Changing the Terms of Engagement: Latino Parent Organizing and a New Approach to District Collaboration

• In Event: The Power of Parent and Youth Organizing in School Reform

Abstract

This study examines the collaboration between a low-income Latino parent organizing group and the district leadership of a rapidly changing district. Using resource dependence and civic capacity theories, I analyze interview, observation, and document data to understand the strategies and tensions in the collaboration. My findings suggest a new model of collaboration that aims to build capacity for systemic transformation, engages low-income parents of color as educational leaders, alters relationships to build civic capacity, and addresses the broader political context of schools. By changing the terms of engagement, parents and community members can contribute critical resources to reform efforts, and the notion of mutual accountability can be a powerful catalyst for building schools capable of educating all students equitably.

Author

• Ann Ishimaru, University of Washington