In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Black and Latino families in Los Angeles faced an impossible challenge: their children were expected to learn from home without the technology, resources, or support they needed. These families, organized through Innovate Public Schools, decided to take action. They filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), demanding that their children be given the tools to learn.
Five years later, their persistence has paid off. This summer, the families and LAUSD reached a settlement, ending a long legal battle and affirming a powerful truth: when parents are united, they can change public education.
This victory is more than a legal outcome. It is a testament to the strength of family voice, the courage of parents who refused to be silent, and the power of organizing. It demonstrates what Innovate has always believed: Families are the most powerful advocates for students, and that systems respond when parents lead.
We are committed to building on this momentum by:
- Holding LAUSD accountable to ensure they follow through on the settlement terms and provide 100,000+ of the district’s most vulnerable students access to no fewer than 45 hours of high quality, high dose tutoring per year.
- Connecting LAUSD with vetted high dosage tutoring providers and ensuring they are underwriting their services for our families.
- Recruiting and training local Parent Navigators to recruit and register eligible families with tutoring support. We are actively fundraising to support this effort now.
But the work does not end here. Every community deserves parents who feel equipped and supported to stand up for their children. Every parent deserves the chance to gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to create change.
That’s why Innovate is launching the next Parent Leadership Institute (PLI) later this month. The PLI is a space where parents come together, learn how to advocate effectively, and build a network of leaders committed to educational justice. Parents who join will be stepping into their own power, carrying forward the legacy of families who came before them, and helping to shape the future for every child in their community.
Read more about this in the EdSource article here.
If you believe in the power of families to transform schools, we invite you to learn more and join us!