Policy Advocacy
A central goal of CARE is to engage in policy advocacy related to AAPI access and participation in education. The work begins with the premise that good policy decisions should be informed by good data and informed research. Policy decisions that include AAPIs tend to lack data and use deficient analytical and conceptual frameworks to address the needs and issues of the population. CARE engages a policy audience through research and collaborative efforts with institutions, foundations, community-based programs, and government agencies.
Current policy issues of interest include high stakes testing, immigration and language policy, remedial education, legislative issues (e.g., No Child Left Behind), and college admissions.
While the recently published report, “Facts, Not Fiction – Setting the Record Straight,” has been a primary undertaking of the project to date, the work of CARE has a life beyond the report. In order for the outcomes of the report to be most effective, it is important to continue advocacy for education policy on an ongoing basis. This can be done in several ways:
- Attending regional CARE events (please see details below)
- Advocating for federal and state policy that is founded upon informed data and research about the AAPI population
- Taking community-based action steps
- Building coalitions between community organizations and local institutions (K-12 and higher education)
Engaging the Policy Arena
New York City Regional Meeting
September 16, 2008, New York, NY
This meeting will bring together policy-makers, educators, researchers, and foundation professionals to describe and assess the needs of the AAPI community in New York City. City Councilman John Liu will give the keynote address.
CAPAC Education Summit/Press Conference
June 9, 2008, Washington D.C.
This national press conference for the CARE report will occur concurrently with a CAPAC Education Summit, and will receive endorsements from Congressman Honda and Congressman Wu. The goal of the press event is to highlight some of the key findings of the CARE report, and talk about the future activities of the project.
Download the Press Release
Download the testimony
CARE Regional Events
Summer/Fall 2008
These regional meetings will be held in four U.S. regions – the East, West, Midwest, and the South (see below for city and state). In each of these regions, the AAPI population has unique demographic characteristics, with particular challenges and barriers that are specific to their local sub-populations and are often unacknowledged and/or overlooked. The regions we are targeting are as follows:
- East Coast – New York, NY
- West Coast – Los Angeles, CA
- Midwest – Chicago, IL
- South – New Orleans, LA
Fall 2007
On November 8, 2007, we provided testimony to the House and Senate Democratic Leadership and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus about the state of Asian American and Pacific Islander education and living up to America's commitment to equality of opportunity in our educational system.
Download the testimony (pdf)
Southeast Asian American Action and Visibility in Education (SAVE) Project
Fall 2004
On September 20, 2004, we joined a meeting organized by the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) and the Harvard Civil Rights Project to discuss issues faced by the Southeast Asian American community. We also had the opportunity on that date to provide congressional testimony.
Download the testimonty
Download the brief
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Serving Institutions
We have provided testimony, data and research which have informed legislation that has resulted in the creation of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution designation. We are committed to collaboration on the implementation of this program through research and advocacy. For more information, click here.
CARE in the News
Asian Americans' Academic Success Misleading, Report Says (Los Angeles Times, 6/10/2008)
College Board Debunks "Model Minority Myth" (Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 6/10/2008)
Challenging Beliefs on Asian-American Students (Inside Higher Ed, 6/10/2008)
Asian-American Achievements Mask Disparity (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/10/2008)
Even Good Stereotypes are Bad (Salt Lake Tribune, 6/10/2008)
Report: Asian-Americans' Academic Success Hides Problems (Washington Post, 6/9/2008)