The First Year of Education Advocacy at Children's Law Center
The start of Summer marked the end of the first full school year of Children’s Law Center’s Education Advocacy Program. Our dedicated team has worked relentlessly to uphold the educational rights of students in public schools in Forsyth County, providing essential support for their academic, emotional, and social development.
“We saw a large increase in our cases in March; we have seen an influx as word has spread through the community.” says Program Director, Hayley Lampkin Blyth. Between July 1st, 2023, and June 30th, 2024, EAP engaged with 108 community members through our community workshops, as well as 44 students through our direct representation. She expands by sharing, “2023-24 was about building the foundation and infrastructure of our program. We are looking forward to next year using what we have developed and what we have learned to propel us to help us create more successful outcomes for students and families.”
Throughout the school year, our team has encountered and navigated numerous challenges, gaining a deeper understanding of the unique educational needs of the children in our community. We’ve fostered stronger partnerships with the school system as well as other community-based organizations. EAP Legal Assistant Leah Powell shares, “We have made a lot of progress in developing partnerships with child serving entities. Now, we feel like the students and families that need us can find us. While I feel like we have made an impact there is still so much that we can and want to do,” says Powell.
Reverend Paul R. Ford, Senior Consultant, Facilitator for My Brother’s Keeper Winston-Salem, and Policy Coordinator at Action 4 Equity sees our Education Advocacy Program as “work that is beginning to speak to a void that has been present in our community for a long time.”
Looking ahead, the Children’s Law Center is committed to advancing our Education Advocacy Program by integrating the insights gained over the past year.
“My hope is we can work on getting connected to families earlier, before there are major conflicts or large barriers, to help them with early intervention,” shares Powell, reflecting on the future evolution of EAP. Furthermore, CLC aims to strengthen our collaboration with community partners, creating a more comprehensive support network for the children and families we serve. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, we are determined to amplify our impact and ensure that every child has access to a quality education.
Reverend Ford speaks to the broader systemic impact that our education advocacy work can have in the community, “If we want to shrink the achievement gap in our schools, these supports are critical and need to be targeted… that is how we can one day get to the point where every student that needs an IEP has one, where all students with IEPs are getting the additional supports they need, and where all families and parents are working in partnership with the schools for the benefit of their children. Once we have that, we will see that the achievement gap will shrink on its own.”
EAP, along with our community partners and the school system, are working to create a supportive framework for students in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools. “We have had a positive, collaborative experience working with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Schools and are looking forward to building upon that relationship. We and the school system are both invested in the success of all students.” shares Lampkin Blyth. “No matter how much progress a system makes, there is always going to be a need for a check on the system. Our role of accountability is pivotal in WS/FCS’s implementation of its ideals related to school suspensions and equity.”