At a time when what is taught in our nation’s schools is being challenged, so-called “anti-critical race theory” campaigns are gaining traction, and racial divisions are driving political and social discourse, it is vital to have inclusive education spaces and opportunities for students to encounter and engage with different viewpoints.  

Students, particularly students of color, thrive in classrooms led by teachers who share their racial and/or cultural background. Unfortunately, our nation’s P-12 and college workforce is far less diverse than its student population.

After years of advocacy, Ed Trust, our partners, and communities or color, secured a major policy win this summer for millions of borrowers who are suffering under the oppressive weight of $1.7 trillion in student loan debt. In August, the Biden-Harris administration issued an executive order to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for Pell Grant recipients, and $10,000 for all other eligible borrowers who make under $125,000 annually.

We are calling on the Biden-Harris administration to provide additional student loan relief while the opportunity exists and to work with Congress to deliver bold action to make college more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans by doubling the maximum Pell Grant.

At this precarious moment, many Americans can’t safely send their children to school, shop at the grocery store, go to their place of worship, visit the hospital, or even venture out into their own neighborhoods without facing the threat of violence. At the same time, we are witnessing a dramatic assault on civil rights and civil liberties in the form of voter suppression and gerrymandering, anti-LGBTQ legislation, book bans, and efforts to prohibit the accurate teaching of history in the classroom. Indeed, attempts to unravel the American ideals of justice, democracy, fairness, and equity seem to be intensifying.

Despite what’s happening now, we must keep working for a more just, fair, and safe nation. Remember the words of civil rights leader E.D. Nixon, who when faced with similar obstacles in the 1950s, urged fellow activists to remain undaunted: “Your spark can become a flame and change everything.” It is with that same urgency that we, and our partners, seek to spark change. Join us.

This school year, there’s been a rise in school suspensions, expulsions, and other disciplinary actions across the country. To shine a light on this urgent problem and elevate potential solutions, we, in partnership with NAACP Legal Defense Fund, co-hosted an event on “The Criminalization of Black Children.” The discussion was led by Erica L. Green, a correspondent at The New York Times, and Kristin Henning, author of The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth.

As part of Ed Trust’s ongoing efforts to highlight opportunity gaps, we released “Shut out: Why Black and Latino Students Are Under-Enrolled in AP STEM Courses” in April, along with an accompanying video. This report notes that while many students of color and students from low-income backgrounds aspire to go to college and say that STEM courses are their favorite subjects, these students continue to be excluded from AP STEM courses, which are crucial learning opportunities for aspiring scientists.

Forty-five million Americans collectively owe $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, and women hold nearly two-thirds of it. But because of the gender pay gap, women are more likely than men to have trouble paying off their debt. Black borrowers are most negatively affected by student loans, in large part because of systemic racism, the inequitable distribution of wealth, a stratified labor market, and rising college costs. Because Black women exist at the intersection of two marginalized identities and experience sexism and racism at the same time, they make less money and often need to borrow more to cover the cost of attendance, and struggle significantly with repayment. To call attention to this important issue, we issued a brief this reporting period called, “How Black Women Experience Student Debt.” The release of the brief comes as cries for student debt relief, cancellation, and reasonable solutions to the student loan debt crises are reaching a fever pitch.

“How do you tell someone that they cannot reach for their dream or their highest potential because they can’t afford it? You’re going to do what you need to do to sit in that room and that class, even it means being burdened with the consequences of what you took out to get where
you’re at.”

– Belle, who borrowed $171,000

As the nation wraps up its celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded that the bold actions of a few determined activists sparked change across the nation and, ultimately, the world. We are inspired by the now well-known story of an obscure preacher from Atlanta, who led the civil rights movement in the ’50s and ’60s and whose relentless push for justice brought about a racial reckoning in America. And by the story of a fearless woman who, by refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus in 1955, triggered a full-on boycott that lasted more than a year. Their stories are familiar and often repeated during Black History Month. But let’s also remember the little-known activists behind the Black Women’s Club Movement, the Niagara Movement, the Orangeburg Massacre, and the Red Summer of 1919. Lawmakers in 37 states don’t want students to learn about these moments in American history. Yet and still, these hidden heroes’ stories need to be told so that today’s students can learn from the struggles and triumphs of people of color and, work to forge a more perfect union.

Policymakers are interested in examining funding structures in other states and often ask: Who is doing it right? The answer is that no state is doing it right — at least, not entirely. But every state has at least one strong policy element, and there are exemplary states in every key area of school funding policy.

FundEd is a database and tool that aggregates information about K-12 education funding policies in each state. Information related to common elements of state funding formulas is organized by core area and displayed on national maps and state pages, so users can make state-to-state comparisons. The database includes detailed snapshots of state policies related to core equity issues, such as access to local tax dollars; state support for student groups, including students from low-income backgrounds, those learning English, and those with disabilities; and consideration of community characteristics such as rurality and the concentrated poverty rate.