Statement Regarding Better Futures — A Vision for a K12 Citywide Planning Process

From Education Equity Center of St. Louis, Forward Through Ferguson, and WEPOWER

Early this year, St. Louis City faced a collective crisis when the difficult decision was made to permanently close several public schools, which disproportionately impacted Black students and communities. As we all — elected leaders, parents, educators, concerned residents, advocacy groups — tried to make sense of what led us to that moment, the urgent need for a citywide plan for K12 public education rose to the top of public dialogue.

We are at a moment where, despite our differences, we all realize the fragmented public education system in our city has operated for decades in ways that are not working and leaves a majority of our young people trapped in a web of systemic injustice.

We remain hopeful that an open and community-centered citywide planning process will occur, rooted in a spirit of possibility and opportunity. We are thankful for the input, critique, and dialogue on how stakeholders across the city can best show up to support an excellent and quality public education for all our young people.

As the Board of Education considers the need for a plan, we pause and stand ready to be supportive partners. We deeply believe that at this unprecedented moment in history, every organization, developer, government official, and business should be asking themselves what accountability they have to collaborative, root-cause focused visioning and action that creates more opportunity for youth and families. As the largest City district of almost 20,000 children, we continue to affirm how central the involvement of SLPS is to any citywide planning effort.

We remain committed to transparency, collaboration, and deeply listening to folks impacted by our city’s K12 public education system and who are committed to its transformation. Feel free to grab time on our calendars to chat more about your concerns and ideas.

Cara, Director of K12 Systems Change Initiatives, WEPOWER: https://calendly.com/carawepower/30min

Brishaun, Policy & Advocacy Catalyst, Youth At The Center, FTF: https://calendly.com/brishaun-ftf/checkin