Community Action for Public Schools

Who are CAPS Members?

CAPS members are students, parents, educators, advocates and community members working to make the right to a quality education a reality for all students.

What do we Stand For?

Members of CAPS support these principles:

Quality Schools. All children have the right to a high quality public education, with a challenging and rich curriculum, good teaching and enough resources. Each school must have a shared vision of what all children should learn and must take responsibility for the success of each child.

Fair Schools. The barriers to high quality education for all must be removed. Each child must get the individual support needed to participate fully in all programs and meet high standards. Each child, family, and staff member must be treated with respect for their rights, ideas, and needs.

Democratic Schools. School administrators, teachers, and other staff must work as partners with students, their families, and communities to help shape and improve the life of the school, hold schools and school districts accountable, and support student learning.

Join CAPS and enjoy these benefits!

As a member of CAPS, you will belong to a growing network of people who are working to increase the quality, equity, and public participation in their public schools.

CAPS members receive these great tools for local change:

• CAPS newsletter 6 times a year
• 10% discount on single publications from the Center for Law and Education
• Access to a special members' section of our web page
• Access to other CAPS members by phone, by mail, and via electronic bulletin board
• Legislative alerts on school reform by fax and on-line
• Telephone advice line for tips, tools, and information

What is the Scope of CAPS Services?

CAPS fact sheets and referrals can help with individual student problems. The telephone advice line currently can help with an individual student's problems only through referral to the appropriate free fact sheets, to CLE publications, and to other possible outside sources of assistance. Rather, the telephone advice line does provide tailored help and advice for people who are trying to change schools in the following areas:

• Title I and standards-based reform efforts to improve academic achievement;
• High school reform efforts to improve both academic and vocational quality for all students;
• Parent and student involvement in school reform efforts.

Again, however, the information that you obtain from the newsletter, web page and other materials should all be able to provide you with information that can help you handle individual student problems.