves, our children, and our children's children.

The Expectations Project We mobilize people of faith to act nationally and locally to eliminate education inequity.

With the news that the IRS will extend the direct filing tool nationwide, read more about out WHY this is a shining example of the effectiveness of measures that remove obstacles and unburden taxpayers.

IRS Direct Filing Tool: The Costs of Complexity | The Expectations Project Our tax system can be a means for building and supporting healthy communities, which ultimately supports thriving children. Through distributive methods like tax credits and returns, the tax code h…

UPDATE: 2 governors have seen the light but as summer begins we STILL have 13 states that are refusing FREE money to feed their children.

Sufficient nutrition in childhood sets the stage for a healthy life. These refusals are cruel and unconscionable.

Republican governors in 15 states are turning down food money for 8 million children States with some of the highest rates of children living in poverty are rejecting bipartisan aid

From The Education Trust - "For LGBTQ+ students, efforts to ban teaching about diverse groups of students rob them of the chance to see themselves in the lessons being taught. Furthermore, the lack of teaching tolerance can result in a hostile learning environment."

Teaching Tolerance Amid Contentious Turbulence - The Education Trust Whether it’s another school shooting, bans on Black books & history, or anti-trans bills, our nation’s students are in peril

In the face of oppressive systems designed to deny life and thriving, joy can be an act of resistance. Furthermore, Scripture teaches us that somehow in joy there is strength for difficult days (Nehemiah 8:10).

Music gives voice to joy and laughter and dance. It also brings us through grief, sorrow, and frustration. Ultimately, music is freedom and we celebrate that.

TEP Celebrates Black Music Month | The Expectations Project This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it to me. The world didn’t give it, the world can’t take it away. Black Spiritual Song This Joy – Resistance Revival Chorus We are celebrating Blac…

TEP Celebrates Pride!! 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍🌈

We are so grateful for our q***r students and teachers and the many ways they enrich and bless our communities.

We dream of a world where all God’s children are educated and nurtured in safe and supportive environments.

TEP Celebrates Pride | The Expectations Project As Pride Month begins today, we at TEP are taking a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the LGBTQ+ children and advocates in our communities and the educators who support and nurture them. Because …

"Teacher trainers say they’re modeling lessons, showing teachers where Asian American voices and experiences naturally fit existing curriculum, and sharing useful strategies for teaching the history of many marginalized groups."

Eleven states now require Asian American history. How can teachers and schools get it right? Teacher trainers in Illinois say it’s helpful to model lessons and show teachers where Asian American experiences naturally fit in. “We don’t want teachers to blow up their curriculums,” one trainer said.

Over the course of a child's lifetime, a high-quality early childhood education is associated with better health, better cognitive and social-emotional skills, and higher employment rates.

Check out our issue briefing with early childhood policy recommendations!

expectations.org

Did you know that 35 million students are in schools with police, but without key support staff like counselors or nurses?

We want EVERY child to have medical and mental health care and a community of adults who are responding to their needs.

Let a Child Be a Child | The Expectations Project Visit the post for more.

In the American school system, Black youth are routinely denied the grace and innocence of childhood.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can protect the wonder of children and insist on letting a child be a child.

Why Is the Child Crying? | The Expectations Project The most important question in the world is, “Why is the child crying?”Alice Walker In the American school system, Black youth are routinely denied the grace and innocence of childhood. Black child…

One of the most important things we can do to appreciate teachers is to LISTEN TO TEACHERS.

Read our interview with award-winning teacher Renee Moore on the grave impact that anti-CRT and other legislation has had on teachers.

TEACHER TO TEACHER: The Impact of Anti-CRT Legislation on Public School Educators - Truth Matters for Students The manufactured public outcry against Critical Race Theory (CRT) and ensuant anti-CRT legislation are gravely impacting public school educators. In the interview below, Renee Moore, an award-winning Mississippi public school educator for over three decades, offers her expert analysis on the present...

IT'S TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY

At TEP, it is a policy priority to affirm the profession and dignity of our teachers.

- Pay teachers 💵
- Trust them as experts 👨🏿‍🏫
- Sufficient support staff so teachers can focus on teaching 🧑🏾‍⚕️🧑🏽‍💼🚍🧑🏻‍💻👩🏿‍🔧

Policy Priority Area: Affirming the Profession and Dignity of Teachers | The Expectations Project As we continue to highlight this year’s policy priority areas, we want to focus our attention on teachers. We firmly support ALL policies that affirm the profession of teaching and the dignity of t…

I wish I’d had a school counselor at all and especially one who would believe me. These experiences hurt my wonder.

How do you dream when you aren’t seen as fully human?

Let a Child Be a Child | The Expectations Project I was such a cute little girl. Seriously, look: It is the wonder and innocence for me. I’m thankful that my parents were able to help me cultivate and nurture that wonder. They were always fierce p…

Learn more at www.letachild.org

Check out this important research from Center for American Progress and these crucial recommendations for K-12 education policy to address the unique needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander students and communities.

Education Policies Need To Address the Unique Needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities The Center for American Progress is conducting new research that uplifts the lived experiences in public education of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. This research will advance CAP’s ongoing work to apply an explicit racial equity lens to K-12 education policymaking.

At least 15 states have successfully passed legislation that bans access to medical care for trans youth, often criminalizing the doctors or the guardians of transgender youth seeking medical access.

Under Attack: The Political Assault on the Rights of LGBTQ+ Students | The Expectations Project When former President Trump announced last year that, if reelected, he would ‘stop’ gender-affirming care for minors, which he described as ‘child abuse’ and ‘child se…

Large conservative institutions are using their influence to spread disinformation and misinformation as a tactic of manipulation toward specific political ends.

People of faith are being targeted as a vulnerable and movable voting base.

An Ecosystem of Manipulation and Its Devastating Impact on People of Faith | The Expectations Project For much of the past four years, news cycles, school board meetings, and state legislative agendas have been dominated by hostile political rhetoric surrounding identity-related topics such as teac…

Over 100,000 Black teachers were fired, dismissed, or demoted in the years immediately following Brown v. Board of Education.

We know that Black teachers benefit students and we're long overdue for policies that strengthen the Black teacher pipeline.

Why Black Teachers Matter - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly A new study shows that Black boys are less likely to be unnecessarily placed in special education when they are taught by Black teachers.

Students engaged in peaceful protest for justice and human rights should not be threatened, arrested, or harmed.

Young people deserve to be heard and respected.

Yale University: Dozens arrested during US Gaza campus protests Meanwhile, students at Columbia were told to stay home on the first day of the Jewish Passover holiday.

It is a policy failure when we rely on the generosity of private citizens to provide basic conditions for learning.

All school buildings should have air conditioning, heat, clean water, and ventilation.

Jalen Hurts donates $200K for air conditioning units in 10 Philly schools The donation by the Eagles quarterback will help address a lack of adequate cooling in facilities, a long-standing problem for the city.