Turning Research into Action Through Storytelling

Why The Education Trust–West Came to Us: One of California’s most respected education policy and research organizations, The Education Trust–West champions policies that increase equity in the state’s K-12 public schools, colleges and universities. When the organization wanted to elevate the conversation about educational justice, we came aboard to help Ed Trust–West promote its research, amplify its advocacy on behalf of students of color, and reach new and larger audiences.

Our Education Trust–West Strategy: With the organization preparing to release a key report on the troubling state of Latino student achievement in California schools, we saw an opportunity to tell a larger story about the discord between the state’s powerful political leadership and the neglected Latino students who make up a majority of students statewide. That message resonated with The New York Times, which featured Ed Trust–West’s “The Majority Report” under the headline “California Today: The Latino Education Crisis.” Featuring quotes from Ed Trust–West’s executive director, the story captured the urgency and injustice of policies that have chronically denied opportunities to Latino students in perhaps the nation’s most progressive state. Eager to paint a vivid picture of the crisis, we also advised Ed Trust–West to create a map illustrating the achievement gap throughout the state. This map, which was also featured in the Times story, visually demonstrated that in every county the majority of Latino students are not proficient in math or English, bringing greater attention to the issue.