Dallas, Texas – The American Federation for Children (AFC) has announced its plan to commit $1 million in new advocacy dollars to pass or expand school choice programs across the country before the end of 2023 legislative sessions.
AFC has a proven record of advancing school choice in the electoral, legislative, and media arenas. As noted in recent NBC News reporting, AFC is “on the verge of ushering in a transformation in how large swaths of the country fund schools.” The One Million More initiative will push to make one million additional students eligible for school choice programs.
During the 2022 election cycle, AFC’s affiliated political organizations devoted $9 million toward supporting school choice candidates in the 2023 election cycle, with three-quarters of supported candidates winning their races and 40 anti-school choice incumbents targeted losing their seats.
Throughout legislative sessions, AFC has turned its focus and resources toward advocacy, working alongside allies to secure a historic number of victories. To date, a total of seven states have established massive school choice, including Arizona in 2022 and six more this year alone: Iowa, Utah, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, and Indiana.
The One Million More initiative will target at least half a dozen more states with digital and traditional media investments, as well as targeted advocacy efforts in key legislative districts to ensure that every possible state passes or expands school choice this year.
Statement from Tommy Schultz, CEO, the American Federation for Children:
“This has been the most successful cycle for school choice in history – and we’re not done yet. Until every child can access the opportunities gleaned from a high-quality education, we will remain steadfast in our mission to empower families, especially lower-income families, with the freedom to choose the best K-12 education for their children. This One Million More investment over the coming weeks will ensure we do our part to cap off 2023 as a legendary year in the history of the movement for education freedom. We look forward to supporting the families, local advocates, and lawmakers fighting on the frontlines for our mission.”