Families & the Community

Black, Hispanic Parents Urged To Support Education

By Karla Scoon Reid — September 05, 2001 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A multimillion-dollar national media campaign will try to enlist more African-American and Hispanic parents in a grassroots effort to improve their children’s classroom success.

The campaign, which began this month, involves a high-powered coalition including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the People for the American Way Foundation, the Eastman Kodak Co., and the Advertising Council. The group, which notes that minority students often earn lower test scores than their white classmates, wants to empower African-American and Hispanic parents with the know-how to exert a positive effect on their children’s education.

“Success in Schools Equals Success in Life,” as the three-year campaign is called, will feature public-service advertisements on television and radio, along with ads in print and on billboards, kiosks, and at mass-transit facilities. Advertisements will appear in both English and Spanish.

A Web site, www.SchoolSuccessInfo.org, has been launched to support the “Success in Schools” effort and provide parents with tips on how to become partners in their children’s schooling. Parents can also call a toll-free number for more information: (800) 281-1313. A free booklet detailing advice for parents is available as well.

Calling education “the number-one issue facing our country,” Kweisi Mfume, the president and chief executive officer of the NAACP, said parents need help in managing their time better.

Changing Families

During a news conference at the National Press Club here last month, he said the campaign would recognize that the nation has far fewer “Ozzie and Harriet families” than it once did, and would use traditional and nontraditional approaches to urge black and Hispanic parents to work alongside their children.

The coalition will hold parent workshops and back-to-school rallies nationwide. In addition, the NAACP will name parent-education liaisons in about 100 cities to give parents guidance and information about their children’s schools.

Daniel A. Carp, the chairman and CEO of Eastman Kodak, said the United States must take advantage of its racial and ethnic diversity from the classroom to the boardroom. Leaving a segment of the population behind would be “relegating ourselves to second place,” he added.

The Advertising Council hopes to make this new campaign as successful and long-running as the 30-year-old United Negro College Fund effort, which has raised $1.8 billion in scholarships for students to attend historically black colleges and universities, said Peggy Conlon, the president and CEO of the council.

Related Tags:

Events

Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Boosting Student and Staff Mental Health: What Schools Can Do
Join this free virtual event based on recent reporting on student and staff mental health challenges and how schools have responded.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
Practical Methods for Integrating Computer Science into Core Curriculum
Dive into insights on integrating computer science into core curricula with expert tips and practical strategies to empower students at every grade level.
Content provided by Learning.com

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Families & the Community Vaccine Rates Remain Down, Exemptions Are Up. What It Means for Schools
New federal data show that vaccine rates among schoolchildren have not rebounded since the pandemic.
    4 min read
    A student applies a bandage after receiving a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from a nurse, at a vaccination station in Jackson, Miss., Feb. 16, 2022.
    A Jackson, Miss. student receives a bandage on the arm after receiving a children's dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from a nurse, at a vaccination station in the city, Feb. 16, 2022.
    Rogelio V. Solis/AP
    Families & the Community New Research Finds a Crucial Factor in Reducing Chronic Absenteeism
    Just as strong connections with parents can boost students' academic achievement, new research shows the same is true in fighting absences.
    5 min read
    Illustration of happy school children running on a bridge handshake.
    iStock/Getty
    Families & the Community The Biden Administration Is Investing More in Parent Engagement. Will It Be Enough?
    The U.S. Department of Education announced $11 million in grants to support parent and family engagement.
    4 min read
    Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington on Aug. 5, 2021.
    Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks at the White House on Aug. 5, 2021. The U.S. Department of Education has announced a series of grants for organizations working on parent education and family engagement.
    Susan Walsh/AP
    Families & the Community District Leaders Are Walking a Fine Line on Cellphone Policies. What That Looks Like
    Administrators point to strategic ways to design student cellphone policies that parents won't oppose.
    5 min read
    Photo illustration of cell phone with red circle and slash.
    iStock / Getty Images Plus