Democracy in Action
“Community organizing is essential for people who are tired of having things done to them. It’s a way to get community members active and saying, ‘Here’s what we need.’ They’re the ones on the ground who have to live the day-to-day experience.” — Rico Munn, Colorado State Board of Education

Read about how parents have gotten involved in Denver schools.

Apathy, Civic Engagement and Community Building :
The PICO Network Response
By Michael Kromrey
Executive Director, MOP

The breakdown of the family in our society and the effect of this fundamental rending of our social fabric have been widely documented. Equally important are the related changes in community life that have been quietly eroding our quality of life and sense of well being. Simply put, people are living increasingly in isolation from their neighbors in the towns and cities of the United States. The effect of this isolation is a deepening sense of powerlessness, distrust and hopelessness in the face of the mounting pressures on families in our communities. The pressures on today's family range from stagnating and declining wages and living standards for a majority of Americans, to the corresponding extra month of work per year that the average employed American must work to maintain those wages, to such problems as youth violence, lack of affordable housing, school dropouts and crime.

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Helping our Children Learn Rubric
We believe that communities have a right to be involved in the evaluation of the schools that impact their neighborhoods and their children's lives. "Helping our Children Learn"gives communities a clear process to evaluate their local schools and take action for positive change.

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