Parent leaders and advocates gather for Parents, Not Partisans Summit in Sacramento

February 8 & 9, 2023

More than 100 grassroots parent advocates, newly-elected parent school board members and education experts from 26 counties across California came together in Sacramento in February for California Policy Center’s Parents, Not Partisans Legislative Summit.

The parent and community leaders who attended the summit advocate on diverse issues but share a commitment to parents’ rights in directing the education of their children. Many attendees expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to network with leaders of other like-minded groups to discuss ideas on advancing California’s nonpartisan parent movement.

“The purpose of the summit is twofold: to give parent leaders the tools they need to be as effective as possible in their advocacy and to bring parent groups together to support each other,” said Lance Christensen, CPC’s Vice President of Education Policy and Government Affairs, who moderated the summit sessions.

On Wednesday, February 8th, the summit opened with a powerful speech by Lance Izumi, Senior Director of Pacific Research Institute’s Education Center and co-author of the newly-released book The Great Parent Revolt: How Parents and Grassroots Leaders Are Fighting Critical Race Theory in America's Schools

Next, Megan Bacigalupi, founder of the influential CA Parent Power, spoke on a panel on advocating effectively for kids in adverse circumstances along with Dr. Nicole Conragan, a National Coalition for Public School Options board member.Later in the morning, newly-elected Roseville City parent school board trustee Jonathan Zachreson, who founded Reopen California Schools, joined the tenacious Sharon McKeeman, founder of Let Them Breathe from Carlsbad, on a panel on how to hold school boards accountable.

Other panels focused on helping parents access data on student achievement and school performance, improving literacy and math education, and increasing education options for families.

In the afternoon, State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, Vice Chair of the Senate Education Committee, joined Assemblyman Josh Hoover on a panel advising parents on how to effectively engage with their local legislators. Both legislators are parents and former school board trustees. Afterthe discussion, summit attendees lined up to talk with the legislators and take pictures.

Senator Ochoa Bogh said the summit “offered hope and validation for those parents who are discouraged” and gave parents “a space to know that they’re being heard.”

“These events are so important because it gives parents access to legislators that are acting on their behalf,” Ochoa Bogh said.

The closing session with Gustavo Vargas, host of El Diálogo Libre Podcast and numerous Spanish-language television and radio programs, and Cecilia Iglesias, founder of CPC’s Parent Union, focused on media and grassroots outreach strategies to effectively engage Latino families who want better education options for their children.

“The information and the connections that we made today are so valuable to the work we are doing,” said Seak Smith, founder of MOM Army.

On Thursday, February 9th, , dozens of summit attendees headed to the State Capitol for discussions with veteran legislative staff on how the legislative process works and to meet with legislators.

“I was able to meet with legislators to get a good grasp on how to make effective change,” said Frank Rodriguez, Executive Director of the high-profile group Gays Against Groomers. “Being able to be around resources that help us achieve that is absolutely amazing.”

When California’s parent movement first started, many parents were speaking out at school board meetings and forming parent groups on their own, and often felt like they were alone in taking on Goliath. Today, CPC Parent Union director Rebecca Holz explains that the parent movement has entered a new phase.

"Parent advocates have been elected to school boards and local offices, and parent groups are working together and organizing for change,” Holz said.

Lance Christensen said the summit was "a testament to the resilience of putting parents before partisanship.”

"These leaders and advocates hold many different viewpoints but all are working tirelessly on their unique missions," Christensen added. "What unifies and drives them is that they all want what’s best for their kids and are tired of being dismissed by the education officials that are supposed to represent them.”