This month, Innovate parent leaders are putting power into practice. Across California, parents are building their knowledge, strengthening relationships with decision-makers, bringing more families into the work, and using their collective voice to influence the decisions that shape their communities!
In Westlake-Pico Union, parent leaders led a research meeting with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board Member Karla Griego. Research meetings give parents a chance to understand how decisions are made, bring what they are hearing from families directly to decision-makers, and practice the leadership skills they need to advocate effectively.
Innovate Parent Leaders in Los Angeles came together for a bilingual focus group, in English and Spanish, to share their perspectives and provide feedback on the 2026–30 LAUSD Family Guide to the Strategic Plan. Because families need clear information to meaningfully engage with district priorities, parent leaders are helping shape a resource designed to make the district’s goals more accessible and actionable for families. In the next couple of months, we’ll hold more sessions with parents to continue gathering their feedback and shaping the Family Guide together.
Innovate connected with families at back-to-school events at Hoover Elementary and Leo Politi Elementary in Westlake-Pico Union. These events create an opportunity to meet families where they are, introduce them to Innovate’s work, and invite new parents to join others working together to advocate for high-quality public education. Bringing more families into the work helps build a broader base of parents who understand the issues affecting their schools and can act together to advocate for change.
More than 25 parent leaders from Southeast Los Angeles came together to learn about opportunities for personal and academic growth from guest speaker Tatiana Londono of UCLA. These gatherings share critical information and give parents opportunities to build knowledge, expand their networks, and strengthen the leadership skills they can bring to their families and communities.
In San Francisco, parent leaders joined Guadalupe Elementary’s principal at an San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) board meeting to share concerns affecting Black and Brown students and families. As the district considers changes to student enrollment and potential school consolidations, parents are putting their leadership into action by speaking directly to decision-makers and ensuring the experiences of affected families are part of the public conversation.
In Redwood City, parent leaders met with new Superintendent Dr. Christian J. Rubalcaba to share family priorities and learn more about his vision for the district. The conversation was an important first step in building an ongoing relationship. Innovate parents will meet with Dr. Rubalcaba in Spring 2027 to reconnect, hear about progress, and continue sharing family priorities. He also offered to connect parents with other district leaders, including Tina Mercer, the Executive Director of Special Education, to continue conversations about issues families are raising.