Lev Foundation

Causes: Civil Rights, Education, Voter Education & Registration, Voting Rights

Mission: League of education voters foundation (levf) advocates for effective reforms and ample, equitable, and stable revenue to support a high-quality public education system in washington state, works across sectors to mobilize families, businesses, youths, educators, and communities to advocate for high-quality, fully-funded and equitable education, provides stakeholders, policy makers, and the media with strategic, accurate, and timely information about public education, partners with stakeholders to understand and remove the systemic barriers to each student's success within the public education system, and highlights research-driven and promising educational practices that prepare students to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to our democracy and economy.

Programs: Grant making/sponsorship - lev foundation provides public benefit by making grants to and sponsoring organizations in order to advance the foundation's mission. South shore school supports a public pre-k to 8 in the southeast area of seattle with enhanced funding for free pre-k, smaller class sizes in k-3, and other enrichments to support a child's whole mind, body and spirit. Additionally, lev foundation works in partnership with stand for children washington, partnership for learning, schools out washington and statewide poverty access network and equity in education coaltion through grants to improve student outcomes.

public education and community organizing - lev foundation educates communities, policymakers, families with research-driven educational practices and policies so they can advocate for high-quality, fully-funded and equitable public education for all washington state students. In 2017 levf provided 7 tours of local schools to ground policymakers in the current local school challenges and opportunities. Levf trained over 130 parents, families, and community members to advocate for education improvements and issues impacting our kids and schools.

lev foundation serves as one of the go-to resources for the general public and policy makers, including the press, legislators, state education agencies, and communities across washington state. Our research-based, community-driven policy recommendations come from deep engagement in washington across multiple stakeholder sectors including community-based organizations, families, practitioners, and school districts. In 2017, lev's policy accomplishments include coalition building to ensure new investments in our education system as a result of the mccleary decision are targeted based on student needs and closing gaps; increased access to postsecondary opportunities through increased funding for the state need grant; and the expansion of high-quality early learning options for families through legislation broadened eligibility for eceap (state pre-k program) slots. Lev foundation also provided a significant amount of information to the public on school funding, school discipline, and the continued implementation of essa through presentations around the state, blog posts, faqs, podcasts, and other media.