Latino parent group launches services in Atlanta schools

A local parent advocacy group launched a new effort to ensure Latino public school families know their educational rights. The Latino Association for Parents of Public Schools (“LAPPS”) announced their “Equity Angels” project at five Atlanta elementary schools. The hired staff will assist parents with interpretation and other support services such as mediation and school engagement for Spanish-speaking families.

“That service is kind of like a problem-solving service, but it aims to again empower parents to make informed decisions for their children and also to advocate for their children,” said Alexandra Campos Castillo, equity program director for LAPPS. Since its founding in 2015, the organization has advocated for expanded language access services in Atlanta Public Schools. The number of requests for such services have doubled in the last two years, according to APS data.