A media campaign targeting Hispanic families in Denver is motivating more parents to become involved in their children’s education, an evaluation of the program shows.
Cambio, Acción, Educación—Spanish for Change, Action, Education—was launched in 2005 by the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options. The Washington-based group, known as Hispanic CREO, advocates for public and private school choice, as well as gets Hispanic parents more involved in their current schools.
“More families are recognizing that opportunities exist for them to better their educations,” writes Christina A. Medina, the author of the evaluation and a public-affairs professor at the University of Colorado at Denver.
Paid for by a $250,000 grant from the Denver-based Daniels Fund and matching contributions from other donors, the effort also involved Univision, the Spanish-language television network.
The yearlong project, which began in response to the Colorado Supreme Court’s overturning of a school voucher program, has included radio and television public-service announcements, free workshops for parents on how to better understand the education system, and a resource guide on Denver school choice options.
The Dec. 20 report said that parents who once felt disconnected from their children’s schools now are attending PTA meetings and taking leadership roles in local schools and parent groups.
“… (In) just one year, we have mobilized more than 2,100 Hispanic parents to take a more involved role in their children’s education,” Linda Sosa, a Hispanic CREO field organizer, said in a press release.
Ms. Medina found that some parents also have expressed a need for more training, and recommended ongoing professional development for Hispanic CREO staff members so they can stay “well informed about issues impacting the Latino community.”
For More info
More information on the campaign is available from the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options.
