Statewide membership associations are comprised of trustees and/or district chancellors or college presidents (CEOs) whose primary professional responsibility is the governance and administration of local districts and colleges. The majority of these statewide community college membership associations are nonprofit entities--typically incorporated…

State education finance sets the stage for what is possible in schools. Too many state education finance systems today are inequitable, outdated, and inadequate, and there are often significant political barriers to change. Advocates for educational equity can and should play an essential role in shaping the allocation and structure of state…

The purpose of this narrative paper is to provide a reflective description of the formation, structure, and work of a diverse coalition dedicated to collaboratively informing educational policy advocacy in California. Specifically, this article offers an example of how community members from across settings mobilized into collective action to…

California leads the nation in advancing equity and integration initiatives. Through the creation and dissemination of professional development specific to equity in California, adult educators are encouraged to work with state and local governments to advocate for policies, regulations, and laws that support immigrant and social justice…

This landscape review includes a document and policy review of policies and programs across the City of Richmond, West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), The California Endowment, and other local community organizations. Additionally, the review encompasses: (1) 15 PLUS projects from 2008-2018 for 4 clients: City of Richmond, WCCUSD,…

This study examined how three champion principals of Asian language dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs--Cantonese, Korean, and Mandarin--in California have navigated the oscillating language-in-education policies after the Lau decision. We explored principals' various roles through a lens of agency in a social justice leadership…

In spring 2019, without controversy or fanfare and without violating the voter mandate of Proposition 203, emergent bilinguals in Arizona were once again granted unrestricted access to dual language bilingual education after nearly 20 years. The policy change was accomplished through a seemingly small piece of legislation that reduced the daily…

Although affirmative action in college admissions has not been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, the consideration of race in admissions has been banned in nine states--in six of them by public vote. This article analyzes the campaigns to ban affirmative action in California and Michigan as a battle between interest groups. The…

The California Community College system is the largest system of higher education in the world, with 114 colleges organized into 72 districts, serving over 2 million students. The colleges are publicly supported and locally oriented institutions that offer associate degrees, transfer education, and workforce development programs. They are part of…

A case study of a Latinx parent-school engagement program is presented illustrating how immigrant parents became collective political actors providing input into their California school district's formulation of its Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). The LCAP was part of newly adopted statewide Local Control Funding Formula policy providing…

For many first-generation college students, the opportunity to participate in education abroad is an important part of college success, achievement, and growth. However, the opportunity may feel unattainable for some. This dissertation examined interviews with selected CSU administrators, a self-study of my work, and first-generation college…

Between 2012 and 2018, the California Community Colleges system underwent significant changes in policy and practice to address student success rates; this article chronicles policies affecting ESL students and how ESL faculty worked to ensure equitable, appropriate implementation for students enrolled in credit ESL courses. The 2018 California…

CADRE, an organization led by Maisie Chin, is a Human Right to Education Campaign. Between 2005 and 2013, CADRE played a lead role in using grassroots organizing and leadership development to create a seismic shift in public policy, debate, and narrative around school discipline, racial disparities, parents' roles, school climate, and closing the…

Reformers today maintain the use of civil rights rhetoric when advocating for policies that address educational inequity. While continuing the legacy of earlier civil rights activists, the leaders invoking this rhetoric and the educational platforms they promote differ greatly from previous decades. Not only does this new crop of reformers differ…

Legislation and policy lead to action. In the absence of law or policy, situations are addressed on a case-by-case basis or they are sometimes ignored. Legislation and policy become extremely important when they relate to groups that have traditionally been marginalized, such as students with disabilities or students with gifts and talents, and…