ERASE Racism Receives Kellogg Foundation Grant to Increase Racial Integration

Long Island, N.Y. — ERASE Racism has begun the next stage of a project to increase racial integration in Long Island public schools by educating and organizing parents, students and educators; strengthening pipelines for teachers of color and educating teachers in effective practices to address diverse student populations.

The project is funded by a two-year, $200,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan.

“Far too many children of color live in racially isolated neighborhoods in metropolitan areas,” said Elaine Gross, President of ERASE Racism, adding, “Achieving our mission requires that we actively pursue racial equity for all children by addressing structural racism and its consequences, within communities and the institutions serving them.”

According to Census data, Long Island is one of the most racially segregated metropolitan regions in the nation. Its fragmented public school districts mirror the high level of segregation in the region. ERASE Racism will educate and organize parents, administrators, educators and state and local elected officials to embrace and promote racially integrated learning environments.

Leveraging the expertise of more than 100 members of its Education Equity Working Group, ERASE Racism will produce resources on best practices/strategies, challenges and potential solutions. This will include creating a user-friendly “Blueprint for Integration” document based on most recent legislative, educational, and experiential accounts of the integration terrain. The organization will also work with school districts to help implement integration strategies. The ultimate goal is to expand the number of Long Island school districts that institute integrative practices and policies.

Featured

  • Texas K–12 District to Build New Elementary, High Schools

    The High Island Independent School District on the Bolivar Peninsula in Southeast Texas recently announced that construction on a new elementary school and a new high school will begin in January 2026, according to local news. Funding will come from a $27.9-million bond passed in May 2025.

  • Tennessee State University Gains Approval for New Engineering Facility

    Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tenn., recently announced that it has received approval from the Tennessee State Building Commission to build a new engineering building on campus, according to a university news release. The 70,000-square-foot, $50-million facility will play home to the university’s engineering programs and the Applied & Industrial Technology program.

  • FAU Starts Construction on Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building

    Florida Atlantic University recently began construction on a new academic building for its campus in Boca Raton, Fla., according to university news. The Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building will stand two stories, measure in at 22,000 square feet, and play home to the university’s Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs.

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.

Digital Edition