Parent Advocacy & Mobilization Workshop

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

SOUTH HIGH SCHOOLNOVEMBER 15, 2014

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Agenda• Introduction

• What is Advocacy?

• Learning How to Mobilize

• Mobilization in Action

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Improving education. Empowering Parents.

• Parent advocacy guide

• Advocacy Workshops• Free legal clinics • Internet Resources

*This is helpful information, not legal advice. We try to be accurate, but rules can change.

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Education can be frustrating…

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But obstacles can be overcome!

Social movements started by parents:

• School desegregation

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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Active participation in your child’s education is worth six months of school.

Help your child succeed!

Children of engaged parents are able to achieve at ½ a grade higher than children of less engaged parents.

Why should you advocate for your child’s education?

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Standing up for someone else

Speaking up for others

Helping someone achieve goals

Acting in support of a cause

Working assertively for a goal

WHAT IS ADVOCACY?

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Watch this video for some helpful advocacy

tips!

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Advocacy Skills

• Communication

• Conflict Resolution

Advocacy Basics

• Get Educated

• Get Prepared

• Get Support

Advocacy Basics & Skills

This will help you make informed, strong decisions!

Get Educated

• Know the rules of the local school district

• The formal laws

• Your goals

• Important decision makers

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Get Prepared & OrganizedKeep a contact log• Keep track of who you

talk to• Write down name,

number, email, reason, and date of each conversation whether by phone, email or in person

Get it in writing• Keep ALL documents• Write down key

points of conversations

• Request for everything in writing

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Get Support

Find:•parents groups, •networks,•organizations, •existing community efforts

This will increase your chances of success!

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Communication & Conflict Resolution

Participate • Prepare • Know what you want• Be strong. Be respectful• Ask questions

Manage Conflict • Channel emotions• Do not be shut out• Be the bigger person• Say thank you

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• Individual

• Group

• Social

Types of Advocacy

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• Single Family

• Short-term issue

• Personal solution

Individual Advocacy

Let’s practice.

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• Local Issue

• Multiple Families

• Long-term Action

Group Advocacy

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Sometimes it works … Sometimes it doesn’t …

Group Advocacy Mobilization Examples

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• Systemic Issue

• Many participants

• Organized action

Social Advocacy

Let’s mobilize from the grassroots!

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Are You Ready To Become a Parent Advocate?

TIME TO GET MOBILIZED!

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Mobilizing Advocacy

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Steps to Mobilizing Advocacy

Step 1: Know the need

Step 2: Create an Advocacy Plan

Step 3: Act and Contact

Step 4: Evaluate

Minnesota’s “Achievement Gap”

Mobilization In ActionKnowing the Need– Finding and Using Data

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Recognize systemic problems

Mobilization In Action

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Mobilizing Advocacy

1. Find a Purpose

2. Focus the Target

3. Learn the Rules

4. Find Supporters

5. Determine Barriers

Step 1: Know the need

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1.Prepare

2. Find solutions

3. Plan Action Steps

4. Divide time and tasks

Mobilizing AdvocacyStep 2: Create an Advocacy Plan

Minneapolis Public Schools Data

Presented by PREP, a Lawyers' Committee project

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Minneapolis Public Schools Data

Minneapolis Public Schools Data

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1. Find solutions

2. Plan Action Steps

3. Divide time and tasks

Mobilizing AdvocacyStep 2: Create an Advocacy Plan

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Creating an Action Plan: Possible Solutions

• Are there any examples of similar advocacy efforts?

• What are the city, district, and state doing?

• Is the best solution at the school, district, or state level?

• Can we partner with other organizations for greater success?

Minneapolis’s Action Plan:

Presented by PREP, a Lawyers' Committee project

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Creating an Action Plan: Possible Solutions

These plans could help, but we need advocates to make sure that the school district is achieving its

goals. • Are we closing the achievement gap?

• Are students of each race advancing?

• Do students feel more supported?

• Have we seen plans like this before?

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1. Preparation

2. Contact

3. Follow through

4. Encouragement

Mobilizing AdvocacyStep 3: Act and Contact

Presented by PREP, a Lawyers' Committee project

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Who Should I Contact, and How?Things to Consider:

• How quickly does this problem need to be solved?

• Can this issue be handled at the local school level?

• Is this a larger concern that the “big players” in the school system need to handle?

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1. Preparation

2. Contact

3. Follow through

4. Encouragement

Mobilizing AdvocacyStep 3: Act and Contact

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1. Define success

2. Measure the right things

3. Keep records

4. Change the Action Plan

Mobilizing Advocacy

Step 4: Evaluate

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Careful!Make sure you have the right numbers.

Also, focusing on numbers may ignore real solutions.

It’s not all systemic. It’s not all negative.

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Parent Advocacy is Powerful

Give your child the best education possible.

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Mobilization Meetings

• Meet in Small Groups

• Discuss Advocacy Options

• Make Connections

• Write Down Action Steps