Just Ask Us

Just Ask Us is a grassroots movement designed to discover and share what over a million students and families want from their schools in a time of social and economic crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting all institutions, systems, and relationships fundamental to our society. The massive move to remote learning this Spring has highlighted the resilience of many students, families, teachers, and schools as well as exposed enduring inequities and vulnerabilities. Moving forward, school systems will be further stressed by budget cuts related to the economic downturn; and, many students will face significant challenges to “catching up” and they will need social and emotional support related to months of isolation, family economic hardship, and health distress. At the same time, America is experiencing a cross-cultural movement calling for racial, economic, social, and educational justice. Schools have no choice but to adapt to these forces. The challenge is how to ensure the voices of students and families are recognized as schools navigate to a new normal.

Just Ask Us wants to amplify the impact of student and family voice.

How will school system resource, design, and logistical decisions be made in this crisis? How do we reduce the chances of making decisions that further exacerbate economic and racial disparities in student learning experiences and outcomes? How do we engage and elevate the voices of youth and families who often have been marginalized and left out of education reform decisions?

Now is the time to engage, listen, and amplify. There is a necessity to engage a broad and diverse array of students and families across America around the question of what schools should stop doing, start doing, and continue doing. There is a responsibility to listen to what they have to say about what a more just, equitable, and meaningful education looks like. And, there is a real possibility to amplify their voices as schools adapt and transform.

Just Ask Us involves people and organizations who truly and openly want to make this happen.

The single objective is to make student and family voice a force multiplier in school change.

There is no hidden agenda. We are committed to hearing from at least one million youth and families from diverse backgrounds and places across the country. Their voices and perspectives will not be used to advance any special interest or predetermined course of action. Engage. Listen. Amplify.

We need your participation. Please join us and share your voice via the survey on the home page.

We pledge to engage, listen, and amplify the voices of students and families in helping schools become more equitable, meaningful, and just in an age of crisis.