In 2001, the Youth Education Alliance surveyed 350 public high school students in the District of Columbia about the problems in their schools. From the results, and through focus groups with young people across the city, YEA members created a 9-point platform for high-quality education.
YEA Education Platform
- Safe, sanitary and well-maintained school facilities
- Healthy and tasty school lunches
- Interactive and engaging curriculum
- Full funding and appropriate resources for learning
- High-quality and accessible college preparation
- Strong guidance counselor support
- Free or affordable public transportation
- Foreign language translation
- Childcare
Over the past several years, YEA has emerged as a powerful youth force at the forefront of education organizing in the city. Through petitions, direct action, public testimony and media work, our members have secured solid victories on our education platform.
- YEA members won passage of the Clean Schools Initiative. The city-wide resolution, which was passed by the Board of Education, calls for bathrooms to be open on every floor of DCPS high schools; protects custodial supplies from budget cuts; and trains custodians in bathroom repair work. The Facilities Department has since spent $500,000 on bathroom repairs.
- After the USDA approved irradiated meat for use in school lunches across the country, YEA members and our allies at Public Citizenwon a ban on irradiated foods in DC public schools. Irradiated foods have been linked to cancer and genetic damage in laboratory tests. We also secured commitments from the Director of the Food Service Department to make key improvements in the lunch menu.
- YEA members have educated and / or mobilized 5,000 public high school students on our education platform. We have distributed thousands of youth-produced ‘zines and screened an original 8-minute video, STAND UP.
- In collaboration with the Full Funding Coalition and the School Modernization Campaign, YEA members helped push the issue of adequate and secure funding for school modernization to the top of the city’s agenda. The City Council recently approved legislation that will invest between $1 billion and $3 billion over the next 15 years to modernize every public school in the District.
Pump Ya Fist to learn more.