FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Contact: info@edpwr.org
Through EdPwr, Nation’s Leading Education Organizations Unveil Ten Commitments to Transform Public Education Over the Next Decade
Amid record dissatisfaction with the state of education, Big-tent coalition of parents, educators, civil rights and policy leaders sets bold vision for what every family should expect from their public schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. — EdPwr, a big-tent coalition that is powering the promise of public education as America's most critical long-term strategic investment, today unveiled The EdPwr Ten Commitments for Public Education for the Next Ten Years — a bold, affirmative vision of what every child and family should be able to count on from their public schools. The announcement comes amid growing concern about the state of public education, fueled by uncertainty around the literacy crisis, AI in classrooms, and underfunding of schools.
As potential presidential contenders build their education agendas for 2028, Americans' satisfaction with the quality of K-12 education has slipped to 32%, a new low in Gallup's 27-year trend and down 11 percentage points over the past two years. At the same time, 63% of Americans say education is one of the most or very important issues when voting for Congress.
Nearly 90% of America's children attend public schools, making the quality, safety, and future-readiness of those schools a matter of national importance. The Ten Commitments spell out what every family deserves: every child safe and known, taught to read and taught well, ready for a world reshaped by technology, and funded fairly no matter their zip code.
The ten commitments are:
Safe Schools, Safe Kids — Every student deserves a safe learning environment, including mental health support, appropriate staffing, and bullying and violence prevention.
Great Teachers + Leaders = Great Learning — Recruiting, preparing, supporting, and retaining talented and diverse educators.
The Schools Our Kids Deserve — Honest assessments of school performance, real resources for struggling schools, and genuine public school choice.
Graduates Ready for the Workforce and the World — A diploma that reflects real readiness for careers, further learning, and a changing economy.
Every Kid Can Read — Ensuring every school is equipped to teach every child to read.
Fair and Full Funding for Every Student — Funding that doesn't depend on zip code, with full transparency for families.
Technologically Protected and Prepared Students — Preparing students to use technology while protecting their safety and privacy.
AI That Works for Kids — Ensuring the benefits of AI are shared widely and students are ready for AI-impacted workplaces.
A Public School That Fits Your Kid — Giving families the information they need to choose the right public school option.
A Student Bill of Rights — Guaranteeing every student access to a high-quality public education, regardless of circumstance.
This vision was built by a big-tent coalition of national and local organizations — policy experts, civil rights groups, labor-aligned partners, parents, educators, and local advocates — who don't agree on every policy detail but share one goal: a public education system that works for every child.
"For too long, the people in charge of our kids' education have been asleep at the wheel, local and national,” said Keri Rodrigues, Co-Founder and President, National Parents Union. “And under this administration, there is zero urgency coming out of Washington about the fact that our public schools are in real trouble. Parents are sitting at the kitchen table at night wondering if their kid is safe at school. Wondering if they can actually read. Wondering if anybody is being straight with them about where their child really stands. Meanwhile scores are flat and the grown-ups are gaslighting us or off fighting culture wars instead of teaching kids. Enough. We need a national commitment to literacy. Honest accountability. Great teachers who get trained right and actually stay. And schools that get our kids ready for whatever comes after graduation. These kids are our future workforce, and they cannot afford another generation of leaders who are complacent and more interested in scoring points for their side than doing the work.”
"Educators and families see what’s at stake every single day: the fourth grader struggling to read, the school that doesn't have the right resources, the great teacher who leaves because she can’t afford to stay," said Evan Stone, CEO and Co-Founder, Educators for Excellence. "Our students can’t wait another decade for education to become a national priority again. These commitments are a promise to the millions of American children who walk into a public school every morning, and to the families and teachers who show up for them, that we will fight to make sure every child has an excellent education. Because when we do, we aren’t just changing their futures. We’re shaping the future of our nation.”
"We are putting forward what we know creates excellent educational opportunities for students,” said Denise Forte, President and CEO, EdTrust. “Policymakers cannot treat these commitments and guarantees as aspirations but as public obligations essential to ensuring every student can access economic mobility and meaningful college and career pathways."
The commitments reflect strong support from parents. According to a recent nationally representative poll conducted by Echelon Insights for the National Parents Union, surveying 1,528 parents of K-12 public school students, nine out of ten commitments received at least 66% support, with most clearing 85% approval.
Organizations Signing on to the EdPwr Ten Commitments: All4Ed; Beyond100K; Black Educator Advocates Network; Center for Black Educator Development; The Center for Learner Equity; Center for Strong Public Schools; Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL); Collaborative for Student Success; Community of Teachers; Diverse Charter Schools Coalition; EdTrust; Educators for Excellence; Families In Schools (FIS); First Up; Global Compassion Coalition; Honey Brown Hope Foundation; Kiddom; League of Education Voters; Lillie's Foundation; National Center for Learning Disabilities; National Charter Collaborative; National Parents Union; Pulse Arts; SOAR Educational Services; UnidosUS.
EdPwr intends to put these commitments into practice. The coalition will work with state and federal leaders and lawmakers to turn them into action — providing the expertise and support needed for implementation and building the public demand that rewards follow-through.
EdPwr is a big-tent coalition committed to powering the promise of public education as America's most critical long-term strategic investment. Through ten key policy commitments for state and federal leaders over the next decade, EdPwr seeks to strengthen public education as an engine of opportunity, democracy, and economic growth. Recognizing that public schools serve nearly 90% of American children yet face challenges from underinvestment, privatization, and opportunity gaps, EdPwr brings together diverse partners to protect and innovate public education. The coalition is dedicated to ensuring every student, regardless of background or zip code, has access to high-quality schools and the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly complex world shaped by technological change and global challenges. Learn more at www.edpwr.org.