New York, NY (Jan. 11, 2017) – Teach Advocacy Network, a project of the OU Advocacy Center, is pleased to announce the appointment of Arielle Frankston-Morris as the director of its Teach PA office based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Arielle has worked for Teach Advocacy Network for four and a half years. As the field director for Teach NJS and then Teach NYS, Frankston-Morris expanded Teach Advocacy Network’s community outreach efforts.
Thanks to Frankston-Morris, Teach NYS works with more than 100 day schools today and has a growing constituency of grassroots members. As field director, Frankston-Morris worked directly with Jewish day schools to help them maximize millions of dollars in government funds, organized grassroots missions to the state capital, and orchestrated get out the vote efforts.
In Pennsylvania, Frankston-Morris will work with nonpublic schools, community leaders, parents, and lawmakers to maximize funding opportunities and scholarships for nonpublic schools.
A native Pennsylvanian, Arielle grew up in Harrisburg. She received her bachelor’s degree from Yeshiva University, Stern College for Women and a master’s degree in social work from Hunter College, specializing in community organizing and clinical work.
“I’m very much looking forward to returning to my home state and focusing my energies on the communities I know so well,” Arielle said.
“Arielle’s experience and success in our New York and New Jersey offices will enable Teach Advocacy Network to take our support for Pennsylvania’s Jewish day schools to the next level,” said Maury Litwack, director of state political affairs for Teach Advocacy Network. “We are committed to increasing state support for nonpublic schools in the Keystone State, and I’m confident Arielle will be an excellent resource for the nonpublic school community.”
“I’m very excited about Arielle’s move to the Pennsylvania office,” said Elliot Holtz, chairman for Teach PA. “We are lucky to have tax credit scholarships in Pennsylvania, but there is much work to be done to expand these programs and reach more students. Arielle’s grassroots experience will go a long way towards achieving our goal of making quality education affordable for every child in Pennsylvania.”
Teach Advocacy Network works to ensure that Jewish day schools, yeshivas, and other nonpublic schools receive resources from local, state, and federal governments to make education more affordable and increase safety for school children. In Pennsylvania, Teach Advocacy Network has played a major role in increasing and maintaining EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) and OSTC (Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit) program funding for scholarships for students, as well as creating a security grant program for nonpublic schools.