On a Path to Educational Equity - The Story of MBK in New York State Booklet
THIS BOOKLET IS DEDICATED TO NEW YORK’S LEARNERS – PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE – AS WE MARCH FORWARD ON A PATH TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL EQUITY FOR ALL.
This project was made possible with support from Vice Chancellor Emerita Adelaide L. Sanford, whose generous gift to the Regents Research Fund to study the African experience in New York State, the Americas, and the diaspora helped fund the production of this publication.
Executive Summary
This publication documents the development of the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative – from its establishment at the national level to its adoption and steady growth in New York State.
In 2014, President Barack Obama launched the federal MBK Initiative to address the race-based inequities that are so apparent in our nation’s schools. As described by the White House at that time, the goal of the initiative was to “address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential.”
The following year, in response to the national MBK initiative, the New York State Board of Regents established the Regents Workgroup to Improve Outcomes for Boys and Young Men of Color. The Workgroup was charged with examining the educational challenges and opportunities faced by boys and young men of color – and making policy, budget, and legislative recommendations to address these challenges.
New York became the first state in the nation to accept the MBK Community Challenge when the NYS Assembly secured $20 million in the 2016-2017 State Budget to fund programs specifically aimed at helping boys and young men of color succeed inside and outside the classroom.
This report describes New York’s unique approach to implementing MBK statewide and documents the program’s steady growth over the years. It will provide the reader with insights into the policy decisions, organizational structures, legislative processes, and aggressive timeline that resulted in New York State becoming the first and only state in the nation to enact MBK into state law, together with a dedicated funding source.
The report also explains how NYSMBK utilizes community networks, grant programs, and student-centered symposia to drive change, and details the various resources the State makes available to schools and communities to help them implement the ideals of MBK throughout New York. The publication concludes with a look at the next steps in our march to educational equity.
