Changing K-12 Education One Story at a Time

By Lisa Smith, CEAM Team

There is something deeply powerful about a story. Not because it has all the answers, but because it carries truth, emotion, and lived experience in a way that cannot easily be forgotten.

I have seen firsthand how one parent voice can create change.

Over the years, legislators have shared that my story stayed with them long after it was first told. Some have even returned to it in committee hearings and chamber conversations, where it helped illuminate the real lives behind the policies being debated.

That is the power of storytelling.

Stories stay with people in ways statistics and reports often cannot. They create connections. They bring humanity into conversations that can sometimes feel distant, procedural, or disconnected from the families living through the reality of those decisions.

Stories remind people that behind every education policy is a student, a family searching for answers, and a future still being shaped.

Some of my deepest advocacy work was shaped by personal experiences my own family was navigating in real time.

After my child experienced two terrifying incidents at school, I began speaking up about concerns affecting students and quickly learned that, in that school environment, parent advocacy was not welcomed. I was ultimately no longer allowed to be present in the school environment where I had once been an active and engaged parent.

At the time, our neighborhood school district was unaccredited, and many families were navigating Missouri’s school transfer program law, which allowed students living in unaccredited districts to transfer to accredited school districts.

Through that transfer program, my child was able to attend a higher-performing district where he excelled academically and socially. But when the transfer program eventually ended and students were required to return to their district school, I knew our neighborhood school was still not the right fit for my child.

That led our family to utilize Missouri’s Course Access and Virtual School Program (MOCAP),which provides K–12 students statewide access to high-quality virtual courses. MOCAP gave our family access to learning opportunities that were not limited by a traditional classroom, schedule, or location. MOCAP allows students to take classes online from home or any internet-connected device, with flexible access available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving families freedom in how and when learning takes place.

Later, my child received a MOScholars Scholarship, a K–12 scholarship program that provides funding to eligible families, allowing them to choose the learning environment that best fits their child’s needs. Families can use the scholarships for private school tuition, homeschooling resources, virtual education, tutoring, therapy, and other approved educational services that support student success.

When I look back, our family has utilized nearly every school choice option available. I advocated for MOCAP and MOScholars, believing families needed flexible pathways and access to educational environments where children could thrive. 

At CEAM we believe stories have the power to move conversations forward. Lived experiences bring depth to discussions that might otherwise overlook the realities students and families face every day.

Families are encouraged to use their voices, stay informed, and take part in conversations surrounding education across Missouri. To share your story or learn more, visit ceamteam.org