The Campaign for School Equity (CSE), a new non-profit organization focused on addressing academic achievement disparities between low-income and affluent students in Tennessee, will soon begin operations.
The mission of CSE is to expand high quality school options throughout Tennessee by empowering and leveraging the support of faith-leaders, parents, students, and community members on school-choice initiatives and policies. Their work will convene a coalition of residents to advocate on behalf of students and improve equity in education. The organization is also preparing to introduce programming for leadership development, and planning to release a comprehensive report on the state of Tennessee schools later this year.
Mendell Gritner is the founder and Executive Director of the Campaign for School Equity. Gritner, 25, is the former Tennessee State Director of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO). Earlier this year, Dr. Howard Fuller, BAEO founder, announced that after 17 years, BAEO would discontinue its formal operations to launch a Social Innovation Challenge that would help determine the organization’s future endeavors.
“We are excited about the launch of this new organization, which will continue to serve families in Tennessee in their own unique way,” said Dr. Howard Fuller, Founder and Chair Emeritus of BAEO, said of CSE. “As BAEO embarks on a new journey, the former Tennessee leadership team will chart its own course with CSE, while upholding the BAEO organizational values that have guided their work in Memphis and Nashville since 2014."
Grinter cites an urgent need to continue to identify and work in partnership with education advocates to ensure the needs of students are met as his motivation to start and lead the Campaign for School Equity.
“The educational landscape across the state of Tennessee is changing consistently and rapidly. We know that students and parents still need help with staying updated on school performance, navigating school options, and understanding how to make the best educational choices,” Grinter says. “We also need to maintain a steady push from concerned citizens to advocate for school improvements and policy changes that will position more students to succeed. We have to level the playing field for low-income students…we cannot sit by and watch as their needs are forgotten, discounted or ignored.”
Effective July 1, Grinter and his team will begin work on recruiting members in Memphis and Nashville to help fulfill the mission of CSE.
In the coming weeks, the organization will release more information on its specific priorities for the 2016-2017 school year.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.