New Education Opinion Research on Parents of Public School Students of Color

Media 04.11.16

WASHINGTON – On Monday, April 11, at an event beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the National Press Club, The Leadership Conference Education Fund and Anzalone Liszt Grove Research will release “The New Education Majority: Attitudes and Aspirations of Parents and Families of Color,” the first-of-its-kind polling research informed by a series of focus groups on the educational priorities and attitudes of African-American and Latino parents and families of public school students.

Students of color have become the new majority in American public schools, but decisions on educational policy and practice are too often made without adequate input from these students or their parents and families. This research is timely, as school districts and states are about to implement a major revision of federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, which gives tremendous power back to states to build, maintain, support, and hold accountable public schools.

The new poll of 400 African-American and 400 Latino parents and families of public school students present a deep-dive analysis into their attitudes about and expectations of their children’s schools and of schools nationwide. The analysis was informed by several English and Spanish-language focus groups of parents and caregivers of various income levels. 

Topics to be discussed include perceptions of school quality, racial bias in schools, school improvement, priorities for how schools can better educate their children, and perceptions of who has decision-making power in education. 

Monday’s event will begin with a presentation of the research, followed by a panel of leading education practitioners, advocates, and academics who will discuss what the findings mean for their work, their communities, and the larger education policy debates that too often fail to address the educational needs of students of color.

WHAT: Release of New Education Opinion Research on Parents of Public School Students of Color

WHEN: Monday, April 11, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: The First Amendment Lounge at The National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC

RSVP: Email [email protected] to RSVP. A livestream of this event will also be available at this link: https://scontent.webcaster4.com/web/EducationMajorityPoll

SCHEDULE:

  • 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m-Presentation of Poll Findings with:
    • Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
    • Matt Hogan, partner with Anzalone Liszt Grove Research
    • Liz King, director of education policy for The Leadership Conference Education Fund
  • 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon-Panel Discussion: “How Can These Findings Better Inform Education Policy?”  with:
    • Sonja Brookins Santelises, Ed. D., Education Trust
    • Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade, Ph. D., San Francisco State University
    • José M. Torres, Ph. D., Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

The Leadership Conference Education Fund builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. The Education Fund’s campaigns empower and mobilize advocates around the country to push for progressive change in the United States.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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