ESI is committed to eliminating the school-to-prison pipeline. Several studies have shown that students with higher numbers of suspensions are more likely to end up in prison, with young men of color disproportionately suspended relative to other groups. To combat these statistics, several ESI schools have implemented Restorative Justice (RJ) practices. The goal of restorative […]
On March 5, 2015, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the Change Direction campaign, a new mental health initiative designed to raise mental health awareness. This builds on President Obama’s call two years ago where he urged educators to help “bring mental illness out of the shadows.” This national spotlight on mental illness, in conjunction with […]
By Erica Pretel
What is the role or vision of YMI? Why is this work so important right now? The role of YMI is to help the government. The best way I can really describe it is to relate it to football. I’m an old jock and I used to play football; when you want to improve on […]
The Expanded Success Initiative (ESI), a public-private partnership between the New York City Department of Education and Open Society Foundations, held a summer two-day intensive workshop on Restorative Practices at OSF Headquarters in Manhattan. 16 out of the 40 ESI schools participated in the training. In 2011, 40 schools were selected through a competitive application […]
For school year 2013-2014, Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) remained a key focus of ESI. During the summer’s CRE Immersion Week, teachers received an even deeper understanding of how a culturally relevant lens can be infused into and throughout a curriculum in History/Social Studies (led by Felicia Pride), Math (led by Prof. Danté Tawfeeq), Science (led […]
This summer, the ESI Team spoke to Deirdre Hollman, Director of Education, and Joel Diaz, Education Associate at the Schomburg Center about the ongoing partnership with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and their Black History 360: The Schomburg’s Summer Education Institute. Tell us about the Summer Institute. Deirdre: The focus of the […]
