Parents Who Lead Fact Sheet
Why Parents Who Lead?
Parents Who Lead (PWL) is an inclusive, nonpartisan initiative that brings together parents and caregivers from every corner of Jacksonville to learn, connect, and advocate for the success of all children. Supported by Duval County Public Schools, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, and Kids Hope Alliance, the 20-week program offers free training in advocacy, communication, and leadership—helping participants gain the tools and confidence to influence decisions and create lasting, positive change in their communities. PWL doesn’t ask anyone to subscribe to a particular political or social view. Instead, it provides a space where parents with diverse perspectives can come together, learn how public systems work, and explore how to make those systems more responsive and effective for every child.
Our Values
- We trust parents to lead with wisdom and care.
- We believe civil discourse fosters understanding.
- We welcome everyone to the Parents Who Lead table.
- We embrace continual learning as a driver of change.
- We expect public institutions to serve all people fairly.
Through Parents Who Lead, participants learn how to:
- Influence decisions that shape opportunities for children
- Communicate effectively through public speaking and media advocacy
- Understand how government budgets, policies, and laws affect families
- Navigate political systems to support children’s holistic development
Every PWL graduate completes a community project that reflects their personal vision for improving the lives of Jacksonville’s children—turning knowledge into action and passion into impact.
Previous projects include:
- “Transforming Adversity into Opportunity" focuses on raising awareness about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) through educational webinars and local initiatives.
- Removing barriers to ensure our children have access to life-saving medications at school, keeping them healthy, safe, and ready to learn.
- Collaboration with community partners to provide resources and support, helping families with incarcerated parents/loved ones.
- Programs and compassionate support to equip parents with the confidence to enhance their reading skills so they can actively participate in their children's education.
- Lacrosse in schools raised over $40,000 to expand lacrosse to other schools and expose students to a sport with many scholarship opportunities
- Making the DCPS registration process easier
- Improving parent-teacher communication
- Providing students with more exposure to the arts and culture
- Grow where you are planted- gardens in school
- Workforce development: Exposing high school students to post-graduation options
- Increasing awareness of emotional and mental health issues in schools
- Providing hygiene cabinets for a community center in Jacksonville Beach
- Creating inclusive parks for adults with special needs