MnCEE Shows How Strong Advocacy Can Change Minds

Advocacy has been a core function and expectation of school psychologists for over 50 years (Oyen et al., 2020; Skalski, 2012). It can take many forms, from staying up to date on critical issues in research to writing letters to elected officials to communicate support for proposed legislation. Given that school psychology state associations usually comprise students, graduate educators, and practitioners engaging as volunteers, they can easily become overextended. Yet advancement of the field is highly dependent upon their efforts. Grassroots initiatives offer a more accessible and feasible vehicle for change that, in conjunction with state organizations, can have a substantial cumulative impact (Oyen et al., 2020). The Minnesota Collective for Educational Equity (MnCEE) is one example of a grassroots agency that has created strong organizational ties to state school psychology associations, built relationships with key decision makers, and engaged membership within their organizations. This article details how and why MnCEE was created, describes the challenges the group has faced, and outlines actions to inspire grassroots efforts in other states.