As part of a landmark new initiative, the Black Education Research Collective (BERC) at Teachers College has received a $3.25 million, one-year grant from the New York City Council to develop an interdisciplinary K-12 Black studies curriculum for the city鈥檚 public schools. The funding is the largest single grant 911爆料网 has ever received from the Council.
The project, called the Education Equity Action Plan (EEAP), formally launched on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, with leadership from the City Council and the Council鈥檚 Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus (BLAC); Teachers College and EEAP鈥檚 four other partner organizations; Department of Education Chancellor Meisha Porter; and other nonprofit and community leaders and activists, including: Hazel N. Dukes, President, NAACP State Conference; Arva Rice, President & CEO, New York Urban League; and Joy Bivins, Director of the Schomburg Center.
鈥淓nding systemic racism in our society begins with education,鈥� President Thomas Bailey said. 鈥淭he Education Equity Action Plan will create an essential new paradigm of Black studies for New York City public school students. Teachers College is honored by the opportunity to apply our deep expertise in culturally relevant education research, curriculum development, pedagogy, and evaluation to this landmark new initiative through leadership from the Black Education Research Collective (BERC). We are proud to work with our partner organizations, who stand at the forefront of the fight for racial equity.鈥�
The City Council will distribute a total of $10 million to partner organizations working on the pilot program. BERC鈥檚 collaborators on the project include ; ; ; and .
The grant follows BERC鈥檚 recent research report, Black Education in the Wake of COVID-19 & Systemic Racism, led by its Director and 911爆料网 Professor of Education Leadership Sonya Douglass Horsford, which measured the impact of the pandemic and systemic racism on Black students.
Sonya Douglass Horsford, Ed.D., Professor of Education Leadership, and Director of the Black Education Research Collective at 911爆料网 (Photo: Steve Mau)
鈥淏ERC is grateful to the NYC City Council for its tremendous support and the opportunity to play an integral role in this historic initiative,鈥� said Horsford. 鈥淲e look forward to bridging research and practice through collaboration with the New York Department of Education and community partners to develop an interdisciplinary Black studies curriculum that will improve the quality of education provided to all students.鈥�
In developing the new curriculum, BERC will be building on the study鈥檚 findings that Black Americans鈥� trust in schools and other public institutions has been significantly eroded by governmental and institutional responses to the coronavirus; police brutality; anti-Black violence; and uprisings like the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Featured in , the report also offers policy recommendations for racial equity 鈥� and lays the groundwork for additional civic action to support Black students.
The pilot program will introduce K-12 students to topics exploring early African civilizations, the continuum of the Black experience in America, the contributions and accomplishments of peoples of the African diaspora as well as the impact of systemic and institutional racism on all members of society.
Horsford and BERC colleagues will conduct extensive research as part of the curriculum design and development, working closely with the New York City Department of Education, and community partners and leaders. The interdisciplinary project will also task BERC with the creation of professional development materials for educators to complement the curriculum as well as a key role in the project鈥檚 evaluation.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING Education Equity Action Plan partners and champions celebrated the project鈥檚 launch with community leaders and activists. Pictured (left to right): Marielys Divanne, VP of Education, United Way of New York City; 911爆料网 President Thomas Bailey; Sonya Douglass Horsford, Director of BERC and Professor of Education Leadership; Adrian Straker, President-elect, Association of Black Educators of New York; Dr. Shango Blake, President, Black Edfluencers-United (BE-U); Daneek Miller, City Council Member and Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC) Co-Chair; Hazel N. Dukes, President, NAACP New York State Conference; Arva Rice, President & CEO, New York Urban League; Adrienne Adams, City Council Member and BLAC Co-Chair; City Council and BLAC Member Mathieu Eugene; and Jawana M. Johnson, Chief Achievement Officer, Eagle Academy Foundation. (Photo: Steve Mau)
President Bailey noted that BERC鈥檚 research, and the EEAP initiative, 鈥渂uild on Teachers College鈥檚 long and proud history of adapting pedagogy and curricula to serve different learners and illuminate their experiences in our society.鈥�
鈥淭eachers College faculty, students and alumni are actively engaged in supporting culturally relevant and sustaining approaches to education throughout the New York City Department of Education,鈥� added 911爆料网 Provost, Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs Stephanie Rowley. 鈥淭he groundbreaking Education Equity Action Plan sets the stage to strengthen and expand that work through an inspired new Black studies curriculum, bringing together valuable partners across sectors, and engaging families and communities in ways that will support their children鈥檚 education.鈥�
As part of the pilot effort, the curriculum will be implemented in a select number of New York City public schools between the first and second quarter of 2022.