THE LIFT EVERY VOICE AND LEAD TOOLKIT - A Community Leader’s Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education - Toolkit

Oct 15, 2026

Advocacy resource for K-12 education reform that equips community leaders to address persistent achievement and opportunity gaps affecting African American students. Draws on national context and NAEP findings, highlighting disparities in reading proficiency, access to rigorous coursework, representation in AP and gifted programs, and school resource and staffing differences. Includes survey-based insights from UNCF of over 600 grasstops leaders and offers practical talking points, engagement tips, templates, and a K-12 advocacy checklist to strengthen youth-focused advocacy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Education Talking Points and Facts

10 Tips for Community Engagement and Advocacy

Advocacy in Action

Sample Template for Writing an Elected Official

Conclusion

Appendix

Quick Guide: K-12 Advocacy Checklist

Endnotes

THE LIFT EVERY VOICE AND LEAD TOOLKIT: A Community Leader’s Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education UNCF Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute THE LIFT EVERY VOICE AND LEAD TOOLKIT: A Community Leader’s Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education Author: Meredith B.L. Anderson, Ph.D. Acknowledgments The author would like to thank Sekou Biddle, Naomi Shelton, Charles Thompson III, Krysten Reid, Kameelah Shaheed-Diallo, Jonathan Atkins, Ashley Miller, Brittany Harris and Ashley Kearny who provided great feedback on previous drafts and outlines. Bloomberg Philanthropies ([www.bloomberg.org](www.bloomberg.org)) generously funded the research for this brief. Suggested citation: Anderson, M. B. L. (2017) . The Lift Every Voice and Lead Toolkit: A Community Leader’s Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education. Washington, D. C: Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, UNCF. © 2017, UNCF. All rights reserved. Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................... 3 Education Talking Points and Facts ............................. 5 10 Tips for Community Engagement and Advocacy......8 Advocacy in Action...................................................... 11 Sample Template for Writing an Elected Official......13 Conclusion ................................................................... 14 Appendix ...................................................................... 15 Quick Guide: K-12 Advocacy Checklist...................... 17 Endnotes ...................................................................... 18 UNCF is elevating awareness and discourse of the college readiness crisis and empowering the African American community—specifically grasstops leaders, HBCU presidentsand parents—to improve educational outcomes for African American students along the P-20 pipeline. THE LIFT EVERY VOICE AND LEAD TOOLKIT: A COMMUNITY LEADER’S ADVOCACY RESOURCE FOR K-12 EDUCATION 02 re•form: rə’fôrm/ verb make changes in (something, typically a social, political, or economic institution or practice) in order to improve it. "an opportunity to reform and restructure an antiquated schooling model" synonyms: improve, better, make better, ameliorate, refine noun the action or process of reforming an institution or practice. synonyms: improvement, amelioration, refinement Introduction While the definition of reform is straightforward, education reform has become more political and strained over the last 25 years. Despite various policy initiatives and reforms, achievement and opportunity gaps still persist throughout the United States. Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show that only 17 percent of African American 12th graders were proficient in reading, compared to 46 percent for white students. African American students often have less access to rigorous coursework in school and are more underrepresented in AP and gifted and talented programs than other students. African American students are also more likely to attend schools with fewer financial resources—and less qualified and paid teachers—than white students. Because of these and other opportunity gaps, almost two out of five African American first-and second-year undergraduate students take remedial courses after high school, which often places additional financial burdens on students and families. i K-12 advocacy and the creation of a true P-16 pipeline is a collective effort; it takes collaboration from multiple individuals and community stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, students, parents, non-profit leaders, policymakers and community leaders 03 THE LIFT EVERY VOICE AND LEAD TOOLKIT: A COMMUNITY LEADER’S ADVOCACY RESOURCE FOR K-12 EDUCATION This brief encourages leaders to utilize their influence to help alleviate the long-standing achievement gaps in the education system, because when students flourish, entire communities can flourish as well

FAQs

Why does the toolkit focus on education reform and advocacy?

Education reform has become increasingly political while achievement and opportunity gaps persist. The toolkit encourages leaders to use their influence to help alleviate long-standing gaps so students and communities can flourish.

What disparities does the toolkit highlight for African American students?

It cites NAEP results showing low reading proficiency for African American 12th graders compared with white students. It also notes lower access to rigorous coursework, underrepresentation in AP and gifted programs, and attendance at schools with fewer financial resources and less qualified staffing.

How was the toolkit shaped by community leaders’ input?

UNCF surveyed over 600 African American community leaders to gauge perspectives and engagement potential. Findings showed leaders felt a strong responsibility to improve education but lacked information and tools, and 96% expressed interest in learning ways to better advocate.

Oct 15, 2026

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