Parents – regardless of class, race, and culture – are motivated by concern for their children and can be a powerful force for equity and greater opportunity. Around the country, initiatives that embrace that principle are cultivating parent leadership – enabling parents, especially those from marginalized communities, to gain civic skills and voice as leaders who advocate for children.
This report suggests the paths by which building parents’ leadership capacity could lead to ripples of reform in policies and programs for children. The authors collaborated with parent leaders, researchers, practitioners, and experts in the field to develop a draft theory of change showing how parent leaders might transform themselves and their children, families, communities, and states.