How to Advocate for your Child

Here is a list of organizations that advocate on behalf of Seattle Public School's students. We have listed these groups by area of interest. Please contact them for more information about how you can get involved.

Academic Achievement & Equity in Education
Accelerated Progress (APP)
African-American
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Students
General Advocacy in Seattle Public Schools
Latino Students
Homeless Students
Multi-Cultural & Multi-Racial Advocacy
Native American Students
Refugee and Immigrant Students
Samoan Students
Special Education Students

Accountability Coalition Concerned about Equity in Seattle (ACCESS)
An organization made up of parents, students, teachers, principals, district staff, and community members. They address issues concerning the academic achievement discipline gap, which adversely affects students of color. Formerly known as EAGAC (Eliminating the Achievement Gap Action Committee). To find out more about this group, contact Thalia Freamon or Maria Ramirez.

Alliance for Education
A business and community-based organization dedicated to fostering higher academic achievement for all children in the Seattle Public Schools. Working in partnership with the Seattle Public Schools, the Alliance for Education develops initiatives and channels private community resources towards programs that help students reach high academic standards.

Accelerated Progress Program - APP Parent Group & Task Force
APP is a program of accelerated instruction in Seattle Public Schools, using curriculum materials roughly two years above grade level. To assist parents of children in this program, there is an APP Task Force and APP Parent Group. The APP Task Force was commissioned to study and make recommendations on policies relating to the program. Task Force is made up of parents, teachers, District staff, and principals. The APP Parent Group is a working group of volunteers that provides program support, sponsors general parent meetings, publishes the APP Newsletter, and organizes the new family orientation (tours and summer picnic). For more information about this group, contact Jane Feller.

The Black Child Development Institute-Seattle Affiliate
The Seattle Affiliate of National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) is part of a national network of affiliates. The Seattle Affiliate is uniquely responsive to the needs and issues facing African American children in the greater Seattle and South King County areas. The Seattle Affiliate rigorously monitor school district programs, social service agencies and organizations that touch the lives of Black children. The affiliate’s African American Parents Helpline empowers parents to become more involved in their child’s education. With over 70 volunteers, the Helpline enables parents to call a 24-hour hotline and receive strategies on resolving school problems such as suspension, special education, academic progress and discipline. Other affiliate programs include the Annual Black College Fair, the Spirit of Excellence Awards, the Annie E. Casey project and the SAT workshop series. For more information, contact Germaine W. Covington at 206-860-4048.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (GLBTQ) Advisory Committee
The GLBTQ Advisory Committee is a team of school district staff, students, families, and members of the community. It advises the Superintendent and School Board on issues pertaining to safe and welcoming school environments for all students, staff, and families regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The advisory committee meets monthly to address school policies, trainings, support groups, school climate, and resources for GLBTQ members of the Seattle School community.

Kaleidoscope of Families
Support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender families. Free childcare offered. For more information, contact the Eastside Recovery Center at 425-461-4546.

Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians & Gays - PFLAG
Promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons, their families and friends through: support to cope with an adverse society; education to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. For more information, contact Marcie Mathis Stilwell.

Safe Schools Coalition
A Public-Private partnership in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth, helping schools - at home and all over the world - become safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn. For more information, contact Frieda Takamura at 253-765-7062 or Beth Reis at 206-296-4970 or Marsha Botzer Ingersoll at 206-726-2056.

Citizen's Campaign for Commercial-free Schools - CCCS
A statewide grassroots, non-profit organizations based in Seattle, Washington who mission it is to protect the right of Washington children and youth from a commercial-free education. For more information, contact Sylvia Haven at 206-523-4992.

Citizens for Effective Administration of Special Education (CEASE)
A coalition of active parent and citizen groups that share concerns about Seattle Public School District administration. Their mission is to hold the Seattle Public School accountable for fiscal and administrative accountability, educational equity, policy making, democratic process, and authentic community. For more information, contact Christiane Elsbree at 206-547-1456.

Communities for Public Education
Communities for Public Education (CPE) began as a response to the Superintendent's preliminary recommendation for reshaping Seattle Public Schools. Their goal is to engage the entire Seattle community to develop comprehensive community-based solutions to the issues facing our school district. CPE volunteers time and resources to communities, garners political support through relationships with a braod spectrum of political and civic leaders, fundraises, and recruits new families to Seattle Public Schools. For more information, contact Alicia Edgar or Betsy Edwards.

Key Communicators
Seattle Public Schools maintains a database of individuals active and interested in the inner workings of the Seattle public school system. Key communicators are kept abreast of the latest happenings in the district via email updates. You are welcome to add their name to the list to ensure that you are receiving the most current district news and information. For more information, please contact Patti Spencer-Watkins at 206-252-0204.

League of Educator Voters
A grassroots, statewide network of education advocates working to make Washington's public schools the best in the nation. For more information, contact Lisa Macfarlane at 206-728-6448.

PTA/PTSA
Parents are invited to join their school's Parent Teacher Association or Parent Teacher Student Association, PTA/PTSA. Members serve on advisory councils, raise funds for special projects, lobby for legislation relevant to child welfare, and plan school events. When you join the PTA, you become part of a national, state, and local network of parents, teachers, grandparents, and community members working for children. The Seattle Council PTSA offers parenting workshops, leadership training, a forum for two-way communication with other school district leaders, and an opportunity to network with parents from other schools. Seattle Council PTSA Board meetings are open to the public. For dates, times, and more information, call Seattle Council PTSA at 206-364-7430, or visit the Seattle Council PTSA online.

