In September, TEP’s Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Aaron Jenkins, attended the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.
This event gathered policy experts, leaders, education practitioners, and advocates to discuss problems and solutions to address racial equity issues.
Mr. Jenkins attended and participated in education-focused sessions including, “Advancing a Race Equity Education Policy Agenda,” hosted by the Center for American Progress (CAP), Education Reform Now (ERN) USA, and Representative Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), chairperson of the House Committee on Education & Labor Committee.
This forum focused on education equity issues relating to two specific topics:
- Recruiting a racially diverse teaching workforce and
- Centering communities in education policy development
Experts in education equity, research, and advocacy centered the discussion on the importance of community engagement and involvement in both school improvement and policy creation.
Explicit in this discussion was the acknowledgment that underrepresented communities are often excluded from this conversation as though they do not know or understand the needs of their community. The centering of the community in the discussion elevates refreshing ideas and provides an authentic voice that speaks about real solutions to entrenched education equity problems.
For further reading, check out the Center for American Progress (CAP) report, ‘A Quality Education for Every Child.’
