School districts must engage parents and students as partners in the budget and planning process. It's a central promise of the state's education funding law, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). This week, we're showing you how student and family engagement is transforming our schools for the better and we're providing you tools and learning opportunities, including a Wednesday Webinaron how Californians for Justice partnered with the East Side Union High School District to transform their student, family and community engagement processes across the district for shared decision-making.
It's all part of the #WeMakeLCFFWorkcampaign hosted by Public Advocates
and Families In Schools. Click here to see all of last week's content.
Schedule social media posts all week long using our toolkits!
Join us from 3:30-5:00pm on February 12th for the first look at a case study on how Californians for Justice partnered with East Side Union High School District to uplift student voice and transform community engagement practices. Space is limited. Register here.
Parents claiming their place at the table!
Across the state, parents like Yolanda Vierra Allen are claiming their seats at the decision-making table. Yolanda and a diverse group of powerful parents led workshops at the #FamiliesRisingTogether Summit on February 1st to develop recommendations to West Contra Costa Unified School District’s LCAP and budget. That same day in Long Beach Unified, a multiracial group of parents collaborated with students and teachers to recommend investing in transformative and restorative justice to close achievement gaps and shift the way teachers and students engage with one another. Check out this powerful parent testimony about their recommendations here.
Winning student voice in district decision-making
Last November marked the 5th anniversary of the historic #StudentVoice campaign that won students a formal role in the district LCAP planning process. Hear directly from Californians for Justice youth in this blog postand share out CFJ’s Student Voice Know Your Rights Poster. How are young people in your community shaping decisions about schools? Let us know using #WeMakeLCFFWork on Twitter!
Do you have students on your school board?
Did you know students have a right to be on their school board? Check out this Public Advocates infographic on how to ensure students are represented! (Spanish-language version)
Parents have the right to participate in education decisions
From the classroom to the boardroom, parents have the right to participate, regardless of their home language or immigration status. Check out our parent participation and language access flyer in English and Spanish.
Parents in Pomona are showing us how it's done!
Check out how Pomona parents and youth from grassroots-led Gente Organizada worked together to do their own equity analysis with the Gente de Pomona Equity Report.
Did you forget something?
The California PTA created this checklist to help you understand and give feedback on your district or charter’s 3-year plan to serve students (called the LCAP). Share it with your school community and get people engaged! Check out the Spanish-language version.
