Dear superintendents and principals,

As part of the CASE legislative strategy this year, we are partnering with the Colorado Rural Schools Alliance, the Colorado Education Association (CEA) and the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) to convene our first-ever Parent Advocacy Network. We believe that activating the parent voice will be critical to our success in this legislative session and see a clear need to be purposeful about engaging parents in K-12 advocacy issues.

The 2021 session promises to be busy and challenging as lawmakers grapple with funding issues associated with COVID-19, along with other priorities we expect to see each year. CASE, along with our partner organizations, are excited to be playing offense on several legislative priorities this year and initiating legislation on topics that include state assessment, state accountability and the READ Act. The purpose of the new Parent Advocacy Network is threefold:

• Listen to better understand and learn what parents want for our schools
• Educate parents on critical needs of our public schools and connecting parents with our legislators
• Activate parent voices to help legislators understand that our network’s proposals have widespread support from Colorado parents

As a united coalition, parents who get involved our Parent Advocacy Network will know that the positions we are taking are consistent with the values and priorities of a majority of administrators, school board members, and teachers in schools across our state.

Here is what we need from you. To build this network, we need you to go to some of your best supporters. You know who they are. They are the parents who are ready to learn, eager to take action and consistently respond when you need assistance. Share with them this sign-up form and let them know that the education community needs their voice in the legislative process this year.

They will have the opportunity to receive presentations on our education bills this session. They will hear from the experts in each topic area and learn how to advocate on behalf of these exciting initiatives that will directly impact their local communities and kids.

The Parent Education Network will convene at least once a month for one-hour virtual meetings. Please find the schedule of meeting dates below.

Please take time to recruit parents for our Parent Advocacy Network. We cannot get our critical bills through the legislature this session without the support of a large and diverse parent network. Please share the sign-up form with your best supporters, and more importantly, follow up with a personal touch encouraging them to take part in this effort. If any have questions you can’t answer, please send them my way at bmiles@co-case.org.

Thank you so much for all you are doing in your schools and districts. I know it is an incredibly heavy lift right now, and it’s an honor to work with you.

Sincerely,

Bret Miles

CASE Executive Director

Parent Education Network one-hour virtual meetings

• Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom
• Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom
• Thursday, Feb. 26, 2021, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom
• Thursday, Mar. 11, 2021, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom
• Thursday, Apr. 1, 2021, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom
• Thursday, Apr. 15, 2021, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom
• Thursday, Apr. 29, 2021, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom