RISE UP Coalition to Address the Compound Inequity Facing Black and Brown Students

The ripple effects of historically inequitable institutions—from education to healthcare to housing and beyond—are resulting in severe and long-lasting impacts on our students and families of color. Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and People of Color (BILPOC) families and students are potentially facing continued compounded inequities.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to take action. School districts and charter networks are facing both tremendous challenges and, simultaneously, opportunities to design and implement effective, culturally-aligned systems to support historically marginalized students.

The time is now—and the moment is urgent—for school districts, charter networks and organizations to join efforts to turn the tide that is having devastating impacts on our students.

Today, we announce the RISE UP Coalition—school districts, charter networks, and organizations led by BILPOC—who will work together and with support of allies to design an Action Agenda to reflect and address the needs of students of color.

The Action Agenda will:

• Identify challenges, priorities, and solutions to address the needs of Black and Brown students.
• Represent urban, rural, and suburban geographies across the country as collaboration partners in co-developing the Action Agenda.
• Capture existing best practices, programs, and models that are currently being employed by school districts and charter networks.
• Identify practices that embody the perspectives of BILPOC leaders and the know-how and solutions that have been developed by BILPOC-led organizations.
• Include a research agenda designed to ensure we capture data and learnings from the collaboration.

The RISE UP Coalition will host a series of public-facing webinars starting in April, with the goal of releasing the Action Agenda publicly in June 2021.

To keep abreast of the Action Agenda happenings and confirm your interest in joining us as supporters and advocates, please complete this form.

Below are the education institutions and organizations leading the RISE UP Coalition work. Stay tuned for information regarding the coalition’s new website and first webinar.