The Story

Education reform efforts in Los Angeles received support in 1994 from the national Annenberg Challenge, which awarded a $53 million grant to the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project (LAAMP) to support Los Angeles County public schools. A key to the LAAMP component was the Parents as Learning Partners (PLP) initiative, supported by a $4.9 million grant from the Weingart Foundation. PLP focused on promoting achievement through school-family partnerships in the Los Angeles and Long Beach school districts, engaging three “school families” comprised of 45 neighborhood schools.

The findings, documented through rigorous research, encouraged LAAMP’s Board of Governors to create a legacy organization whose purpose would be to seek family engagement as a critical component of education reform. Families In Schools was created in 2000, deeply rooted in a history of school reform for increasing student outcomes, especially for students from low-income and communities of color.

  • FIS' first college conference is held for middle and high school students at Occidental College in partnership with elementary schools in the San Fernando Valley.
  • FIS invites the Boyle Heights Learning Collaborative (BHLC) to merge and promote parent and community-based reform efforts in the Roosevelt Family of Schools.
  • First Million Word Challenge and Feria del Libro: A Family Book Fair is held in partnership with Boyle Heights Learning Collaborative (BHLC) at Roosevelt High School.
  • Going On To College (GOT College) is developed to expand the Mother/Daughter program to include young boys and their families.

  • “The Power of Parent-Teacher Partnerships” is developed for LAUSD high schools.
  • United Way Success by 6 invites FIS to implement parent education in Wilmington, which leads to partnerships with Wilmington Middle School and Banning High School.
  • Nobel Laurette Rigoberta Menchú is a featured author at Feria del Libro: A Family Book Fair.
  • A comprehensive partnership with the Lennox School District is launched.
  • FIS joins the Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative to help families advocate for quality preschool education for their children.

  • FIS joins preschool advocates from LA County and Preschool California to promote quality early education and develops The Preschool Experiences We Deserve brochure.
  • FIS expands to California’s Central Valley and provides technical assistance to agencies in the Families Improving Education (FIE) initiative.
  • Abriendo Puertas / Opening Doors joins FIS and expands across California; it becomes the first FIS initiative to expand to other states.
  • JP Morgan Chase selects FIS to promote college and careers in LAUSD middle schools in Boyle Heights, Leimert Park, and Baldwin Hills.

  • In partnership with First 5 LA, FIS hosts 550 teachers, parent educators, and early learning leaders in the first School Readiness Conference.
  • FIS develops a curriculum in partnership with School2Home to train parents to use technology to improve communication with teachers and school personnel.
  • FIS launches Families Improving Education to provide capacity building for nonprofits in the Central Valley and Inland Empire.

  • FIS creates a toolkit, “A Parent’s Guide to School Funding,” in three languages for parents and nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).
  • FIS launches three professional development workshops for school and agency staff on parent engagement best practices.
  • FIS conducts the first Gala Celebration to commemorate its 15th anniversary.
  • The White House recognizes FIS as a “Bright Spot” for its efforts to close the achievement gap for Hispanics.

  • FIS and Cal-SOAP LA partner to improve the flow of information about postsecondary education and financial aid.
  • Six highly engaged parents from diverse areas in Los Angeles launch the Parent Warriors to advocate and elevate the issues and concerns families have for their children’s education.