Building Bridges Between Families, Schools, and Systems for Lasting Change in Massachusetts

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Thursday 4:15pm
  In Poster Session: The Parent Power and Leadership Project: Transforming Families Through Community Organizing

Abstract

1. Objectives or purposes

This case study examines the Collaborative Parent Leadership Action Network (CPLAN), a Massachusetts-based organization founded by families of color dedicated to achieving educational equity by informing, inspiring, and empowering families to advocate for systemic change. The central objective of this work is to document and evaluate CPLAN’s approach to cultivating parent leadership across racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities and to highlight the organization’s impact on educational policy and practice.

2. Perspective(s) or theoretical framework

Grounded in a community empowerment framework and critical race theory, the study utilizes a participatory lens that acknowledges how families of color are knowledge holders and change agents. This work is rooted in the belief that parent voice is central to equitable education reform and that once families are given the space, tools and support, they are capable of leading movements, and building enduring civic and educational infrastructures capable of disrupting systemic inequities.

3. Methods, techniques, or modes of inquiry

This study utilizes a qualitative ethnographic approach, based on the author’s three-year immersion in CPLAN as a participant observer. The study utilizes narrative inquiry, participant observation, and semi-structured interviews with CPLAN leaders, staff, and parent participants.

4. Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials

Key data sources include firsthand accounts from parents, field notes from workshops and events, organizational documents, and transcripts of interviews and public forums. These qualitative materials were analyzed thematically to identify core patterns in parent decision-making and leadership development, shifting district and statewide policy, and intergenerational influence and engagement.

5. Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/point of view

The findings demonstrate that CPLAN’s strength lies in its grassroots leadership model and its intentional engagement with families across linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic differences. Parent leaders exemplify how CPLAN activates community leaders through culturally responsive training, mentorship, and opportunities for direct civic engagement. The organization has facilitated parent leadership and decision-making in school district meetings, legislative hearings, and systemic campaigns such as addressing water quality in Boston Public Schools. A key finding is the increased confidence and capacity of parents to advocate not only for their children but also for wider systemic reforms that benefit entire communities. Additionally, CPLAN’s approach to racial, ethnic, and linguistic accessibility, including multilingual workshops and real-time interpretation, ensures that immigrant and non-English-speaking families are not only included but empowered. Another significant conclusion is the organization’s indirect yet powerful influence on children, who witness and internalize models of advocacy and community participation. This intergenerational transfer of civic values reflects the broader impact of CPLAN beyond individual families.

6. Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work

The study provides a timely in-depth exploration into CPLAN’s role in educational justice. It contributes to the fields of educational leadership, community organizing, and equity-centered school reform. It challenges deficit narratives about families of color and immigrant communities, instead portraying them as transformative agents with the power to shift institutional policies. This case study serves as a replicable model for other cities seeking to strengthen school-family partnerships and galvanize parent power to transform public education systems.

Author

• Danielle M. Perry, New York University