Understand the Department of Education’s Responsibilities and Advocate for Public Education
States are primarily responsible for education, but the U.S. Department of Education is the federal agency that plays a vital role in establishing policies, ensuring accountability and promoting equal access to education. The establishment of the department as a Cabinet-level agency in 1980 emphasized the federal government’s commitment to, and our national prioritization of, education.

Understanding the Role and Responsibilities of the Department of Education

Advocating for Public Education

The Roles and Responsibilities of the President
Dialogue Strengthens Democracy
Polarization is toxic to democracy and limits us — as individuals, organizations and nations — in our ability to respond to the critical needs of today. A culture of dialogue creates opportunities to reach across our differences and to engage one another, which is crucial for strengthening democracy, especially in the face of growing authoritarianism. Embracing a national identity built on democratic values can help us recognize our shared humanity. These Learning for Justice resources can help build understanding to address the questions: What is dialogue across difference?

A Culture of Dialogue Is Foundational to Democracy

Dialogue Across Difference

The Promise of Building Bridges
Understanding the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March and Making Connections to Today
Opposition to equality is, unfortunately, not new to the history of the United States. Recognizing the relevance of history to today’s justice and civil rights movements is crucial for understanding and countering current pushbacks against democratic values. Analyzing the opposition to the Civil Rights Movement can help us to understand the exceptional strength of the ordinary people who were part of the movement. And recognizing that racism wore both institutional and individual faces can help us to understand the importance of the movement’s achievements and the work that remains.

Hostile Opposition to the Civil Rights Movement

Selma: From the Bridge to the Ballot

History and the Power of Place
Change Starts Here (With Me): Day of Action, March 2025
Join us for a Day of Action on March 7 (or any day in March that works for you) — and organize with young people in your community. As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march, it is your time to step forward, just as the young people did then, and say, “Change starts here.” Your voice, your energy and your activism are essential in shaping today’s movements for justice.

Change Starts Here (With Me): Day of Action Toolkit

Introduction to Action Planning: Toolkit

Youth Learning For Justice
Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline
School policies that include harsh punishments, automatic out-of-class time and police involvement for discipline contribute to pushing young people out of classrooms and into the criminal legal system. These punitive practices disproportionately affect Black and other children of color, students with disabilities, young people experiencing poverty and children from communities that have been historically marginalized. Urgent change is needed to end school pushout and dismantle this school-to-prison pipeline.

What Is the School-to-Prison Pipeline, and How Do We Dismantle It?

Only Young Once: Dismantling Georgia’s Punitive Youth Incarceration System
