We are thrilled to build on the grassroots organizing campaign of the APEX Project. Throughout the APEX Project, we worked to build a community-driven policy platform to guide our work to achieve equity in our schools. Equity is about working to ensure that every child in our county, no matter their zip code or background, gets the resources and support that they need to be successful. During our conversations, two things were apparent:
Our communities love our kids. And they're ready to take action.
Now is the time for action. Using the ten APEX Policy Platform priority areas, we are starting the implementation phase of our work, the APEX Action Teams. The APEX Action Teams will be comprised of five teams focused on turning community ideas into reality. The APEX Action Teams, and the Policy Platform priority areas that they represent, are as follows:
Community Engagement and Empowerment
- Parents and community members should embrace opportunities to support schools and children.
- Local organizations and businesses should support and provide resources in our schools.
Funding and Budgeting
- Elected officials should provide funds to make all school facilities safe and healthy learning spaces, and there must be a long term plan to keep them that way.
- There should be funding to recruit, support, and keep the best teachers.
Racial/ Socioeconomic Desegregation
- The Hamilton County Department of Education should develop a plan to end socioeconomic and racial segregation.
- Community members should demand the end of socioeconomic and racial segregation.
Supporting the People in Our Schools
- Schools should ensure that students and teachers have a voice in issues that matter to them to support better relationships and engagement.
- Central office should work to ensure that teaching and programs provide personalized support, especially to those with special needs and minority identities (like English-language learners and LGBTQ+ students).
Supporting the Whole Child
- Schools should work to ensure student mental and emotional health needs must be supported.
- Community organizations should work to ensure children can access mentoring, field trips, and early childhood education.