Q. I'm frustrated with many aspects of my child's school. How can I effectively advocate for change?

• "Don't try to do it by yourself," advises Ron Snyder, director of the faith-based Oakland Community Organizations (OCO) (see Grassroots Snapshot: Big movement for small schools in Oakland). "I never had any power before because I was alone," says OCO leader Lillian Lopez. "When I started working with OCO, I realized I really had a voice." Talk with other parents, suggests Claudia Monterrosa, national director of the Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund (MALDEF) Parent/School Partnership program. Then, when you act, "you go representing a group of parents." Parents can show support by signing petitions, writing letters, or turning out to district meetings.
  
  
• Identify the problem. Dan Rothstein, co-director of the Right Question Project, Inc. (see below: Resources), encourages parents to develop questions that "get to the core of what's happening in their school." If a child has been suspended, for example, parents might ask, "What led to it? What was the basis for the decision? Is one group of kids getting suspended more often than others?"
  
  
• Fact-find. Make sure the complaint "is based on fact, not rumors," says Monterrosa. Some of MALDEF's parent groups, for example, have conducted surveys at their schools.
  
  
• Who's responsible? "If [the problem] is school maintenance, talk to maintenance. If it's a curriculum issue, go to the superintendent," says Monterrosa. "Zeroing in to what your problem is and then identifying the responsible person is the first step."
  
  
• Take action. First your group might write a letter to the person responsible, outlining the facts and requesting a specific action by a specific date, says Monterrosa. Ask for a meeting with the responsible person. Bring translators, if needed, and, if possible, a neutral person. If you've gone through the channels with no results, "you might need a more aggressive campaign," bringing in the media or other allies, she adds.
  
  
• Create a paper trail. "Don't turn in anything without keeping a copy or original," advises Monterrosa. "When you go to meet with a decision-maker, have somebody that takes diligent notes."
  
  
• "Don't give up," urges OCO parent leader Emma Paulino. "This is a hard job."
  
  

Resources:

MALDEF Parent/School Partnership offers a 16-week course that explains how school systems work and develops leadership skills for "parents who are willing to make the commitment to and take responsibility for change," says Claudia Monterrosa, the program's national director. 213-629-2512, www.maldef.org

Pacific Institute for Community Organization (PICO), a nationwide network of faith-based community organizations, organizes around many issues, including education. According to Ron Snyder, director of PICO-affiliated OCO, "The purpose of our organization is leadership development. We provide coaches, teachers, and technical support for change." PICO California Project: 916-447-7959, hometown.aol.com/picocalifornia/index.html

Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) works with parents at schools statewide to increase parental involvement in education. Its nine-week curriculum, offered in 14 languages, helps parents support learning at home, understand their rights and responsibilities in the education system, and plan for college. Parents "learn to effectively confront issues they have had for years," says Associate Director Patricia Mayer. 619-483-4499.

The Right Question Project (RQP), Inc. developed a simple, scripted curriculum that "gives [parents] tools to focus their questions beforehand," says Cathy LeBlanc, a member of the Yuba Community Collaborative for Healthy Children, who has trained parents in RQP's technique. "You feel like, 'OK, this is what I really want to say.'" Basic curriculum $30, in Spanish or English. 617-492-1900, www.rightquestion.org