That Other Crisis We're Ignoring: Education
But, an upcoming National Forum on Education Equity seeks to fix that by helping close massive achievement gaps that were already severe before pandemic
a Stride, Inc. feature
Pandemic. Economic uncertainty. Climate calamities. Americans are dealing with multiple crises all at once. But there is one crisis with long term consequences so severe and so close to home that if ignored the damage will be irreparable: persistent racial and economic disparities in K-12 education.
On February 3, 2021, Stride, Inc. - formerly K12 Inc. - will host a National Forum on Education Equity to tackle that very issue. It is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This forum delivers on Stride’s commitment called We Stand Together. It’s designed to remove barriers that impact academic equity and to provide high-quality education for anyone - particularly those in underserved communities - as a means to foster economic empowerment and address societal inequities.
Part of this commitment includes sponsoring and convening a national forum to promote dialogue. It will examine ways to enhance access to high-quality educational opportunities for students and families lacking such options in their communities.
“There is perhaps no more important challenge to address in our society than the racial and economic disparities that continue to exist within America’s education system,” said Nate Davis, Stride’s CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Achieving real education equity for Black and Brown students requires collaboration, courage and political will, and that is what we hope to promote through the National Forum on Education Equity.”
A depth of research shows that racial inequity and discrimination have had serious educational, social, and economic consequences. For example, a recent report by Citi concludes that “$16 trillion could have been added to the U.S. economy” if issues related to racial inequity had been addressed in the past 20 years.
The Feb. 3rd National Forum on Education Equity is free and open to the public and will stream live online. Registration for the forum is now open and can be accessed here: https://strideedequity.com/registration/.
The one-day event, hosted by former CNN contributor and award-winning broadcaster Roland Martin, will feature prominent leaders and experts who will address critical issues of education and race in America. Topics will include ways to empower Black families with educational opportunities, championing the next generation of Black educators, eliminating the digital divide, and building a unified political culture to achieve education and racial equity.
Importantly, Stride’s larger “We Stand Together” commitment includes funding $10 million in scholarships for Black students, developing socially conscious legal and law enforcement career pathways and interactive courses on the history of systemic racism, expanding the number of Black teachers employed by Stride, and creating new civic and volunteer efforts for Stride employees.
More information on the National Forum on Education Equity can be found here: https://strideedequity.com/registration/.