Advocacy

Education news, analysis, and opinion about efforts by individuals or groups to influence education or school policy
Genesis Olivio and her daughter Arlette, 2, read a book together in a room within the community hub at John H. Amesse Elementary School on March 13, 2024 in Denver. Denver Public Schools has six community hubs across the district that have serviced 3,000 new students since October 2023. Each community hub has different resources for families and students catering to what the community needs.
Genesis Olivio and her daughter Arlette, 2, read a book together on March 13, 2024, in a room that's part of the community hub at John H. Amesse Elementary School in Denver. The Denver district has six community hubs at schools across the city that offer different services and resources for parents.
Rebecca Slezak For Education Week
Families & the Community What the Parents' Rights Movement Forced Schools to Do
Parents and caregivers are paying more attention than ever. Here's what that means for schools.
Libby Stanford, April 25, 2024
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10 min read
People walk outside the U.S Capitol building in Washington, June 9, 2022.
Visitors walk outside the U.S Capitol building in Washington on June 9, 2022.
Patrick Semansky/AP
School & District Management Principals Tell Politicians on Capitol Hill: We’re Burning Out
Students' mental health top principals' growing list of concerns.
Olina Banerji, March 25, 2024
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6 min read
Illustration of hands holding speech bubbles.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Teaching Profession The Finalists for National Teacher of the Year Have Ideas for Boosting Teacher Morale
The four award-winning teachers also met with U.S. lawmakers to advocate for their education causes of choice.
Madeline Will, March 19, 2024
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5 min read
Chris Young, a principal from Vermont, poses for a photo in front of a Senate office building in Washington, D.C.
Chris Young, a principal from Vermont, stands in front of a Senate office building in Washington on March 13, 2024. Young was among the secondary principals to meet with legislators urging them to keep federal funding for schools stable.
Olina Banerji/Education Week
School & District Management Q&A When This Principal Talks About Mental Health, People Listen. Here's Why
The NASSP Advocacy Champion of the year said he used stories from his school and community to speak with his state’s legislators.
Olina Banerji, March 14, 2024
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6 min read
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton walks away after announcing Texas' lawsuit to challenge President Obama's transgender bathroom order during a news conference in Austin, Texas, on May 25, 2016.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton walks away following a news conference in Austin, Texas, on May 25, 2016. Paxton recently sued several Texas school districts for allegedly engaging in electioneering before the March 5 primaries.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP
School & District Management Advocacy or Electioneering? Education Leaders Walk Fine Line in School Voucher Debate
Texas is cracking down on district leaders' allegedly political speech—in what others see as a pretext for quashing anti-voucher sentiment.
Olina Banerji, March 11, 2024
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5 min read
Education Week Big Idea Protest 082023
Traci Daberko for Education Week
Families & the Community Reported Essay Parents’ Rights Groups Have Mobilized. What Does It Mean for Students?
Parents' rights groups have led the charge to limit teaching about race, sexuality, and gender. What will happen to students who miss out?
Libby Stanford, August 31, 2023
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12 min read
Fourth-grade students Briley Williams, 9, left, and Jacqueline Naula, 9, work together in their English Language Arts class at Israel Putnam Elementary School in Meriden, Conn., on Dec. 9, 2022. School accountability measures show Meriden schools making academic gains including attendance and addressing social-emotional learning needs.
Fourth-grade students Briley Williams, 9, left, and Jacqueline Naula, 9, work together in their English/language arts class at Israel Putnam Elementary School in Meriden, Conn., on Dec. 9, 2022. Meriden schools have made progress on attendance and addressing social-emotional learning needs.
Dave Zajac/Record-Journal via AP
Student Well-Being Social-Emotional Learning Persists Despite Political Backlash
Social-emotional learning has generated a political backlash, but states are keeping SEL in their standards.
Libby Stanford & Caitlyn Meisner, July 27, 2023
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7 min read
Moms for Liberty founders Tiffany Justice, right, and Tina Descovich speak at the Moms for Liberty meeting in Philadelphia, Friday, June 30, 2023.
Moms for Liberty founders Tiffany Justice, right, and Tina Descovich speak at the Moms for Liberty meeting in Philadelphia, Friday, June 30, 2023.
Matt Rourke/AP
Federal Moms for Liberty's National Summit: 5 Takeaways for Educators
Hundreds of members of the group gathered for a summit that featured former President Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as protesters.
Libby Stanford, June 30, 2023
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10 min read
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice speaks at their meeting, in Philadelphia, Friday, June 30, 2023.
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice speaks at the group's national summit in Philadelphia on Friday, June 30, 2023.
Matt Rourke/AP
Families & the Community 'Parents Can't Trust Their Schools,' Moms for Liberty Co-Founder Tiffany Justice Says
The co-founder of a national group that's become integral to Republican politics rejects criticism that her organization stokes division.
Libby Stanford, June 30, 2023
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6 min read
Kanya Redd, 15, explores an exhibit on segregation at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Visitor's Center on April 18, 2023 in Atlanta. The new cultural exchange initiative is sponsored by Martha's Table, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit committed to expanding opportunity and economic mobility. Approximately 75% of the participants traveled by plane for the first time to get to Atlanta.
Kanya Redd, 15, explores an exhibit on segregation at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Visitor's Center on April 18, 2023 in Atlanta. A new initiative is aiming to combine advocacy and legal strategies to increase school funding and support efforts to create more racially and socioeconomically balanced schools.
Nicole Craine/AP Images for Martha's Table
Education Funding Meet the New Group Promising to Tackle School Funding and Segregation Together
The group aims to boost litigation, research, and advocacy to support diverse, well-resourced public schools.
Mark Lieberman, June 19, 2023
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7 min read
Teachers walk out onto a field of speech bubble shaped holes.
Collage by Vanessa Solis/Education Week (Images: iStock/Getty Images)
Social Studies Social Studies Groups Are Training Teachers to Navigate 'Divisive Concepts' Laws
They're teaching how to defend the discipline against charges of indoctrination and maintain quality despite curricular restrictions.
Sarah Schwartz, June 8, 2023
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8 min read
Image of a shooting target being covered over by many hands with artwork.
melitas, Benjavisa, and CollideOscope/iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety Opinion How Teachers Can Collectively Push Back Against Gun Violence
A teacher educator proposes concrete ways educators can raise their voices alongside parents and youth.
Rebecca Woodard, May 11, 2023
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5 min read
Keesha Ceran of Teaching for Change participates in the Freedom to Learn rally in front of the College Board Headquarters in Washington D.C. Demonstrators and speakers gathered to protest the College Board’s decision to alter their African American Studies curriculum, as well as to protest book bans and other divisive actions being taken in regards to education, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
Keesha Ceran of Teaching for Change participates in the Freedom to Learn rally in front of the College Board Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Demonstrators and speakers gathered to protest the College Board’s decision to alter their African American Studies curriculum, as well as to protest book bans and other divisive actions being taken in regards to education, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
Sam Mallon/Education Week
Equity & Diversity Demonstrations Staged Nationwide Denounce Restrictions on Teaching, Book Bans
On May 3, education and civil rights leaders led rallies and teach-ins against efforts to limit race discussions in public education.
Ileana Najarro & Eesha Pendharkar, May 3, 2023
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6 min read
Photo of principal in staff meeting.
E+ / Getty
School & District Management Advocacy Is a Key Duty for Principals, Too
Principals don't always consider themselves advocates, but a Maryland principal says advocacy goes hand in hand with school leadership.
Denisa R. Superville, April 13, 2023
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4 min read
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