People who believe in public education as a public good must remain ever ready, present, and active to defend and promote policies that protect classrooms across our city and state. Thank you for being part of building power around a variety of public education issues in 2018.

Donate now to support our work in 2019!

We are reaching out to you, to ask you to act one more time this year to support the importance and power of quality public education for all, to ask you to include Raise Your Hand and/or Raise Your Hand Action in your end of year giving.

Please note that donations to Raise Your Hand Action are not tax deductible. You may make a one-time or recurring gift. If tax deductibility is important to you then give to RYH and if not, please give to RYHA because that gives us maximum flexibility to use it where we need it.

In 2018, together we:

• Organized to get state oversight of CPS Special Education practices,
• Worked to support and strengthen Local School Councils,
• Educated the public about the privatization of public education,
• Analyzed and highlighted inequities in CPS budgets and capital plans,
• Informed parents and educators about school ratings, and
• For the 9th year in a row, had an impact on getting TIF funds redirected to our public schools  

But -- as they say on the game shows -- that’s not all.  

Raise Your Hand, founded in 2010, has a sister organization, Raise Your Hand Action, founded in 2016.  Raise Your Hand Action carries out the legislative agenda of Raise Your Hand.

In 2018 we:

• Won legislation on educational facilities, and special education -- informing and mobilizing thousands of parents and community members to file witness slips on bills related to public education
• Increased our time in Springfield and networks of parents in legislative districts—organized and ready to take action on key legislation.
• Created a gubernatorial candidate questionnaire on public education that provided voters with a tool to see where each candidate stands on this key public good.

Raise Your Hand and Raise Your Hand Action operate on small budgets and do an incredible amount of work; your continued support will help us grow and continue our work during this critical time.

Donate now to support our work in 2019!

Wishing you the best at the end of the year and a wonderful 2019,

P.S. But wait, there’s more (we are still channeling that game show announcer)! if you make a recurring donation to either organization to assist and sustain our budgets across the year, you’ll receive one of our fabulous new magnetic bumper stickers that will let others know about your support for public education!