Raumesh Akbari, Senator (Memphis, TN)

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Expanding Black History Education

This week, the Tennessee governor signed a bill co-sponsored by NewDEAL Leader Senator Raumesh Akbari, expanding multiculturalism in the K-12 curriculum with special attention to Black history instruction. Scheduled to be enacted in the 2025-26 school year, the law will help ensure that “students get a well-rounded education that includes every contribution [to American history], whether it’s from someone who’s Black or white, of Mexican heritage, or Asian heritage,” according to Senator Akbari. Read more details about the bill, which comes on the heels of last year’s passage of a law that banned “critical race theory” and the discussion of racial or gender privilege in schools.

Higher Education Partnership to help Black and Latinx students 

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Problem

In 2013, the City of Boston conducted a study to identify the correlation between the school’s demographics and academic performance in order to achieve better outcomes for Black and Latinx students. The study revealed that students of color make up 40 percent of the district’s enrollment yet maintain lower academic performance than their white and Asian peer groups. The study further reveals that Black, Latinx, and low-income students face inequitable high education and employment success throughout their lives

Solution

Through a college completion initiative program, Success Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu, and 15 higher education institutions in Massachusetts are committed to reaching a 70% college completion rate for Boston Public Schools district graduates. Students at Success Boston are 11% more likely than their peers to continue on to their second year of college and 21% more likely to continue on to their third year of college.

Furthermore, Success Boston is prioritizing Black and Latinx students by refining policies, creating stronger programs, and reforming systems to promote equity and close equity gaps. For example, they are working to implement inclusive, asset-based interventions and engage directly with Boston’s residents. Moreover, they are working to promote and coordinate the Success Boston policy agenda across institutions at the city, state, and federal level.

 

Recruiting More Male Teachers of Color

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Problem

Having a diverse teaching workforce can help narrow the achievement gap and improve student outcomes, particularly for students of color when they have a demographically similar teacher. The National Center for Educational Statistics’s data shows just a quarter of teachers are male, and there are very few male teachers of color in the classroom. Furthermore, just 7% of teachers are Black, 9% are Hispanic, and 2% are Asian American. Additionally, less than 2% of teachers are American Indian or Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, or of two or more races.

Solution

Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz and Senate Majority Whip Troy Singleton address the widening teacher diversity gap through the partnership between the New Jersey Department of Education and Rowan University’s ‘Men of Color Hope Achievers’ partnership program. This program will recruit underrepresented groups by creating a stable career path in underserved communities. Increasing the number of educators of color in classrooms will have a favorable influence on all students’ academic progress because seeing teachers who look like them keeps students engaged in learning and while also providing role models for students interested in teaching as a career.

Jordan Harris, Representative (Philadelphia, PA)

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Scholarships for Pennsylvanian Students

A bill introduced by NewDEAL Leader Pennsylvania Representative Jordan Harris aims to create a new fund to award scholarships to students whose families make less than $104,000 annually. Scholarships would cover fees not paid by other state grants, and provide up to $4,000 for those attending an eligible higher education institution, or up to $2,000 to students attending a community college. Seventy percent of Pennsylvania’s students take out student loans averaging $39,000 over four years, debt that can be crippling to recent graduates and can deter prospective students from seeking higher education.  Harris’ bill also seeks to alleviate workforce shortages by prioritizing students in programs with high-workforce needs, such as healthcare, education, and public service, and scholarships need not be repaid as long as the student remains in the state for the same length of time it took to complete their studies. Read more about the proposed fund, which has the backing of the state’s governor.

2021 Ideas Challenge Finalists

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The NewDEAL is pleased to announce the finalists from this year’s Ideas Challenge, our biennial policy competition highlighting innovative policy solutions from NewDEAL Leaders across the nation. Their ideas would reimagine the social safety net, create good jobs, expand education opportunities, build more sustainable communities, and strengthen our democracy. This year’s Challenge came at an especially important time to identify best practices, as Leaders grapple with the work of rebuilding and recovery in the wake of the pandemic, and have a unique opportunity to act with federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. Winners in each of five categories will be announced next week during our 11th Annual Leaders Conference, on Thursday, November 18, and be featured in Governing Magazine. Join us on social media to celebrate these extraordinary ideas, and click here to read details on the finalists in all five categories!

