Believes in
the Power
of Parents

Sparked by a parent engagement grant from ARCO in 2005, the Parent Organization Network was founded with a mission to connect, empower, and mobilize parents and parent organizations across the greater Los Angeles area to improve academic outcomes and the quality of education for all students. Already deeply committed to parent engagement, the network started as a joint program of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, the Los Angeles Urban League, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). The three organizations believed in a collaborative multicultural approach to assessing educational issues, designing, and executing solutions.

PON envisions that parents truly are equal partners and decision-makers in every public school, opportunity and achievement gaps are closed and all students receive a high-quality educational experience that promotes diversity and inclusion, is tailored to their needs, and prepares them for success in school and in life.

We are achieving our vision by uniting the power of underserved parents* to break through barriers in public education, so parents and educators can effectively partner to ensure equity and excellence for all students.

*PON defines “parent” broadly to include birth, adoptive, foster parents, and legal guardians, as well as grandparents, adult siblings, aunts and uncles, and other relatives and non-relatives who are involved with raising and educating a child.