Thanks to generous support from the Boone Family Foundation, Stand for Children, a nonprofit education advocacy group working here in Texas and across the country, will soon be working to ensure all Dallas kids have access to strong public schools.
Stand for Children works to encourage parents to get involved in their children’s schools and empower communities to advocate for their local teachers and schools. Stand helps individuals understand what is happening in their local schools, develops local leaders, and equips parents with the tools to help their children – and all students in Texas – get a the education they need to succeed.
Stand has been working in Texas since January 2011, both at the state level from their Austin office, and at the local level, engaging with the Houston community.
In the Houston chapter, Stand organizers have met with over 500 parents and community members in the last year. They have trained a core of strong volunteers on local school funding issues. This group of strong local leaders understands how to advocate for their children’s education, and are working in their neighborhoods to ensure schools have the funds they need, teachers are well trained and supported, and facilities and technology provide a healthy and modern learning environment.
Here in Dallas, Stand is currently doing the groundwork for a successful launch into our community! Stand staff is meeting with education organizations, community stakeholders, and school leaders to better understand Dallas’ needs and which communities need our help most. The organization will ramp up their local work for the 2012-13 school year starting this August.