Black Alliance for Educational Options

Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) was a nonprofit group supporting school voucher and charter school programs in the United States. It was one of the largest pro-voucher groups.{{cite web| url = http://hamptonroads.com/2010/01/mcdonnell-name-education-secretary| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131001015611/http://hamptonroads.com/2010/01/mcdonnell-name-education-secretary| archive-date = 2013-10-01| title = McDonnell to name Education Secretary {{!}} HamptonRoads.com {{!}} PilotOnline.com}} The group's mission was to "actively support parental choice to empower families and to increase quality educational options for Black children".

Black Alliance for Educational Options' chairman in 2002, Howard Fuller, was a former schools superintendent in Milwaukee where the first voucher program in the U.S. was established.[https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/30/weekinreview/the-nation-vouchers-a-shift-but-just-how-big.html The Nation; Vouchers]: A Shift, But Just How Big? by KATE ZERNIKE New York Times June 30, 2002 Gerard Robinson was the group's president until his appointment as Education Secretary for the state of Virginia. Harrison Blackmond became president of the group's Detroit chapter.{{cite web|url=http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20091222/OPINION03/912220312/Michigan-kids--A-passion-becomes-a-new-education-organization |title=Michigan kids: A passion becomes a new education organization | the Detroit News |accessdate=2013-09-25 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927123205/http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20091222/OPINION03/912220312/Michigan-kids--A-passion-becomes-a-new-education-organization |archivedate=2013-09-27 }}

In 2013, the group opposed a Federal lawsuit seeking to block a voucher program in Louisiana.[http://www.lsureveille.com/news/organization-seeks-to-block-doj-voucher-lawsuit/article_caaf83a8-2581-11e3-b0d2-001a4bcf6878.html] Organization seeks to block DOJ voucher lawsuit

School Vouchers] September 24, 2013 The Daily Reveille The group was also critical of the defunding of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.[http://www.thestreet.com/story/11065303/1/black-and-hispanic-leaders-blast-president-obamas-opposition-to-dc-opportunity-scholarship-program-osp.html Black and Hispanic leaders blast president Obama's opposition to DC Opportunity Scholarship Program] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928033149/http://www.thestreet.com/story/11065303/1/black-and-hispanic-leaders-blast-president-obamas-opposition-to-dc-opportunity-scholarship-program-osp.html |date=2013-09-28 }} 03/29/11 The Street.com The group supports performance pay for teachers.

The group's board of directors has included:

• Dwight E. Evans
• Kevin P. Chavous

Funding support has come from the Bradley Foundation.

In October 2017, it was announced that BAEO was shutting down{{cite web |last1=Bauman |first1=Caroline |title=Unable to reinvent itself, Black Alliance for Educational Options to shut down after nearly 20 years |url=https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2017/10/25/unable-to-reinvent-itself-black-alliance-for-educational-options-to-shut-down-after-nearly-20-years/ |website=Chalkbeat |date=25 October 2017 |accessdate=July 4, 2018}} and on December 31, 2017, BAEO stated on their Facebook page, "Today is the last day for us."{{cite web |last1=Black Alliance for Educational Options |title=December 31, 2017 entry |url=https://www.facebook.com/BAEO.org |website=Facebook |accessdate=July 4, 2018}}