Ariana Quinones-Miranda has worked on fixing schools in the District for more than a decade. She is deputy director of Friends of Choice in Urban Schools, an advocacy group for public charter schools, and she volunteers on an advisory council that gives input to D.C. schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.
How and why did you first become involved with education reform?
When I was in law school I did a juvenile clinic in 1992. Through that, I started working with adjudicated youth, and they all had education issues. It piqued my interest. … I later began working with Spanish-speaking parents and parental involvement.
Some might see your two hats — with FOCUS and D.C. Public Schools — as conflicting. What’s your take?
I’m one of only a few people in the city that don’t see the two systems as mutually exclusive endeavors. I think charters have been able to enhance some of the offerings in the city. I believe that, as we move forward, collaboration is what will really push reforms. Collaboration, as opposed to competition.
You’re also a parent of a son who graduated from Bell Multicultural High School and a daughter who’s currently attending Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School. … One’s a traditional public school and theother a charter. How does that work?
These days there are a lot more parents like us with a child in a charter school, one in a public school and even one in a private school. That’s why it doesn’t make sense for educators to think in these silos and rather to think about how we are educating as a whole.
What have been some successes you’ve made when it comes to Hispanic students?
I’m really pleased about the expansion of bilingual programs in the city. I’m also pleased about the improved translation services both in the schools and the community. Relations have definitely improved between African-American students and Latino communities.