Oakland80 – Oakland County’s Education Attainment Goal

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Problem

In 2018, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the State’s 60 by 30 initiative – a robust goal to ensure 60% of working-age Michiganders have a professional certificate or college degree by 2030. Currently, Michigan ranks 37th nationally for education attainment with significant gaps by race, ethnicity and income. Oakland County, an economic driver for the state, boasts a 61% education attainment rate. However, significant barriers and inequities remain for residents across key communities, limiting access to post-secondary education. Personal barriers, including childcare, transportation, student debt, and a lack of career awareness, result in challenges to accessing and completing post-secondary education. Enrollment, completion, credentials/certified earned, and high school graduation rates must increase to achieve Michigan’s 60 by 30 goal and Oakland County’s local goal of 80% attainment by 2030. Increased educational attainment will lead to economic self-sufficiency, income equality and economic growth for Oakland County’s 1.3 million residents and 40,000 businesses.

 

Solution

Oakland County is the first county to set a local post-secondary education attainment goal in the state. Oakland80 is focused on creating solutions under six key pillars:

  1. K-12 Graduation Rates
  2. Net Migration
  3. Post-Secondary Enrollment
  4. Post-Secondary Completion
  5. Adults with Some College, No Degree
  6. Industry Recognized Credentials/Certificates

For each of these pillars, Oakland80 focuses on customized and personal barrier removal, accessible career and education navigation, and financial support to accessing education. Oakland80 is utilizing data to understand target populations, key communities of focus, and identifying gaps in the access to post-secondary education. Our team has a personal commitment to “meet people where they are” through the deployment of Oakland80 Career Navigators across the County, equipped with financial resources and partnerships to help individuals overcome any barriers interfering with their ability to enroll and complete post-secondary education.

Brighter Futures Early Learning Scholarships

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Problem

Early Learning is arguably more important than college, yet most new parents are not prepared for the exorbitant cost of quality child care for their young children. The cost of child care also limits parent choice as higher quality programs are out of reach for many. This means those families must choose from lower quality programs that may not be preparing their children for educational success. State and federal governments already support robust scholarships and financial aid programs for post-secondary education. What if these same options were available for quality early learning? The difference that a quality early learning experience has on a child’s overall and long-term educational, social and physical wellbeing is a proven and undisputed fact. Children who access these educational programs return this investment through higher learning achievement, higher employment levels and less economic burden as they become adults. 

 

Solution

An early learning scholarship program that sets aside quality child care slots for children who need it the most: Parents that have hit a “fiscal cliff”, making just enough money to knock them out of most existing child care subsidy programs; Foster parents who currently must pay out of pocket expenses for child care; Teen moms working to earn a high school diploma; and Parents experiencing homelessness.   These “scholarships” should be focused on making sure every child has access to a quality early learning experience so that they can be ready for kindergarten and achieve success in school.    This program would leverage existing systems and expand support for families, which will give them the ability to make the best educational choices for their children at the most critical age, regardless of their income. 

Pop Up Preschool

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Problem

Access to quality preschool is an important issue for children in Leon County, especially in our Title 1 neighborhoods where the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment scores are the lowest in the county.

Solution

The Pop-Up Preschool brings a quality child care experience directly to underserved neighborhoods during summer and spring break at no cost to parents. Parents are encouraged to attend with their children to learn how to be their child’s first teacher through engagement, education, and participation in facilitated early learning activities with their child.

Civics Education – Middle School through College

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Problem

The events that transpired on January 6th represent one of the darkest days in American history. It showed the vital importance of civics education. We need to properly educate our young people so they can become critical thinkers who are able to discern truth from fiction. They must understand the foundations of our representative democracy, and take a participatory role in it. Through civics, it is our collective hope that these students will not be indoctrinated into any one particular political ideology but rather become informed and educated citizens that will shape our nation for generations to come.

Solution

Our bill, which is now law, directs the NJ Dept of Education to require at least one course in civics in middle school starting with the 2022-2023 school year. Additionally, I have introduced legislation which would require students at public universities to complete at least one course of American government and civic engagement before graduating. 

Brave Spaces

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Problem

Our communities have become increasingly divided making it difficult to find a way to engage in civil discourse, particularly as it relates to diversity, equity and inclusion. Too often, citizens have retreated to the safety of people and platforms they agree with rather than taking on tough conversations. 

Solution

The South City Foundation seeks to repair the cumulative harm of racist public policies and private actions that have trapped generations in segregated neighborhoods of concentrated poverty. Brave Spaces provides a safe space to start the important dialogue that is necessary to do this work through implicit biases, assess personal strengths and weaknesses in the realm of social justice, and foster a level of understanding that can be used in every facet of life.

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