Transformed people, transform systems.

The Education Equity Center of St. Louis envisions a transformed education system that is free of racism and harmful practices, policies and systems negatively impacting black and brown students. To that end, we build a coalition of anti-racist educators and students who lead the systemic change needed for a fully equitable educational system in St. Louis.

Our work amplifies the collective voice of educators and students, while encouraging connected partnerships between education focused organizations across the region.

Our Theory of Change

Using the six conditions of systems change model from "The Water of Systems Change," we mapped out the St. Louis organizations working in education systems change. We have made generalized assumptions here; This map is not fully comprehensive, nor an endorsement of, nor indicative of an organizations’ full work.

The Education Equity Center of St. Louis focuses mainly on Transformational Change, the 6th condition, shifting Mental Models towards an equitable education system. Data shared in The Water of Systems Change report points to mental models as foundational drivers of activity in any system by stating, “the mental models that individuals hold can create implicit biases through which they interpret and make sense of other people, ideas, and events. Historically, those who are in power have shaped the mental models of their constituents. Therefore, changing mental models often means challenging power structures that have defined, influenced, and shaped those mental models historically and in the present.”

Given the histories of systemic racism that are deep and pervasive in the practices, policies, and systems of education, we will need to understand and address the mental models we are operating from in order to move towards this vision. To this end, the Education Equity Center builds the anti-racist capacity of educators and students in the St. Louis region.

While research shows that educators are the single most important in-school factor in improving student outcomes, their voices are consistently left out of systems level decisions. To shift this paradigm, we activate the leadership power of educators toward practice, policy, and systems change.

Community first, then the work — Our Approach Centers Equity

Radically re-imagine a liberatory system of education

Center emergent strategy

Partner with the community through engagement and action

Amplify the voices of students in the work of systemic change in schools

Create a culture of trying that is rooted in trust, respect and partnership

Ground the work in data and research

We ENVISION An Education System Where:

Equitable Access

Students have access to a quality education no matter what color their skin, what neighborhood or zip code they reside in, and regardless of their socioeconomic class or status.
Thriving Student Leaders

Students have access to a quality education no matter what color their skin, what neighborhood or zip code they reside in, and regardless of their socioeconomic class or status.
Teacher Diversity

Students of color would have more opportunities to be taught by educators that look like them.
Anti-Racist Educators

Students would be taught by educators who are grounded in justice, liberatory practices, and empathy, free of racism and bias. Educators’ positional power would be used to interrupt and disrupt harmful practices.
Culturally Responsive Curriculum

Students would engage a curriculum that is culturally responsive, fosters a sense of belonging, and recognizes the assets that all students bring into the classroom.
Wraparound Services

Schools would provide holistic support, recognizing cultural and contextual needs of the community; access to healthy food, hygiene, mental health services, internet access, technical equipment & more.
Accessible Data

Governments, academia, and educators would provide access to transparent data and be committed to working collectively, not in silos.