GETTING IN A FINAL WORD — This wasn’t much of an education election. But in the waning days of the 2024 campaign cycle, everyone in the education policy world is trying to get a word in before voters head to the polls Tuesday. Vice President Kamala Harris pitched to voters that on day one of her presidency, she will eliminate college degree requirements for some federal jobs. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has spent the last few weeks emphasizing his plans to abolish the Education Department, but spent the weekend focusing on election fraud claims. Here’s what others are up to: — The Center for American Progress is out with a new education blueprint, which outlines a progressive vision for American education through early childhood education, K-12 education, higher education, and workforce development. The three overarching themes of the report are: opportunity, strengthening the nation, and inclusion and belonging. Some of the policy recommendations include supporting the passage of child care legislation; ensuring equitable use of artificial intelligence in schools; focusing on career and technical education, work-based learning and dual enrollment; and moving away from debt-financed higher education. — Some labor leaders, including American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten and National Education Association President Becky Pringle, spent the weekend in Pennsylvania to rally for Democratic candidates in the state. Pringle emphasized that “public education is on the line” this election and slammed Trump as being “anti-worker” and “anti-public education.” — House Republicans released an antisemitism report that said colleges failed to quash a hostile environment for Jewish students. The report comes from House Education and the Workforce Chair Virginia Foxx ’s (R-N.C.) nearly yearlong investigation into how colleges responded to reports of antisemitic incidents in the wake of antiwar protests on campuses. The report highlights the effort House Republicans have taken to address antisemitism and was unveiled as Republicans see an opening to sway undecided Jewish voters in Pennsylvania. — Independent Women’s Voice hosted a live event in Philadelphia with former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and former college athlete Riley Gaines to focus on Title IX issues ahead of the election. They argued that the Biden administration’s efforts to bolster civil rights protections for transgender athletes are harming the future of women’s sports. The event in the final weeks of the campaign cycle is another example of Republicans emphasizing transgender issues in hopes of tipping close races in their favor. — Historically Black colleges and universities have been playing a major role in trying to turn out the vote. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz met with some HBCU students in Atlanta on Sunday. And the United Negro College Fund has been running a nonpartisan campaign to mobilize students, alumni, communities — especially in key battleground states including Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. IT’S MONDAY, NOV. 4. WELCOME TO WEEKLY EDUCATION. Let’s grab coffee. Drop me a line at bquilantan@politico.com. Send tips to my colleagues Rebecca Carballo at rcarballo@politico.com, Mackenzie Wilkes at mwilkes@politico.com and Juan Perez Jr. at jperez@politico.com. And follow us: @Morning_Edu and @POLITICOPro. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories COLLEGE STARS GET OUT THE VOTE — Dedan Thomas Jr. did not always envision himself as a political influencer. — But the sophomore basketball star at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has leveraged his celebrity as part of a get out the vote campaign that is paying college athletes to promote civic engagement among young people, our Juan Perez Jr. reports. — The idea of using athletes as voting ambassadors has seen a significant boost during the 2024 campaign cycle, and has room to grow as college athletes continue to land paid endorsement deals with their newfound publicity rights. — Led by NextGen America, a progressive youth voter organization founded by billionaire and former Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer, the athlete influencer program has sought to collaborate with players in battleground states to encourage young voters to register to vote and cast ballots in Tuesday’s elections. Earlier this year, the House Majority Forward progressive organization announced it would invest $750,000 into NextGen’s athlete influencer program. — “People tend to follow what athletes do more, especially the more big-time athletes with larger followings," Thomas told Weekly Education. “Athletes using their voices — and trying to persuade people how important voting is, not just to them but our entire country — it'll help a lot.” — College stars have used social media posts and in-person events to try and drive turnout as part of the campaign. NextGen America has also sought to pay close attention to mobilizing young Black men, and has collaborated with the NAACP on a series of get-out-the-vote events in Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. NextGen did not disclose the precise terms of each college athlete’s individual contract, but has said it would collaborate with players on college campuses in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. — “I've talked to some of my closest friends and some of my teammates. This will be our first year voting, and they were just thinking how crazy it is,” Thomas said. “Of course they're going to vote, but some of them aren’t too interested in it. I've tried to convince them to understand how important it is. Like, every vote matters. But I’m getting the general idea that everyone is willing to vote and looking forward to it.”
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