Our Work
Since 2020, EmpowerED Families has worked to ensure Indianapolis parent and student voice is heard through advocacy, relationships, and community building. Learn more about events and initiatives below.
Parent Connecting Meetings
EmpowerED Families organizes meetings around topics that can help students and families navigate K-12 education and set their student up for success. Meetings are in-person or virtual and typically feature expert guests form our community who can share tips and resources with Indianapolis students and families.
Best for: Any family who is interested in learning more about the topic featured at the meeting.
Learn more and find upcoming Parent Connecting Meetings at our Events page.
Family Hub Meetings at Schools
EmpowerED Families builds bridges between schools and the families they serve. At Family Hub Meetings, school leaders and staff are available to listen to parents, support them, and ensure that they have the tools they need to be active partners in their child’s education. Currently, EmpowerED Families is partnering with ACE Prep, Allegiant Prep, Invent Learning Hub, Liberty Grove School, Sankofa School of Success, and Victory College Prep to offer Family Hub meetings.
Best for: Family Hub meetings are open to any family currently enrolled at the school hosting the meeting. If your school is listed above, contact their staff to learn more about upcoming Family Hub dates.
Neighborhood Education Advocates
We believe school leaders, lawmakers, and other decision-makers should listen to the needs of families. Our Neighborhood Education Advocates join us at community events, public meetings, and other events to share resources and speak up on issues that parents and students care about. We provide training to help families learn how to advocate at the local and statewide level.
Best for: Indianapolis parents, family members, and students who want to use their voice for education change.
Reports
EmpowerED Families has published reports on enrollment and parent views on Indianapolis public education.
Our Schools, Our Children, Our Choice (April 2021)
Our Schools, Our Children, Our Choice focuses on K-12 enrollment in public schools within Indianapolis Public School (IPS) boundaries and shares data from the 2020-2021 school year.
A few highlights:
There was a 2.5% increase in IPS enrollment from the 2019-2020 to 2020-2021 school year.
IPS enrollment has increased by 6.8% since introducing Innovation Network Schools in 2014.
The data we analyzed is from the Indiana Department of Education, which collects and publicly shares enrollment numbers from schools each year.
Numbers can tell us a lot, but we knew it was important to share stories from parents. We are so thankful to the EmpowerED Families Parent Advocates who shared their stories with us to show the people behind the numbers.
Our Parent Advocates also helped us shape the resources found at the end of the report. To help families who are looking at school options, the report shares where to look up more information on schools, how to learn more about a school’s culture, and a checklist for school tours.
The data and parent stories in this report shows us that Indianapolis families want a variety of public school options. This has led to enrollment increases in IPS and at public charter schools. The families we spoke to all shared the same thing: They want a school that best meets the needs of their student.
Parent Perspectives (October 2023)
In partnership The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit, EmpowerED Families is proud to present “Parent Perspectives: What Indianapolis parents and residents want from their public schools“. The report outlines the views of those who represent the majority of public school students within Indianapolis Public School (IPS) boundaries: charter and innovation school families.
Public charter and innovation school students make up 59% of all students in IPS boundaries, so hearing those parents’ voices is crucial.
The Parent Perspectives report shares:
Data from more than 2,000 surveys and 1:1 interviews from Marion County residents and public charter and innovation school parents.
A breakdown of what public charter and innovation school parents love and would like to improve at their schools.
Recommendations for school leaders, lawmakers, community leaders, and other stakeholders on how to leverage parent perspectives.
Our city, state, and country continue to recover from learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we find solutions forward, parent views and experiences must be included. Families need to be kept at the center of decision-making.
Click here to download the Parent Perspectives report in English.
Click here to download the Parent Perspectives report in Spanish.