About Us

A high quality school experience that cherishes and affirms every student.

Innovate Public Schools is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building the capacity of parents and families to organize, advocate, and demand high quality schools for their children.

We believe that the education system was not designed to serve all children, and that the biggest barrier to all children having access to an excellent school is a lack of political will to improve the system. We believe the voices and experiences of parents, families, and students should be elevated and centered in decisions about education.

Our vision is a high quality school experience that cherishes and affirms every student, particularly Black and Brown students, and prepares them for a lifetime of opportunity and choice. 

Taking Action

Proud parent leaders during Parent Leadership Institute – West.

Statewide Parent Leader Board builds power at Ed Equity in Sacramento, CA.

Networking during recent Statewide campagin, proving there’s power in relationships. 

Director, Arleen Vargas, opens Parent Leadership Institute – West in Los Angeles.

In the News

Parent Power Blog – August 2026

In August 2026, Innovate parent leaders came together to find solutions that advance high-quality education in schools across California! Here are a few examples of their organizing efforts: Innovate has continued deepening its partnership with East Palo Alto Tennis...

Building Power With Innovate Parent Navigators

Innovate has developed a peer-to-peer or promotora model to strengthen parent leadership and impact. Rocio, a parent leader from East Palo Alto who is now trained as one of Innovate’s  AIEP project parent navigators, shared,  "As a mother and proud promotora or Parent...

Innovate’s Work Nationally Recognized

We are excited to share that our AIEP tool received an honorable mention in the Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network’s 2026 Eddies Awards for Most Actionable Tools & Research. This recognition celebrates more than the technology tool itself. It reflects...