To support families, particularly those in low-income, ethnic and immigrant communities, to become involved in educational policymaking concerning their local schools.

By many measures, California's public schools are not providing a quality education to all children. While multiple approaches are necessary to improve student outcomes, parent-engagement efforts can foster more responsive and appropriate school policies that enhance student success. Yet many parents do not know the best ways to engage with school officials to express their concerns and experiences.

In June 2008, Irvine launched a four-year initiative to build the capacity of organizations in the San Joaquin Valley and Inland Empire to engage parents, families and the public in educational decision making. Eleven community organizations in the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino counties) and the San Joaquin Valley (Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties) are receiving funding under this initiative. They are:

Families In Schools administers the initiative, advises the community organizations, provides technical assistance, collects data and strategizes with Irvine staff on other ways to maximize the initiative's impact. The 11 participating organizations have been increasing their advocacy capacities, strengthening relationships with policymakers, engaging families to participate in education advocacy, and building a strong regional network to facilitate improvements in K-12 education in the region.

Over the course of these efforts, community organizations identified an opportunity to work more closely with school board members to advance their policy goals. In 2010, Irvine expanded support to Families In Schools to foster ongoing relationships among school board members and community organizations in the region to achieve more responsive and effective education decision making. Families In Schools is working with school board members and community organizations that are engaging families to facilitate a learning community to develop shared knowledge on key educational issues for these regions, and foster collaborative actions to improve local schools.