"Matthew excels in collaborative planning among many organizations. He works with company leadership to develop a clear vision for strategic communications and is persistent in achieving–and surpassing—goals."
- Ralia E. Polechronis, Executive Director
Partnership for Educational Justice
In 2017, six Newark public school parents chose to challenge the legitimacy of New Jersey’s outdated "LIFO" statute, which removes decision-making power from local school districts and dictates that the seniority of teachers is prioritized over teacher effectiveness. The national non-profit Partnership for Educational Justice (PEJ) hired MDF Strategies to lead a statewide engagement effort that dovetailed the legal startegy and worked in partnership with the legal team. MDF Strategies created a coalition of New Jersey supporters, led an outreach plan that engaged local organizations and community groups across the state and built a multi-platform communications strategy that brought this complex issue to the mainstream. Even more important, MDF Strategies developed and disseminated a clear message, providing the six parents involved in the case with a strong public voice. The court case is still pending with state judiciary.