Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) was a nonprofit group supporting school voucher and charter school programs in the United States. It was one of the largest pro-voucher groups.[1][2] The group's mission was to "actively support parental choice to empower families and to increase quality educational options for Black children".
Black Alliance for Educational Options' chairman in 2002, Howard Fuller, was a former schools superintendent in Milwaukee where the first voucher program in the U.S. was established.[1] Gerard Robinson was the group's president[2] until his appointment as Education Secretary for the state of Virginia. Harrison Blackmond became president of the group's Detroit chapter.[3]
In 2013, the group opposed a Federal lawsuit seeking to block a voucher program in Louisiana.[4] The group was also critical of the defunding of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.[5] The group supports performance pay for teachers.
The group's board of directors has included:
Funding support has come from the Bradley Foundation.
In October 2017, it was announced that BAEO was shutting down[6] and on December 31, 2017, BAEO stated on their Facebook page, "Today is the last day for us."[7]
References
edit- ^ a b The Nation; Vouchers: A Shift, But Just How Big? by KATE ZERNIKE New York Times June 30, 2002
- ^ a b "McDonnell to name Education Secretary | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". Archived from the original on 2013-10-01.
- ^ "Michigan kids: A passion becomes a new education organization | the Detroit News". Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
- ^ [1] Organization seeks to block DOJ voucher lawsuit School Vouchers] September 24, 2013 The Daily Reveille
- ^ Black and Hispanic leaders blast president Obama's opposition to DC Opportunity Scholarship Program Archived 2013-09-28 at the Wayback Machine 03/29/11 The Street.com
- ^ Bauman, Caroline (25 October 2017). "Unable to reinvent itself, Black Alliance for Educational Options to shut down after nearly 20 years". Chalkbeat. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ Black Alliance for Educational Options. "December 31, 2017 entry". Facebook. Retrieved July 4, 2018.