Good morning, CharterFolk.
Today we’re happy to share with you a Contributor Column from Adkeem Jackson, the Senior Director of Community Mobilization for the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (MCPSA).
We provide a bio for Adkeem below.
Adkeem Jackson is the Senior Director of Community Mobilization for the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (MCPSA). In this role, he is responsible for designing and implementing programming that empowers families, educators, and community members to actively engage in advocacy on behalf of MA charter public schools. Adkeem joined MCPSA after over a decade working at UP Education Network, a nonprofit focused on taking the lowest-performing schools in Massachusetts and transforming those schools into exceptional learning environments. At UP, he led family and community engagement and spearheaded the network’s equity strategy. Adkeem brings a wealth of both professional and lived experience to this work, and is passionate about educational equity and positive outcomes for children!
A Recipe for Community Mobilization Success: Building Effective Charter Public School Advocacy
Despite continuing to demonstrate what exceptional education can look like within our public school system, charter public schools face strong political headwinds and chronic funding inequities. As charter public school advocates, we must reject the idea that these challenges are just the way things have to be. We have the power to shift the tides in favor of what our schools, and ultimately all students, deserve. If we build a robust, nationwide coalition of charter public school supporters – families, alumni, educators, board members, and others – who incessantly raise their voices and demand strong public school options that give EVERY family the ability to decide what is best for their child, options that give EVERY child access to high-quality public school options – regardless of zip code – we can change the conversation and shift the policy landscape.
This kind of active coalition-building doesn’t just happen. It requires coordinated effort, sustained investment, and unwavering intentionality on the part of state associations, schools, and advocates. With community voice as a driving force, we can more effectively protect our schools and the community against attacks, while also advancing policies that allow more children access to high-quality public school options and ensure charter public schools – like all public schools – have the resources and flexibility they need to deliver on their promises to kids and families. Through my work at the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (MCPSA), and in partnership with schools and advocates all across the state, I’ve seen what it takes for us to build a powerful coalition of community voices. This concept is not theoretical; it comes from years of experience. In this article, I will highlight the key ingredients needed for state associations, schools, and advocates to take hold of the narrative about our schools and ensure that every day we are moving closer to policies that more fully embrace a truly equitable public education system. And it all starts with the power and promise of our state charter public school associations.
What State Associations Need
High performing state associations serve as more than just support organizations – they are advocacy powerhouses. Their unique position and reach allows them to protect and advance the conditions that help charter public schools thrive. However, they cannot do this work alone. It is imperative that state associations engage, train, and activate advocates as part of their advocacy work. To do this effectively, state associations need:
- Dedicated Staff for Community Mobilization: Have you ever heard the phrase jack of all trades, master of none? Advocacy work is layered and complex. It requires someone whose focus is entirely on this work – a person who understands advocacy, education policy, and the nuances of community engagement. Since joining MCPSA, I have had the honor of developing and implementing programs to engage advocates in the fight for stronger public education policies. One of our cornerstone programs at MCPSA is Our Communities SPEAK – a training program aimed at providing charter public school parents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively advocate and tell their stories of impact. Last year, we were able to train over 60 advocates whose impact continues to ripple across the state. With a person in place to lead this grassroots-centered work, other team members are freed up to focus on other important elements of developing and executing a comprehensive advocacy strategy.
- Trusting Relationships with Schools: Trust is everything. It is essential that state associations build deep relationships with member schools that are rooted in shared values, dependability, and trust, which is the most essential aspect of the relationship. In order for state associations to do their part, schools are expected to identify families who can be activated. The elephant in the room here is that schools are protective of their families and their communities. They don’t want their families to be tokenized or for the experience to be transactional, and rightfully so. So, they have to have deep trust that the association will treat their community with respect, dignity, and care. Otherwise, they won’t allow the association to work directly with their community members. Building trust is an authentic process that takes time. It requires intentional presence and connection along with reciprocity that extends beyond what we need from schools. At MCPSA, prior to launching Our Communities SPEAK, my focus was solely focused on relationship building. I visited a target group of schools and found intentional ways to connect with school leaders and relevant staff members. These connections were genuine and not just focused on the work of mobilizing families. I also maintained consistent communication and positioned myself as a resource for member schools. Through this intentional approach, I was able to build deep relationships where trust was at the center. Today, schools feel comfortable connecting me with their families, and there is a deep level of buy-in. State associations are uniquely positioned to build this trust with schools as we interact with them regularly, understand their strengths and areas of growth, and provide ongoing, effective support to meet their needs.
- Direct Access to and the Ability to Mobilize Advocates: Mobilizing people at a moment’s notice requires access and readiness. This necessitates strong constituent management records and ongoing relationship cultivation that keeps advocates invested. Early in my tenure at MPCSA, I piloted a “train-the-trainer” model where schools owned the relationships with advocates and bore the responsibility of training and activating them when needed. The pilot reinforced a valuable learning: while schools are best positioned to identify potential advocates, state associations are better equipped to train and activate advocates. State associations are not only best positioned to lead this work because of our constant pulse on what is going on legislatively that may impact schools. We also have the time, expertise, and staffing to provide advocates with the guidance they need to be effective in their advocacy efforts. In Our Communities SPEAK, this has proven to be the case. Having direct access to advocates has allowed me to effectively mobilize them at a moment’s notice and provide the depth of support they need to be effective. It has also allowed me to build a sense of trust and connection with advocates that impacts how willing they are to show up.
