District 15 Parents for Middle School Equity

After six years of advocating we made some mistakes and we learned from them. Here are some strategies that ultimately worked for us. You have the power and privilege to make change if you choose to. 
 

• Be clear on your goals. What do you want?

• Have an accessible and simple message that you use in public and with the media

• Use the media: Politicians follow the media so use it to amplify your message.

• Surveys must be inclusive both in language and in representation across a district.

• Humility: it’s ok to not have the answers but to still find an ask toward your goal and not just a complaint. In our case, the ask was to have a community learning lab.

• A name, a logo and a website can give a small group legitimacy

• Have empathy. It’s important to educate the community and to bring them along with you on the journey.

• Participate in panels and have your message heard.

• Actively campaign and support pro-equity candidates.

• Find allies and work together not at cross-purposes.

• You are not policy experts. 

• This is not zero-sum. Fight for equitable resources for EVERY CHILD. It's what equal educational opportunity is about. 

• Solutions need to be structural and not school-by-school tweaking around the edges.

• We learned change takes time and persistence so find people you really respect and like to work with who will get you through the many setbacks.