In a year marked by uncertainty for public education, one thing remained clear: when families organize, change follows. In 2025, Innovate partnered with parents and caregivers across California to build power, strengthen leadership, and win meaningful improvements in schools and policy. From classrooms to the Capitol, families shaped solutions, advanced equity, and secured real wins for students.
What follows is a snapshot of how parents, backed by strong research and bold advocacy, turned collective action into lasting impact.
In 2025, Innovate helped parents and caregivers build power for education equity:
- The 2025 COTP graduating class joined a statewide network of more than 250 trained community organizers who are building parent power and fighting for education equity. Through months of skill-building, relationship development, and real-world organizing practice, graduates are now leading campaigns in their communities to improve literacy, special education services, and student outcomes.
- Innovate’s 2025 Parent Leadership Institute brought together nearly 100 parents and caregivers, alongside 50 children, for a multi-day experience grounded in joy, healing, and action. Parents strengthened leadership skills, built lasting relationships across regions, and deepened their ability to advocate for their children and schools, reinforcing that families are essential partners in shaping education systems.
And when Innovate and families work together, we win:
- Landmark LAUSD Lawsuit Victory: Parent organizing helped secure a major legal win, holding Los Angeles Unified School District accountable for learning inequities. More than 100,000 of the district’s most vulnerable students won the right to access no fewer than 45 hours of high quality, high dose tutoring per year.
- AB 1454 Advances Literacy: Families played a critical role in advancing AB 1454, a statewide literacy bill that pushes California toward stronger, more equitable literacy instruction.
- AIEP is AI for Families, by Families: In partnership with Northeastern University’s Burnes Center for Social Change AI for Impact program, Innovate families co-designed a first-of-its-kind AI tool that translates Individualized Education Plans in California’s most spoken languages.
- Special Education Advocacy in San Francisco: Families led the way in developing community-driven solutions for special education in SFUSD, working alongside district leaders to address gaps in services and improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
- High-Impact Tutoring Works: More than 70 attendees came together for the San Mateo County High-Impact Tutoring Summit, to advance equitable access to high-impact tutoring as a proven strategy for accelerating student learning.
This work is grounded in Innovate’s rigorous, accessible research that drives action:
- Literacy Is Life: In partnership with Innovate’s Black Parent Network parent leaders, Innovate’s released a report that underscores the profound connection between early literacy, long-term opportunity, and equity, providing clear data that families and advocates can use to push for better instruction and support.
- California’s Top Schools: By highlighting schools that are delivering strong outcomes for historically underserved students, Innovate’s first statewide Top Schools analysis shows what’s possible and offers a roadmap for building a more equitable public education system across California.
From classrooms to the Capitol, families are proving they are a force for lasting change in public education. These wins reflect the power of organized families backed by strong data and bold advocacy. In a moment of growing uncertainty for public education, Innovate will continue to partner with parents to secure the resources, accountability, and equity students deserve.