Families for Excellent Schools

Founded in 2011 through a partnership between schools and families, Families for Excellent Schools (FES) works to build power in communities by engaging parents in the transformation of their school systems. FES' mission is to harness the power of families to advance policies and political changes that create and sustain excellent schools. As an organization, FES envisions a future where public will and public policy guarantee an excellent education for every child. Currently, FES serves 41,000 families from over 100 schools in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

In order to build the public and political will for excellent schools, FES has four core activities, which are as follows:

• Educate and organize parents to build a grassroots base. FES manages parent training programs and grows neighborhood chapters to sustain this work;
• Mobilize parents for political power. FES organizes more than 200 public events annually to demonstrate strength;
• Create and cultivate coalitions. FES believes strongly in the value of community and coalition partnerships, and works to sustain collective action wherever it works;
• Take political action. FES manages independent expenditure efforts and develops parents as candidates to impact elections.