Coalition to End Discriminatory School Boundaries Grows to 50 Organizations Nationwide

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Aug 15, 2024, 12:38 ET

Key Points:

Coalition Grows to 50: The No More Lines Coalition, committed to ending public school boundary lines by 2030, now includes 50 groups across the U.S., including 50CAN, Available to All, Democrats for Education Reform, and Reason Foundation. [Link]
Momentum Building: States like Kansas, Idaho, and West Virginia are leading with new open enrollment policies, showing growing support for educational access.
New Video Release: A new video highlights the criminalization of parents for crossing school boundary lines, showing how families are investigated and penalized, even those experiencing homelessness. [Link]

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, yes. every kid. announced that the No More Lines Coalition, a group of nonpartisan groups committed to ending discriminatory public school district boundary lines by 2030, has expanded to include 50 organizations from across the country. In conjunction with this announcement, yes. every kid. has debuted a new video that shows the criminalization of parents who have sought to enroll their children in schools outside their designated boundaries: "Parents Criminalized: The Hidden Reality of School Boundary Laws."

In 24 states, parents can face criminal charges for crossing school district boundary lines. School districts nationwide are using private investigators and invasive home searches to enforce these boundaries, often resulting in children being kicked out of school. Families experiencing housing instability are also targeted, all for seeking the best education for their children.

"Our coalition's rapid growth to 50 organizations demonstrates the urgency and importance of discriminatory school boundary lines," said yes. every kid. COO Erica Jedynak. "We are deeply committed to breaking down these harmful school district barriers and creating equal access to the public education that best meets every child's needs. No parent should be criminalized for simply doing what is best for their family."

Why This Matters:

Historical Injustice: School boundaries rooted in redlining continue to enforce socioeconomic disparities. [Link] (Source: Available to All)
Public Support: 84% of Americans support allowing students to attend any public school, regardless of where they live.

Recent Policy Progress:

Kansas: HB 2567 establishes open enrollment, effective starting in the 2024-25 school year.
Idaho: SB 1125 creates broad open enrollment and prohibits discrimination based on a student's address.
West Virginia: HB 2596 creates broad open enrollment and prevents districts from charging tuition for students outside their neighborhood.
Oklahoma: HB 3386 allows intra-district transfers to schools with open seats.

Learn More: Visit yeseverykid.com/no-more-lines-coalition for more info.

About yes. every kid.
yes. every kid. supports policies that respect the dignity of every student, welcome innovative ideas and foster a diversity of approaches to learning. yes. every kid. will support and build coalitions to advance new conversations and bold visions by bringing together differing voices and perspectives to revolutionize the K-12 education experience.

About the No More Lines Coalition
The No More Lines Coalition is a nationwide alliance of nonpartisan organizations committed to eliminating exclusionary public school boundary lines by 2030. Rooted in the belief that every child deserves access to a best-fit education, the coalition champions policies that remove the constraints of government-imposed boundary lines, empowering students to attend the public school that best meets their needs, regardless of their ZIP code.

SOURCE yes. every kid.