EdTrust brought together 8 advocacy orgs from around the country for the first meeting of the ARE’s Local Advocacy Cohort.
October 09, 2024 by Nicholas Munyan-Penney 
In early August, EdTrust brought together members of eight advocacy organizations from around the country for the first meeting of the Alliance for Resource Equity’s Local Advocacy Cohort. Over the course of four sessions, cohort members will get hands-on training with the Alliance for Resource Equity (ARE) framework and toolkit, working together to explore data from their communities, identify strengths and inequities, and build action plans to advocate for changes to improve opportunities and outcomes for students in their districts and states. The goal of this cohort is to provide space for a guided introduction to resource equity, making the framework and toolkit more approachable and actionable.
Over the next eight months, participants will explore the 10 dimensions of resource equity in the ARE framework. They will gain familiarity in leveraging data to better understand the conditions in their local schools using the resource equity diagnostic tool, discuss the root causes of inequities and identify policy changes to advocate for using the dimension guidebooks, identify key decisionmakers with the advocating across government tool, and develop messaging campaigns with the help of the casemaking decks.
Participating organizations in this cohort are current partners of EdTrust and are from Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, and Texas. During the first meeting last month, each organization shared why they were excited to participate in the Cohort and what they were hoping to gain from the sessions:
BE NOLA works to ignite the Black brilliance throughout New Orleans schools and neighborhoods to ensure Black children thrive by providing capacity-building support to Black-governed, Black-led schools and engaging in advocacy to elevate the voices, needs, and successes of Black students, families, and educators in New Orleans. Through the Local Advocacy Cohort, BE NOLA hopes to gain data analysis, stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, and coalition-building skills to enhance their effectiveness in advocating for the resources Black educators and students need to thrive. Visit: blackedunola.org.
With over 155,000 lifetime members across 46 states, CASA is a national powerhouse organization building power and improving the quality of life in working-class Black, Latino, Afro-descendent, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities through human services, community organizing, and advocacy.
CASA is excited to participate in EdTrust’s Local Advocacy Cohort as an invaluable opportunity to learn from leaders who are equally passionate about dismantling systems of oppression and ensuring that the development and implementation of education policy across the United States is firmly centered in racial equity. Visit: wearecasa.org/maryland.
DBI‘s work centers around closing the racial equity gap for children with parents in prison, by working to ensure laws are passed that focus on research and lived experiences of children, caregivers, and educators and support their academic and economic development. Visit: dbinola.org.
Latinos for Education is committed to ensuring Latino leaders are at the forefront of shaping the education landscape. Our mission is to develop, place, and connect exceptional Latino leaders, building an ecosystem of advocates who champion equity and excellence in education. We are thrilled to join the Local Advocacy Cohort (LAC) as it aligns with our deep dedication to advancing educational resource equity and uplifting our communities. In Houston, we are driven to ensure that every student—especially our Latino students—has access to the quality education they deserve. We are excited to sharpen our advocacy skills, gain valuable insights, and collaborate with like-minded leaders who are equally passionate about creating lasting change in their communities. Together, through LAC, we can make a profound impact on education equity. Visit: latinosforeducation.org/houston/.
The Maryland Alliance for Racial Equity in Education (MAREE) is a statewide alliance of education advocacy, civil rights, and community-based organizations working to ensure every Black and Brown student in Maryland gets a high-quality public education that is joyful, healthy, equitable, engaging, culturally affirming, and free from policies and practices rooted in systemic and structural racism.
Our hope is to use the Alliance for Resource Equity tools to strategically and effectively press for, advocate and inform policy in Maryland such as full funding and implementation of the Maryland Blueprint and retaining and sustaining a racially and linguistically diverse teachers and educational leaders. Visit: mareealliance.org.
The Parent Teacher Collaborative is a school and community-based organization that aims to improve student outcomes by building strong collaborative partnerships between families, educators, and community members and establishing connections between schools and government entities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
We are excited to be part of the Local Advocacy Cohort because we see the trainings as an opportunity to build our knowledge and skills to better serve families, educators, and children and bring more attention to resource equity issues in Houston. Visit: tptcforeducation.org.
Rodel’s mission is to strengthen Delaware’s public education system and workforce by connecting partners to advance and implement sustainable solutions. Throughout the Local Advocacy Cohort, we are excited to explore the Dimensions of Equity, utilize the framework to empower our community, and implement what we have learned in our campaigns. Visit: rodelde.org.
At S.I.R., we empower and elevate communities that uplift individuals, strengthen families, and cultivate a culture of lifelong learning and civic engagement by providing educational resources, support, and opportunities that inspire growth, foster inclusivity, and create pathways to success.
By participating in this cohort, we aim to harness practical insights and collaborate with like-minded organizations to amplify our impact and ensure equitable outcomes for all.
We look forward to sharing the impact of this amazing group of advocates as the cohort continues. For more information on the Alliance for Resource Equity — a partnership between EdTrust and Education Resource Strategies — visit educationresourceequity.org.
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