The Public Education Foundation’s Post

February is #UnitedBlackWorldMonth, a time to reflect on the incredible contributions and achievements of African Americans. At Ohio State, we are proud to support our Black students and alumni, who are oftentimes #firstgeneration students breaking new ground for themselves and their families. In fact, according to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, 59% of African American college students are first-generation*. As the first in their families to pursue higher education, these students exemplify motivation, courage and perseverance. Many have overcome significant obstacles to get to college and continue to face challenges of access, inclusion and affordability. The Ohio State Alumni Association is happy to celebrate these trailblazing first-generation Buckeyes. Their accomplishments are an important part of Black history in the making. I also want to reaffirm our commitment to expanding opportunity and supporting the success of all students, including those who are first-generation, and might need a boost. With that in mind, I would like to invite any first-generation students or alumni to share their stories with us using the link below. We want to highlight your achievements and experiences and amplify the voices of the modern trailblazers making a difference for their families and communities through the pursuit of higher education. We have more work to do to break down barriers to college access and degree completion. This United Black World Month, let’s celebrate how far we’ve come and the achievements of those who paved the way. Share your story: https://lnkd.in/dY6P-R4X *Source https://lnkd.in/dPdrsDXG

Why does Black History Month matter? Why should we continue to study and celebrate the stories and accomplishments of Black leaders, artists, organizers, and innovators? As February ends, I am reflecting on these questions and my reasons for celebrating Black History. Like many colleagues, I firmly believe that Black history is World history. Studying Black history allows me to examine the patterns that have come to shape our present and study the innovative and daring strategies our ancestors used to question systems of power, dismantle them, and imagine more just ones. I’m personally inspired by Ella Baker. She, like me, believed in the power of college student-driven movements. She engaged leaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in thoughtful and powerful conversations during the Civil Rights Movement that helped them crystalize their goals and guided them on the path to achieving them. She intentionally chose to serve as a coach, believing in the immutable power of student voices to drive and sustain movements. At Beyond 12, we match students with college coaches who offer tailored advice and support so students feel equipped to thrive in college and beyond. Our coaches have walked in our students’ shoes and fundamentally believe that our students are creative, resourceful, and whole - they are not broken. They have the power to succeed and just need support to decode colleges’ hidden curricula. This idea is not new, but our understanding of the influence and impact of coaching on student-driven movements helps us build upon, innovate, and scale new strategies. It allows us to make space for students and inspire them to design the future of higher education. Reflecting on our history, not just this month but every day of the year, gives me the strength and wisdom to become more strategic, thoughtful, and powerful in my quest to change the world. I am learning how those who came before us built movements by embracing rituals for rest, joy, and celebration to stay in the fight for justice. Black History Month is more than a practice of recalling our history. It's about receiving and activating our cultural inheritance—the generational gifts our ancestors gave us to achieve justice for our people. The key to our liberation is our history. And I will celebrate our history this month and every month as we join our students in co-designing a higher education system that is more accessible, affordable, and equitable. #BlackHistoryMonth #collegesuccess #coaching #highereducation #EllaBaker

How does Black male mentorship transform the educational journey of Black boys? Local and national programs that provide Black male mentorship to Black boys have shown a marked impact on Black male student achievement. This speaks volumes about the transformative power of mentorship. As highlighted in the article in which information was pulled, "Black men speak the same language and share similar experiences and struggles as those Black boys are going to go through. Black male educators hold Black male students to higher standards and give them the inspiration, aspiration, and accountability they need.” Mentorship is about preparing young Black boys for life, instilling the confidence, courage, and vision to pursue their dreams and contribute meaningfully to society. Dive deeper into the profound effect of Black male mentorship by exploring "The Need for Black Male Mentors." Discover how these relationships are pivotal to fostering success and resilience among Black male students. Read the full article here -[https://lnkd.in/gWc8xKc6]. #RealMenTeach

I hope Black alums around the U.S. realize the lack of power they have as universities cave in to the demands of politicians who don’t like DEI efforts. Use this opportunity to explore new models of investing that place control of your resources in your own foundations. What happens if you remove your money from the universities that are being constrained into funds YOU oversee and bestow directly to the recipients of your choosing? There may still be issues but the source of control SHIFTS. Think out of the box if you’re not pleased with a university’s efforts. Let your pocketbooks speak for you.

