Coalition building with unions: Learning to influence policy and legislation

• In Event: Collective Organizing and Scholarship for Social Justice

Abstract

CARE-ED, the California Alliance of Researchers for Equity in Education, was established in 2014 as a statewide collective of university-based education researchers seeking to leverage their expertise to inform education policy at the local, state, and national levels. In this presentation, we examine how CARE-ED’s work has influenced policy and legislation—particularly through coalition-building with unions.
One example of this can be seen in our work on Ethnic Studies. Since the release of our 2018 research brief on the topic, it has become a widely used resource among community organizers advocating to make Ethnic Studies a high school graduation requirement. CARE-ED members have referenced this brief in public testimony at the California State Capitol and the State Board of Education, using it to support efforts to ensure that Ethnic Studies is both required statewide and rooted in the academic discipline. The brief has also informed advocacy for developing credentialing pathways for Ethnic Studies teachers.
In 2023, CARE-ED co-sponsored a bill with the California Faculty Association (CFA)—particularly its Teacher Education Caucus and Office of Government Relations—to create a teaching credential specific to Ethnic Studies. Although the bill ultimately did not move forward, the process provided valuable learning opportunities. Working alongside CFA, we gained firsthand experience in introducing a bill, securing an author, engaging with legislators and staff, negotiating bill language, and organizing stakeholder advocacy.
Our coalition-building extended to another critical issue: the mandated use of Teacher Performance Assessments (TPAs) in California teacher education programs. Together with CFA, we co-authored a Position Paper on A Call to End the Mandated Use of TPAs, which led to meetings with leaders and staff at the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to present our research and recommendations.
In the following years, we continued to collaborate with CFA—as well as the California Teachers Association (CTA)—to advocate for the elimination of TPAs. Our efforts included coalition meetings and coordinated work to advance Senate Bill 1263, aimed at ending the TPA requirement. In 2024, CARE-ED, CFA, and CTA jointly lobbied in Sacramento, holding strategic meetings with legislators and elected officials to share research-based talking points and advocate for the bill. Although the bill passed in the legislature, it was ultimately vetoed by the governor. As a result, our work continues.
Over the years, we have been intentional in building coalitions with groups and organizations—particularly unions—that have greater resources and expertise in navigating complex political systems and barriers. Unions are key stakeholders in the education landscape and bring deep institutional knowledge, political leverage, and organizing power to policy efforts. Their long-standing relationships with legislators, educators, and community organizations make them invaluable allies in advancing justice-centered education reforms. By partnering with unions, we are able to amplify our research, broaden our reach, and strengthen the collective voice pushing for transformative change.

Authors

• Ruchi Agarwal-Rangnath, University of San Francisco

• Margarita I. Berta-Avila, California State University - Sacramento