Save Our Schools - SOS
The SOS Coalition brings people together to defend and protect the best interest of our children by advocating for the educationally superior opportunity for south-end students. SOS initiates and leads efforts to evaluate existing educational opportunities and to create and promote initiatives toward achieving educational excellence and equity. For more information, contact Don Alexander at 206-328-2103.

School Board
The Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors welcomes the participation of parents, students, staff members, and interested citizens. Board meetings are open to the public and are usually held at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of the month. Meetings are held in the Auditorium at the John Stanford Center at 2445 3rd Avenue South. Those wishing to address the Board at a meeting are asked to register in advance of the meeting with the School Board Office at 206-252-0040. Sign-ups will be taken until 12 noon the day of the Board meeting. Visit the School Board for more information.

School's First
School's First, founded as a grassroots, citizen-based organization in 1995, supports the financies of the school district. Schools First is comprised of a volunteer Board of Directors who work together to meet the mission of Schools First. For more information, contact Peter Maier.

School Kids Come First
This website provides community members, parents, alumni, and local businesses a quick and easy way to directly fund projects and needs at all of our public schools, with a particular focus on schools that have more difficulty fundraising. They do not fund textbooks or basic supplies; they only fund the experiences and enhancements that expand students' limits, engage their imagination and enthusiasm, and create the stimulating education they need. All money raised goes directly to benefit students, particularly those at schools that do not currently have the volunteer and fundraising infrastructure to support these vital extras. For more information, contact Dick Lee at 206-252-0476.

Successful Schools in Action - SSIA
A new educational nonoprofit that includes the seven public schools on Queen Anne and Magnolia Hills. These schools include: Coe Elementary, John Hay Elementary, Lawton Elementary, Catharine Blaine K-8, McClure Middle School, the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center (SBOC), and the Center (High) School. SSIA schools are working collaboratively together to share resources and information in order to broaden and enhance the academic achievement, social development, and civic awareness of all students. They are also forming partnerships with individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and other neighborhood groups in the community to create opportunities for students to actively participatin in the schools. For more information, contact Lisa Moore at 206-378-0797.

Campaña Quetzal
A coalition of Latino educators, parents, youth, and concerned citizens who are alarmed by the academic achievement gap facing the Latino community and volunteer time to building solutions. Campaña Quetzal believes solutions will come through harnessing leadership in the Seattle area, in particular parent leadership, as a means of addressing institutionalized racism thus making Seattle educational institutions more successful for Latinos and students of all colors. For more information about this group, contact Adrian Moroles at 206-790-0106.

Proyecto Saber ("Project to Know")
A course that provides academic support and cultural studies to Latino students. Launched by the Seattle School District in 1975, today, about 250 students are enrolled in Proyecto courses at Sealth, Ballard High School and Denny Middle School. Much of the class time is devoted to homework assistance, but there have been workshops on topics such as racism and leadership, lessons on Latin American authors, a mariachi club, a youth club, and an annual Cinco de Mayo assembly. For more information, contact Maria Ivarra at 2600 SW Thistle Street; Seattle, WA 98126.

Homeless

Seattle Public Schools
This site provides information for families of students who are homeless. Seattle Public Schools adheres to the definitions of homelessness and addresses the educational rights of students who are homeless as established in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Multi-Cultural & Multi-Racial Advocacy

Coalition to Undo Racism Everywhere - CURE
A multi-racial, multi-cultual, multi-generational coalition of community-based and faith-based organizations, businesses, students, educators, artists, and individuals. CURE's major purpose is to undo racism through systemic and individual change. CURE mobilizes the community to confront and transform institutions that negatively impact people of color. CURE builds relationships, educates, and develops leaders and supports community members who are committed to anti-racist work. For more information, contact Mary Flowers at 206-938-1023.

Multi-Racial Task Force on Education - MRTFE
A diverse group of individuals and organizations concerned about the lack of accountability, achievement gaps, disproportionality on disciplinary matters, curriculum, and financial problems with the school district. For more information, contact Adrian Moroles at 206-790-0106.

National Indian Education Association - NIEA
The mission of the National Indian Education Association is to support traditional Native cultures and values, to enable Native learners to become contributing members of their communities, to promote Native control of educational institutions, and to improve educational opportunities and resources for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Hawaiians throughout the United States. For more information, contact Ryan Wilson at 206-325-3942.

Native Youth Action - NYA
A division of the AFSC - Indian Program, this grassroots, intergenerational volunteer group formed to help Native youth build their power, strengthen their cultural identity, and lead a movement for social change. For more information, contact Jeffrey P. Smith at 206-632-0500.

Refugee and Immigrant Parent Advocacy Network (RIPAN)
The Refugee and Immigrant Parent Advocacy Network (RIPAN) is a coalition of 13 community organizations in the Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area. The Network seeks to address barriers to the effective education of immigrant and refugee children, and to increase parent participation in school activities and decisions affecting their children's education. For more information about their activities and meetings, please visit RIPAN online.

Leo O Tupulaga Samoa (LOTS) - Voice of Samoa
An anti-racist community-organizing group that was established during the fall of 1999 following the release of a Seattle School District report which listed Samoan children as having one of the highest dropout rates of all ethnic groups. For more information, contact Sili Savusa Manoa.

Special Education Advocates
The Special Education Advisory & Advocacy Committee (SEAAC) provides parents and staff members with advice regarding special education programs and issues. SEAAC also advocates for special-needs students. For more information, call the Special Education office at 206-252-0058, email SEAAC at seattleseaac@yahoo.com, or visit SEAAC online to read their most recent newsletter with information and upcoming trainings and events.

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