To celebrate #HigherEducationDay, we're shining a light on the profound impact Black educators can have on the future of our youth. 🍎 Research shows that Black students who had one Black teacher by third grade were 13% more likely to enroll in college. When they experienced two Black teachers by that age, the likelihood of college enrollment skyrocketed to 32%. 🎓 #RepresentationMatters #NationalHigherEducationDay

CCRI’s Commitment to Racial Justice and Equity In honoring this year’s Black history month, the CCRI community would like to reaffirm our commitment to racial justice and equity. It is important to acknowledge the ways in which history has shaped educational and institutional access as a whole. These spaces have been afflicted by racism and significant, intersectional forms of oppression designed to restrict the right to knowledge for students of color. As such, it is our goal to design more equitable, anti-racist paths for students of all demographics and backgrounds. Through our work, we hope to bring education towards a future of diverse inclusivity. Whether by transfer pathways for our community college students heading to 4-year universities, by outreach to our rural learner communities, by building connections across STEM concepts and equitable, justice-based practices, or other constructs we hope to investigate, we will continually work toward that future. And so, we welcome you to join in our discussions this Black History Month as we celebrate each week of February.

Yesterday, HMJ Consulting helped a student out with creating a Black History Month event at her high school. This event was called “Black History Month: Excellence & Education.” It was co-moderated by this student and myself. This event engaged in a conversation on black education and a celebration of black history month. This event informed students about the importance and history of Black American education and the spaces that have been cultivated within it. There were three panelists: Cory Williams, James Paul, and Freddie Hamilton. The topics of conversation included: knowing your purpose for going to college, how to make your college experience worthwhile, what the best way is for students to explore their futures, how the panelists’ organization serves the community, how the students can take advantage of those extracurricular activities, how to get more involved in their community, what local black history fact or story the panelists know of, and how the panelists weighs their standards of black excellence. This student is also starting a Black History Club and she invited the students to the interest meeting to check it out. Students were empowered with the inspiring message from the three panelists to believe in themselves and know they can work together to make the school community succeed. Students gained access by knowing what community organizations are out there and how the students can gain access to those organizations’ services. Students know how they can help transform their community in the school or outside of it by creating clubs they are passionate about and leading projects they know will benefit society. As students meet new mentors and work together, this will all be sustainable and successful in the long term. This is the call to action we gave at the end of the event.

Black History Month is an opportunity for educators to teach important lessons to their students. However, we often find ourselves doing the same things each year. This month, let's shake it up and find new and creative ways to celebrate! This blog contains resources for educators on how to teach Black history as well as fun ideas for lessons! To learn more, click here: https://hubs.ly/Q02jwYnk0

The EDUrain capitalizing on this post is all over the place, but I am still grateful! I still feel like every day is a new day to make college more accessible for all students. Honesty, transparency, overcoming fears, hiring diverse teams, making an impact in all communities, and turning a startup into a scale-up! #studenthousing #students #highereducation #college #reslife #highered #higheredtech #proptech #fintech

As we enter Black History Month, it’s more important than ever to emphasize that educational access is still not equitable for Black people. “Black student enrollment rates in the United States are consistently lower than those of the national population, and they are notably lower than the enrollment rates for white students and Asian students,” states a recent report from Lansing-based Public Policy Associates. While the Black History Month runs through February, systems change is a year-round endeavor. In our pursuit of Sixty by 30, MCAN takes action to ensure all students — especially low-income students, first-generation college-going students, and students of color — have equitable opportunities to attend college and earn a degree or certificate. Read the PPA report: https://lnkd.in/ggHwW-dh