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

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.