Advocacy in Action: How to Get Involved

Organize Community-Led Actions

• Host town halls, school board discussions, and rallies where educators, students, and parents/family members can share their personal stories about how these policy changes impact them. Consider making the event virtual via Zoom, Facebook Live or other means to generate greater visibility.
• Create spaces where people can speak directly with local, state, and federal leaders, ensuring that decision-makers hear firsthand the real-world consequences of dismantling the Department of Education.
• Use data to highlight how these cuts threaten college affordability, P-12 funding, and special education programs, and amplify voices from the community to illustrate what’s at stake.

Collaborate with Key Partners

• Work with educators, students, families, civil rights and civic organizations, churches, and the business community to strengthen advocacy efforts and expand your reach.
• Partner with workforce and higher education leaders who can emphasize how federal education funding supports students and the economy.
• Ensure that diverse voices—especially those most affected—are at the forefront of discussions, sharing their experiences to drive action.

Drive Media Engagement

• Secure media coverage by elevating local stories that demonstrate how these cuts will impact students, schools, and communities.
• Identify journalists covering education and invite them to report on advocacy events featuring firsthand accounts from those affected. Learn more here.
• Publish opinion pieces, letters to the editor (LTEs),  and digital storytelling content on platforms like X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, using real experiences to drive engagement.
• Engage digital influencers and local leaders to amplify personal narratives and ensure broad visibility.

Learn more about how to engage with the media

Hold Policymakers Accountable

• Urge state and local officials, as well as members of Congress, to publicly oppose dismantling the Department of Education.
• Provide research-backed evidence paired with real-life examples to illustrate how these changes will harm public education and equity.
• Use local stories and community impact data to demonstrate the consequences of funding cuts and advocate for continued federal investment in education.

Why This Matters: Strategic Messaging for Advocates

Families, educators, workforce leaders and advocates agree: Every student deserves a high-quality education, no matter their background, zip code, identity, or income level. Now, more than ever, we must strengthen — not weaken — our public schools, which serve the vast majority of America’s students.

The federal government has long played a critical role in ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students. Most Americans believe in maintaining that commitment, but we must take action to protect it. We must go beyond policy jargon and statistics—our advocacy must show the real impact on students’ lives.

If the Department of Education is eliminated, we will see devastating consequences:

• Larger numbers of students who are chronically absent
• Overcrowded classrooms that make it harder for students to learn
• A reduction in essential funding that disproportionately affects underserved students
• The loss of critical services for students with disabilities
• Students’ civil rights are not protected, and as a result, many students, including students with disabilities and the most vulnerable students, will not receive an equitable education
• Many students will no longer be able to afford college, hindering economic mobility and U.S. competitiveness in a global economy
• Students might not be able to afford college through Pell Grants or federal financial aid
• College students may not be protected from for-profit colleges, many of which are predatory

We must act now to protect our nation’s students to prevent these harmful outcomes.

Key Messages & Framing

• Communities will be impacted most. The loss of federal education funding and guidance disproportionately harms Black, Latino, Native, and rural communities, deepening existing disparities.
• Public education is essential to democracy. Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education undermines a fundamental pillar of our society, threatening equitable access to learning.
• Education equity is a civil right. Federal oversight ensures that students of color, low-income students, English learners, and students with disabilities receive the protections and resources they need.
• Higher education access is at stake. Pell Grants, federal student aid, and protections for borrowers will be eliminated, reducing access to college for millions of students.
• Accountability matters. Eliminating the Department means no federal guardrails to prevent discrimination, ensure fair funding, or protect traditionally underserved students.
• Economic consequences are far-reaching. Weakening federal support for education disrupts workforce development, limits access to skilled labor, and reduces economic mobility, ultimately affecting the long-term financial stability of communities, businesses, and families
• State policymakers and Congress must step up. Without federal oversight, state and congressional leaders must adopt policies that maintain civil rights protections, maintain school funding, and rigorous standards.