Education Justice Initiative
Involving students in designing, implementing, and evaluating education programs and policies remains an unpracticed and unfamiliar task for most policy makers, district and school administrators, and educators. Through the Education Justice Initiative (EJI) Youth In Focus seeks to apply youth-led research, evaluation, and planning (Youth REP) as a means to promote a critical and constructive voice for youth in improving public education policies and programs in local bay area schools, community organizations, and across networks of schools and districts. The EJI provides technical support to schools and organizations seeking support with the process, or components of Youth REP.
The EJI works to promote increased youth engagement in school improvement, leadership development, and decision-making and to link youth work to local action in education equity. While the EJI is focused on expanding the knowledge base of education action research and policy development to include more youth voice, we also work strategically with organizations to develop action plans to collectively move an agenda of education opportunity and equity that integrates student voice. To that end, the EJI seeks to create a network of organizations engaged in youth-led research, planning and evaluation focused on public education improvement and equity.
Over the past year, the EJI has partnered with the Oakland Unified School District; the TryU.M.F. program at Oakland Technical High School; Youth Together; and the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform to carry out Youth REP projects. During the 2004-2005 school year, the EJI will collaborate on projects with a number of partners including:
• Coalition of Essential Schools (CES)
• Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform
• Every Child Can Learn Foundation and the San Francisco Unified School
District• Youth Empowerment School (YES)
• Youth Together
All organizations implementing Youth REP projects during 2004-2005 participate in the "Cross Bay Youth for School Change" cohort. This cohort meets quarterly to share successes, strategize on ways to cope with challenges and create community and action around education focused youth-led projects.
By engaging young people in the decisions that affect their education and future opportunities, the EJI provides youth development, leadership, and community building opportunities to influence schooling and policy systems to integrate and value youth in improving education systems.
