Boston mayoral candidate Rob Consalvo received the endorsement of the Network for Public Education earlier today. Consalvo, along with Felix Arroyo, could potentially earn the endorsement of the Boston Teachers Union tonight pending a members vote.

The group endorsed Consalvo “in large part” because he does not want to lift the cap on charter schools and believes schools should re-examine their reliance on standardized tests to evaluate teachers and students, Boston.com reports.

Formed last March, the Network for Public Education fights against privatizing public schools.

Citing a group spokesman, Boston.com reports that the Network for Public Education knows it will not provide nearly the same boost a BTU endorsement would.

An NPE spokesman told the Boston Globe he thinks the groups’ endorsement will call attention to education issues and make people aware that grass-roots activists support Consalvo. The organization only recently became active in the mayoral race.

Consalvo was reportedly the only candidate to respond to an email survey sent to select candidates by the Network.

Questions on the survey are said to have focused on “merit pay for teachers, the use of test scores to evaluate teachers, and school closures.”

Photo via robconsalvo.com