What Schools Need
While schools are focused on delivering exceptional learning experiences, they also play a critical role in building community voice and advocacy. To be effective partners in community mobilization, schools need a few core components:
- Commitment from School Leadership: First and foremost, schools need leaders who are invested in advocacy and see it as a necessary aspect of running a school or network. This investment sets the tone and allows the allocation of time, trust, and resources. This also includes empowering families and staff to share stories and lead – not just supporting advocacy, but actively releasing control to allow community members to represent the school. At MCPSA, we spend a lot of time talking with school leaders about the value of advocacy work, not just for our community as a whole, but also for their individual schools. Taking the time to really invest leaders in the “why” and “how” of the work is critical, and time well-spent.
- The Ability to Engage School Community Members and Convert Them to Advocates: Effective advocacy starts with connection. To be effective in advocacy and community mobilization work, schools need to find creative ways to engage their school community, build relationships, and create a foundation for involvement. As schools build this foundation, they will be able to identify community members who have powerful stories and are champions for their schools. They must then invest time and capacity to cultivate those cheerleaders into advocates who are willing to share their stories and fight on behalf of their school. This transition from cheerleader to advocate comes through purposeful skill building. Larger schools, with dedicated staff, may be positioned to lead some of the work of developing skills in advocates, while other, often single-site schools, may fully defer to their state associations. At MCPSA, through Our Communities SPEAK, we lead this important work of skill building and converting cheerleaders to advocates. In addition to the skills we help advocates develop, we ensure they have the right information to understand what they are advocating for and how to effectively advocate.
- Staff Dedicated to Community Mobilization and Advocacy: Schools also need someone whose job it is to coordinate and sustain community mobilization efforts. While this is the ideal state, the reality is that this may not be possible for all charter public schools. However, it is still important to have someone dedicated, in some way, to leading community mobilization. This work requires intentionality and coordination, and when it is added onto a long list of competing priorities, it can fall off the radar. Dedicated staff help ensure consistency, authenticity, and long-term momentum. In cases where schools are unable to allocate a full time employee to lead this work, it is essential that capacity to engage in this work is sourced through either updating an existing job description to include this work, or support is solicited from the state association. The key is prioritizing this work and ensuring there is someone who can lead it at the school level.
What Advocates Need
Advocates are the heart of the movement. Their authentic stories and relationships play a critical role in dispelling myths and building influence. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, there are some core elements all advocates need to be successful:
- Knowledge, Skills, and Confidence: Advocacy takes more than passion – it requires preparation. In order for advocates to make a real impact and be true partners, they need to understand what they are advocating for, to whom, and why. Additionally, they need to develop core skills so they can be effective in their advocacy. Through Our Communities SPEAK, we help advocates understand the specifics of the bills and policies they are advocating for or against. In addition, we help advocates develop a variety of skills, like how to tell their story, how to follow and engage legislators on social media, and how to write Op-Eds and letters-to-the-editor. We create authentic opportunities for advocates to practice these skills – over and over – which in turn builds confidence. In reflecting on the value of Our Communities SPEAK, one advocate recently said, “I found my voice.” Possessing knowledge, skills, and confidence empowers advocates to take action in new ways. It gives them what they need to be courageous and bold on behalf of their school and the sector.
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Image of Adkeem Jackson, MCPSA’s Senior Director of Community Mobilization, with Our Communities SPEAK Leadership Council members (leaders within Our Communities SPEAK) along with MCPSA Chief of Public Affairs, Danielle Pape, and consultant Shree Recasner.
- Connection to the Movement: Advocates need to feel part of something bigger than themselves – something that can meaningfully bring about change. The premise of Our Communities SPEAK is rooted in connecting families to the movement. People aren’t just receiving training alongside families from their own school (which was the case when we previously had schools directly training advocates). Through this program, they connect with families from all across the state, which creates a sense of belonging along with a shared connection to the movement.
- Opportunities to Take Action: Advocates work hard to position themselves for impact. Schools and associations play a vital role in identifying opportunities, knowing their advocate base, and matchmaking the two — setting advocates up with the right opportunities, given their unique skills and assets. Advocates must be given very clear opportunities – invitations to join meetings with legislators, or to share their story via a video message, or to canvas for a candidate. These intentional and customized invitations that marry an advocate’s unique skills with the needs of the moment provide optimal opportunities for advocates to make an impact. As advocates show up, it is very important to keep them informed about the impact of their efforts. Whether the effort is led at the state association or school level, follow up is key and will empower advocates as partners in the process. If advocates can see and feel the difference, they will be more likely to continue to engage.
Image of Roxbury Prep Family Champions meeting with MA State Senator Liz Miranda
The recipe for success is clear. Working together, and with the right ingredients, state associations, schools, and advocates can take hold of the narrative about our schools and ensure that every day we are moving closer to policies that more fully embrace a truly equitable public education system. If state associations, schools, and advocates are effectively equipped with what they need to show up and make a difference, charter public schools will continue to bring innovation and an unmatched level of commitment to ensuring ALL children receive the education they deserve, or as we say at MCPSA, “An Education That Adds Up.”
