Restorative Justice and Parent Organizing in the Eastern Coachella Valley: A Case Study of the Successes and Challenges of a Parent-Led, Systems-Change Effort

Residents of the Eastern Coachella Valley are more likely to be Latinx immigrants who primarily work in the agriculture industry. For decades, these communities have been ignored by public systems, leading to high rates of poverty, lower high school graduation rates, and poor housing conditions near environmental hazards. Historically, there has been a disconnect between elected officials, police officers, and teachers who serve these communities.

Restorative Justice and Parent Organizing in the Eastern Coachella Valley, a new case study from Advancement Project California and Alianza Coachella Valley, found that after only a demonstration project, significant shifts were made in a school where staff had been indifferent to the education of the mostly Latinx population. Gains were made reducing suspension rates that had been alarmingly high, showing the promise of restorative justice in transforming school climate. Parent leaders in the region decided restorative justice would put an end to school suspensions and curtail the school-to-prison pipeline their children were being funneled into. 

Among the case study’s key recommendations:

• Dedicate a steady and sizable stream of LCFF Supplemental and Concentration funds on an annual basis.
• Create greater transparency for the program.
• Set expectations across all schools and staff that restorative justice is the new standard within the district. 
• Invest in parent leadership development and create time for authentic community engagement. 

This study was possible thanks to generous support from The California Endowment.