Organizations Advocating for Students
There are many different organizations advocating for the rights and needs of students on the national, state, and local level, and there are many different ways that concerned parents and citizens can get involved to make sure that the students in their lives (and all students, everywhere) receive the support that they need to live healthy, successful, productive lives.
Parents and other volunteers most often show their support for organizations by donating time, money, or both. Other forms of support include donations of supplies or posting or disseminating literature at their places of business (with proper permission, of course).
Access Quality Education, operating out of Columbia University's Teacher's College in New York City, maintains a comprehensive list of national education advocacy groups, as well as a state-by-state breakdown of advocacy groups and a list of organizations strictly targeting policy initiatives on a national level.
Parents for Public Schools
Parents for Public Schools (PPS) operate on the idea that providing great schools for our nation's youth is a cornerstone of our democracy. Ensuring a high quality public school system today is instrumental to a functioning society in the future. They boast 16 chapters in 11 states and focus on networking and coalition-building.
Their three areas of concentration are organization for action, leadership development, and advocacy. “Organization for action” is a common feature in many advocacy groups. Concerned parents, educators, and other citizens, can only hope to make any change in the larger educational system by forming a group. Leadership development can also be a powerful byproduct of the advocacy process, by which eager volunteers can transform themselves into the leaders of new groups, all contributing to change.
You can check here to see if PPS has a branch in your area.
Public Education Network
The Public Education Network states that their aim is to motivate the public to demand higher quality public education for all students in the public school system. They believe that high quality public education is a powerful mechanism by which functional, successful, democratic society can be perpetuated. Another of their expressed aims is to break the cycle of poverty through education.
They accomplish this goal, like many other national advocacy groups, through a network of local units. Called “Local Education Funds” or “LEFs,” these satellite groups engage local citizens on the ground where the change is most needed. Forming strong ties with individuals, businesses, and educators, the LEFs seek to leverage these relationships to bring about meaningful, lasting education reform. They are active in 32 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. They also have an international presence. For more information about their LEFs, click here.