STRATEGIC GOALS
I. Strengthen Current Programs
Learning Rights Law Center is a leader in best practices of education advocacy. In just 6 years, Learning Rights has become well known for its work with children/youth with disabilities, children/youth in the juvenile justice and foster care systems. We believe that we need to strengthen our current programs to continue our much needed work and expand our representation to assist more families.
To ensure we continue our work and expand to assist more children/youth, the following are our objectives:
- Increase education advocacy for low income, at-risk and under-served children/youth in Southern California;
- Use education advocacy to keep youth out of the juvenile justice system;
- Increase delivery of direct education advocacy services within Los Angeles County by fully funding our outreach to families
- Utilize pro-bono attorneys to provide education advocacy;
- Educate stakeholders/parents to increase education success for low-income, at-risk and under-served children/youth;
- Create an advocacy manual to assist pro-bono attorneys, parents and stakeholders;
- Improve education outcomes for all children by utilizing a multidisciplinary approach that collaborates with educators, judges, probation officers, social workers and health professionals; and
- Continue and expand the collaborations with Loyola Marymount University School of Education and University of California Los Angeles School of Law.
II. Increase LRLC Visibility and Exposure Both at the Local, State and Federal level
This objective addresses the need to increase awareness about the mission and work of the LRLC. Through increased awareness, we will alert the community to the education issues facing low-income families in Southern California.
- Implement a Marketing Task Force of Board Members to work on visibility and exposure for Learning Rights;
- Identify larger audiences: clients, educators, pro-bono attorneys and friends;
- Expand and enhance communication to key LRLC constituencies, potential clients, educators, volunteers and supporters;
- Formalize and implement procedures for periodic communications through the website, blogs, emails and print;
- Revise all marketing materials to unify the message;
- Improve development materials and public communications (website and newsletter); and
- Identify and utilize communication experts.
III. Increase Funding for Training and Policy Work
From 2006-2008, LRLC received funding through foundations, individuals, contracts and receipt of attorney fees for prevailing in special education and civil rights cases. To increase our work in training and policy, we will need to increase our individual donors and foundations for non-traditional legal work which includes training of families and impacting policy through creation of materials and presentations at conferences.
Objective 1: Increase individual donations from $25,000 to $70,000.
- Implement a Fundraising/Development Committee;
- Create a detailed calendar for LRLC to ask for financial support from individuals;
- Identify individuals/philanthropists interested in education who are interested in making systemic change in the public education system. In addition, identifying individuals/philanthropists interested in changing the outcomes for youth involved in the juvenile court system;
- Identify companies and law firms in Southern California that have an interest in changing the public education system;
- Work with the marketing committee to create letters and materials that capture LRLC’s work; and
- Increase website visibility on the internet.
Objective 2: Increase unrestricted funds
- Identify foundations that support general operating funds as well as support training and policy work; and
- Identify Foundations that are interested in education and work with Program Officers to increase awareness of LRLC’s work and philosophy.
IV. Increase Board Membership with strategic skill-sets and experience
- Increase Members of the Board of Directors from 10 to 15;
- Recruit additional Board Members with communications/marketing experience; and
- Recruit additional Board Members with fundraising experience
