Southern Education Foundation

Did you know that students from low-income families are five times more likely to drop out of high school compared to their higher-income peers? This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for equitable resources and support systems in our schools. Equity Assistance Center-South at SEF is dedicated to bridging the equity gap in education. Visit the resource center for tools and tips on building equity in the classroom. https://lnkd.in/gczqjWnx

The United States accomplished an impressive feat in 2020-21: enacting federal policy reforms that halved child poverty and uplifted low-income families amidst a global pandemic. We saw it was possible, but now we need to investigate how to make it permanent. The recently released report, “Cutting Child Poverty in Half and More: Pandemic-Era Lessons From Child and Family Advocates and Organizers” (https://bit.ly/3VFy2Nj) discovered five lessons after interviewing more than 30 advocates and leaders who helped made this change happen. Join the Foundation for Child Development’s upcoming webinar reflecting on these lessons and discuss what we need to do next. Mark Your Calendar: Thurs, July 11 | 2 PM ET Event Details: Register: bit.ly/FCDLessonsWebinar

Meet 2024 Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) fellow Brooke Blacknall . She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Spelman College. Brooke is serving at the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), a nonprofit providing leadership for a statewide movement on quality early learning development for all children ages birth through five. Now in its 20th year, SELI is an initiative of the Southern Education Foundation that offers intensive, eight-week, paid summer fellowships for emerging leaders interested in advancing racial equity and improving education at all levels. The 2024 cohort represents 11 institutions across the nation, including four Historically Black Colleges and Universities. During the fellowship, this year’s 14 SELI fellows work in nonprofits, state agencies, school districts, and universities on issues related to education equity. Visit southerneducation.org/seli to learn more. #SELI #SEF #SELI2024

Meet 2024 Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) fellow Kelli Crews. She is a second-year master’s student at the University of Georgia studying Educational Administration and Policy and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, also from the University of Georgia. Kelli is placed at VOX ATL this summer and is helping administer the annual survey regarding mental health and the after-school activities of teens. Now in its 20th year, SELI is an initiative of the Southern Education Foundation that offers intensive, eight-week, paid summer fellowships for emerging leaders interested in advancing racial equity and improving education at all levels. The 2024 cohort represents 11 institutions across the nation, including four Historically Black Colleges and Universities. During the fellowship, this year’s 14 SELI fellows work in nonprofits, state agencies, school districts, and universities on issues related to education equity. Visit southerneducation.org/seli to learn more. #SELI #SEF #SELI2024

As we celebrate July 4th, our nation still has miles to go to truly live up to the promise of freedom. The Southern Education Foundation’s forthcoming report, Miles to Go: The State of Black Education in America, will present an overview of education data on Black students in the U.S. and highlight key challenges, opportunities, and the path forward. Read the preview at southerneducation.org.

Meet 2024 Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) fellow Justice Hatcher. She is a senior at Duke University studying Public Policy with a minor in Economics. In her senior year, she will also complete the requirements to receive her K-6 Teacher’s License. Justice is placed at the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED). CREED is a nonprofit working to close opportunity gaps in North Carolina schools through research and technical assistance. Now in its 20th year, SELI is an initiative of the Southern Education Foundation that offers intensive, eight-week, paid summer fellowships for emerging leaders interested in advancing racial equity and improving education at all levels. The 2024 cohort includes fellows from 11 colleges and universities across the nation, including four Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This year’s 14 SELI fellows are working in nonprofits, state agencies, school districts, and universities on issues related to education equity. Visit southerneducation.org/seli to learn more. #SELI #SEF #SELI2024

The The Washington Post shows how many students still need extra academic support, but federal pandemic-relief funds to pay for such support are ending: https://lnkd.in/gHfFYS2H SEF’s Outcomes Based Contracting (OBC) program offers some solutions. SEF President Raymond Pierce recently detailed in his regular column for Forbes how southern states (and others) could become leaders in this innovation: https://lnkd.in/eSmcgJvK Raymond Pierce Outcomes Based Contracting at SEF

How did we reduce child poverty during the pandemic? Join the Foundation for Child Development’s upcoming webinar webinar on Thurs, July 11 at 2 PM ET to find out and discuss how we can sustain these gains. Register: bit.ly/FCDLessonsWebinar #ChildPoverty #PolicyReform #ChildAdvocacy #SocialJustice #FCDConversationSeries #SEF

Meet 2024 Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) fellow Bryan Sorto Hernández. He is an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Human and Organizational Leadership Development, Public Policy, and Spanish for the Legal Professions. Bryan is working this summer with Every Texan, a nonprofit organization based in Austin that advocates for policies to improve equity in food security, financial security, healthcare, and education. Now in its 20th year, SELI is an initiative of the Southern Education Foundation that offers intensive, eight-week, paid summer fellowships for emerging leaders interested in advancing racial equity and improving education at all levels. The 2024 cohort includes fellows from 11 colleges and universities across the nation, including four Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This year’s 14 SELI fellows are working in nonprofits, state agencies, school districts, and universities on issues related to education equity. Visit southerneducation.org/seli to learn more. #SELI #SEF #SELI2024

SEF’s Director of Research and Policy Max Altman recently joined the Education Knowledge Broker Network’s first webinar with practicing knowledge brokers. Visit https://lnkd.in/eBEQd7dS to watch the full video and learn about the growing community of professionals working across research and practice boundaries to foster knowledge exchange to support educational change and improvement. Education Knowledge Broker Network