As a cheating scandal collided with faulty School Board governance, the entire Atlanta school system’s accreditation was placed in question, leaving many children and families caught in the crossfire. With 76% of Atlanta Public Schools’ students living in homes below the poverty level, the need for accountability from district leadership was urgent. The Bee Colony worked to build and launch the movement Step Up or Step Down with an organizing team of parent partners from across the district. Their efforts became a rallying cry for stakeholder engagement throughout Atlanta, and the founders emerged as the go-to voice of parent advocacy for local and national media.