About

The charter school movement, while benefitting over 3 million students in the US, is constantly under attack as a wrong-headed reform movement to siphon tax dollars from public education and benefit the wealthy. The authentic voice of organized parents and students is the best way to fight these attacks and hold policy makers accountable to charter state policies. Parents are more than willing to fight for their students’ education when they are given the political knowledge and organizational tools to speak in a unified voice to decision makers. Organized parents are also foundational to supporting at home learning and school community recognition. Peter is fluent in Spanish.

Our Work

We work with organizing teams and their volunteers to strengthen their strategy and deepen their impact. He leads team training to teach and build parent unity; leadership development to make collective decisions, create campaigns, and understand government function. Peter is a results-driven leadership expert possessing a track record of success. As Organizing Director at CCSA, he developed over 200 parent leaders in 20 schools. These active parent teams incorporated a leadership development ladder of boosters/captains/champions.  Their action included in-district meetings, lobby visits, public testimony at legislative committee hearings, and direct action.

Over 600 parents and students participated in public action that won concrete policy reform:

• Defeated California AB1508, an unfair bill that would have closed charter schools.
• Increased funding for facilities support for charters serving low income communities.
• Passed new LAUSD policy to inform parents of school performance in the district.
• Won Los Angeles election races for State Assembly and LAUSD Board Districts 2, 4, and 6.

Sunshine Advocacy 2014-2015

Working class and low income communities of Florida are hungry for public policy to address their needs. Their ability to organize and project an authentic reasoned voice is important. They are non partisan; they just want to make things happen. Grassroots volunteer leaders reach into their communities to listen to their neighbors and invite their participation. Their success in Tallahassee comes from building relationships with legislators to tell their story. They take off work, drive for hundreds of miles, and then get back to their communities to have local meetings with their representatives and often hundreds of families.

Peter Phillips, as an independent expert with thirty years of faith based organizing experience, can speak publicly and educate religious and other communities to the potential power they have.  Peter is a new voice advocating that citizen action to engage the legislative process works. This will expand community organizing capacity as new organizations concerned about social policy will now see a path for them to take action. Peter can respond to the needs of a multiple organizing efforts and reach into legislative districts not being organized. 

1. Legislative policy campaigns.
2. Civic engagement.
3. Organizer development – training staff to identify and train volunteer leaders.
4. Leadership development –
   a. Understanding the local and state legislative process, role of legislators, and effective strategies to lead your cause.
   b. Organizing communities and congregations, organizing public campaigns, negotiating, working with organizing networks.