Community Organizing and Engagement

This series of seven profiles summarizes some of the key policy and implementation challenges that have been confronted and addressed by district superintendents, teachers, school leaders, and others working to transform struggling schools across the nation. The profiles are designed to provide community-based groups, educators, and other advocates with examples of alternatives to school closings and to inform discussions in their own communities. 

The "achievement gap" — the ongoing racial inequality in public school education — has proven stubbornly persistent. Schools have employed a variety of measures in an attempt to reduce this academic divide; the emergence of education organizing as a school reform tactic offers a promising alternative, outlined in AISR's Center for Education Organizing publication, "Getting Started in Education Organizing."

Complete brief

This downloadable guide is designed to enhance community groups’ use of the film Parent Power in their own education organizing. The guide outlines successful organizing strategies that are depicted in the film, offers up questions for groups to consider when formulating their own organizing strategies and goals, and answers frequently asked questions that may come up while viewing the film. 

Download Viewer's Guide

This downloadable toolkit is designed to help organizations and individuals who are hosting screenings of the film Parent Power to plan and host a screening, as well as jumpstart community conversations and actions aimed at improving their schools and districts. The toolkit includes ideas for framing your event as well as tips on publicizing the screening, moderating post-screening discussions, and partnering with other groups to host the event.

Download Parent Power - Screening Toolkit

Through the voices of parents, this film chronicles fifteen years of effective parent organizing for education reform in New York City – organizing that has stopped budget cuts, increased school funding, and led to the adoption of a citywide lead teacher program.

Viewer's Guide

In 1995, a small group of parents in the south Bronx discovered that only 17 percent of their elementary school children were reading at grade level. Their determined campaign to bring high-quality education to their neighborhood, one of the poorest in the nation, evolved into a citywide effort that has united thousands of parents from African American and Latino communities in all five boroughs. Together they are working to improve the future of New York City’s children. Parent Power is their story.

THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY AND YOUTH ORGANIZING ON PUBLIC SCHOOL REFORM

This report shares findings from a six-year research study on the impact of PACT’s education organizing on Miami schools. The study showed that PACT’s organizing had a positive impact on district policies and resource allocation, school climate and instruction, and student outcomes. People Acting for Community Together (PACT) led a successful campaign to implement a new literacy program in low-performing schools serving the poorest neighborhoods in Miami and acted as the program’s champion for ten years.

Summary

Miami case study

This report shares findings from a six-year research study on the impact of OCO’s education organizing on Oakland schools. It is not often that a government entity publicly credits community organizing for a positive transformation in public schools. But this is exactly what happened in Oakland, California, where years of on-the-ground organizing – community meetings, relationship building, and public actions – led to the creation of forty-eight new small schools, fundamentally transforming the district landscape.

Summary

Oakland case study

This report shares findings from a six-year research study on the impact of the two organizations’ education organizing on increased educational opportunities for students in the Northwest Bronx. In 1996, a small group of public school parents in the Bronx, New York, launched what became a ten-year struggle to improve overcrowded schools and aging school facilities in their community.

Summary

Northwest Bronx case study