The Future of Democracy Starts in Our Schools

By Amanda Fernández, CEO and Founder, Latinos for Education

Over the last several election cycles, education has become increasingly central to public conversation, shaping debates about workforce readiness, trust in institutions, and the future of our communities. Recent polling has also shown that voters want to hear more from political leaders about education and the future of schools. 

At the same time, conversations about the Latino electorate have intensified as voting patterns within our community continue to shift in ways that have surprised many political observers. 

But too often, these conversations focus on election outcomes without examining what shapes civic participation long before someone enters a voting booth. 

For me, that work begins in our schools. At a moment when trust in institutions is eroding and our country is grappling with deep civic fragmentation, schools remain one of the few places where communities can still build trust, participation, and shared responsibility together. 

For many families, schools are often one of the first places where they learn whether their voices matter, whether they are welcome in civic life, and whether they have the power to shape the future of their communities. 

As Latinos continue to grow in both population and influence, the need for stronger civic participation and deeper understanding of how systems work has become increasingly urgent. Yet many families still do not feel connected to their school communities. Through our work at Latinos for Education, particularly through Familias Latinas Por La Educación (FLE), a leadership initiative focused on helping families advocate for their children’s education, we have seen firsthand how many parents feel disconnected from the fabric of their schools and uncertain about whether their voices truly matter. 

That lack of trust is rarely rooted in disinterest. More often, it is rooted in experience. 

Many first-generation Latino families may come from places where civic participation felt distant or inaccessible. But just as importantly, many are navigating systems here in the United States that still fail to meaningfully engage them, inform them of their rights, or make them feel like true partners in their children’s education.  

Too often, families experience schools as systems they are expected to navigate instead of communities they are empowered to shape. Families simply have not been given the information, access, encouragement, or invitation to participate fully. 

Once they are given those tools and opportunities, everything changes.  

I still think about a mother from our first FLE cohort in Houston who told me she never imagined she would one day feel prepared to speak before the HISD Board of Managers like she did as part of the fellowship.  

What stayed with me was not only her growth in confidence, but what it represented: the power that is unlocked when families see themselves as leaders capable of shaping the future of their schools and communities. 

That is especially important for the Latino community. Our communities are not only one of the fastest-growing parts of the electorate, but an increasingly important civic and economic force shaping the future of this country.Latinos were projected to account for nearly 15% of all eligible voters as of 2024, a record high. Yet millions of eligible Latino voters still do not participate consistently in elections. If we want to build a stronger and more engaged civic culture, we cannot wait until adulthood to begin that work. We have to build habits of participation, trust, and leadership much earlier, and schools are one of the most important places to do that. 

And this work has to go beyond voting. 

That means encouraging parents and caregivers to serve on school committees, run for school boards, organize around issues impacting local schools, and help shape the future they want to see for their communities more broadly. Because for too long, the spaces where education decisions are made have not reflected the communities schools increasingly serve. According to a 2023 national study on school board governance by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Latinos represented 19% of the U.S. public, but only 4% of school board members nationwide. The school board participation number was unchanged from a 2001 study. 

At Latinos for Education, we believe this moment calls for a bigger vision for the future of education and civic life. If we want a stronger democracy tomorrow, we must invest in helping families lead, participate, and advocate today.  

That work begins in our schools. Because when Latino communities are empowered to help shape education, they are also helping shape the future of America. In the months ahead, we look forward to sharing more about where this work is headed and the role Latino communities can play in helping shape what comes next. Stay tuned. 

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Amanda Fernandez is the CEO and Founder of Latinos for Education, the first national organization dedicated to advancing Latino leadership in education. Under her visionary leadership, the organization has expanded from a Boston-based nonprofit to a national leader in education policy, advocacy, and leadership development. Amanda serves on the Massachusetts Governor’s Latino Empowerment Council and previously co-chaired the education committee on Governor Healey’s transition team. She has been recognized with prestigious awards like the McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund and the Innovator of Color Award by ASU GSV. Amanda holds a Master of Science in Adult Education from Fordham University.