IDEA Public Schools’ Advocacy Action Team I (AAT) is comprised of parent advocates who use their voices and stories to advocate for high-quality public education for all children in Texas. They are family members who are passionate about creating change at local, state, and federal levels.
In February and March, our IDEA Advocates worked hard to run our IDEA Votes pilot in the Rio Grande Valley. IDEA staff and parent members of our Advocacy Action Team became certified as Volunteer Deputy Registrars in the Valley, El Paso, and San Antonio.
Parent and staff registrars joined local nonprofit organizations to register attendees at our community 5Ks and other events, while El Paso parent advocates helped their peers commit to vote in the carpool line at IDEA Edgemere.
As a result, IDEA Public Schools saw a huge increase in the percent of our Team & Family who registered to vote before the March 3rd primary. Huge shout-out to all the Team & Family members who registered, voted, and encouraged colleagues to do the same!
AAT and COVID-19
Since the March 3rd primary election, the Advocacy Action Teams’ focus has shifted to supporting our students and their families during the COVID-19 crisis as IDEA makes the shift to distance learning.
IDEA teachers and staff signed on to the Future Ready Coalition’s letter asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand home internet access for the millions of students around country currently engaging in distance learning.
In light of social distancing and shelter in place measures many cities are implementing, teacher and parent advocates are also brainstorming how “virtual advocacy” could persuade lawmakers to support funding for device and internet access for students while our schools are engaged in distance learning.
As we press forward together, IDEA advocates are ready to meet the challenges of the current moment.
Please join us in any way that you can! Text IDEAMEET to 52886 to receive updates about Advocacy Action Team meetings, campaigns, and other info.
