Parent Advisory Councils bring family voice into education decision-making, yet questions remain about their impact and inclusivity. The discussion panel brings together researchers, practitioners, and parents to explore what is currently known about parent advisory councils, share promising practices, and discuss how advisory council structures can be reimagined to authentically engage and empower diverse families.

Participants will hear directly from parents, researchers, and practitioners about what conditions and structures make Parent Advisory Councils meaningful and transformative. Through these multiple perspectives, the session will illustrate how power dynamics, language access, meeting formats, and leadership development opportunities affect the degree to which families can participate and lead.  Participants will be able to identify actionable strategies to strengthen parent leadership and decision-making, especially among families from diverse backgrounds.