Metro's Center for Community Organizing and Engagement (COE) Director Richard Gray recently recieved a Hewlett Foundation Grant for COE component, the Education Justice Research and Organizing Collaborative (EJ-ROC). 

EJ-ROC helps to build and sustain capacity for the education justice movement and provides research, data, policy analysis and strategic support to education organizing groups. This work is done to develop evidence-based policy demands, legitimate those demands with research, and employ campaign strategies and tactics that have proven effective in winning implementation of equity-focused education policies. This work supports the Education Program’s strategic goal of enacting education policies that advance deeper learning and develop students’ belief in their growth capacity, especially for historically marginalized students. 

With the administration of the Hewlett Foundation Grant over the next two years, EJ-ROC aims to launch and expand district wide initiatives and policies focued on CRE, develop strong coalitions of youth, parents and educaztors, and advance research, data and policy analysis.

In completing these goals, EJ-ROC will employ three types of strategic assistance to the following areas of work: Support Culturally Responsive Education in NY State and Other Strategic Districts, Strategic Support to National Education Justice Organizing Networks and Their Partners, On-Demand Research, Data and Policy Analysis.