The Southern Education Foundation’s 2023 Issues Forum, Miles to Go: Fulfilling the Promise of Racial Equity in Education, is set for Nov. 14-17, 2023, at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, NC. This historic conference will bring together education leaders, scholars, K-12 educators, advocates, students, and other allies to build an agenda for addressing the South’s most important issues in education — inequitable resources and opportunities for students, increasing racial segregation, the need for expanded early childhood education, and more.
Why now is a turning point: The South continues to lag the rest of the nation on many important indicators of education opportunity, investment, and success. For Black students and their families — and many Latinx and low-income families — the remnants of segregation and inequitable opportunities for students clearly persist today. After many years of progress in education and society, the South’s forward movement is now threatened by political conflicts often rooted in race.
Hope built on history: Convening in Charlotte allows us to recognize the importance of the Swann v. Mecklenburg County Board of Education case in the early 1970s, the families involved, the late Julius Chambers and other leaders’ roles in the desegregation of public schools in the South. As the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision approaches, we will find renewed hope at this critical time in education, the South, and the life of our nation.
Announcing the Forum schedule: At the 2023 SEF Issues Forum, we will gather to discuss education justice during plenary panels and over 30 breakout sessions led by practitioners, researchers, and other professionals. Find an overview of the key moments below and register for session times, speakers, and other details:
Tuesday, Nov. 14 Kick-Off Event: Desegregation in Charlotte and Its Impact on America
Wednesday, Nov. 15 Plenary: A New Day for Early Learners in the South: Steps Toward More Successful Starts
Wednesday, Nov. 15 Plenary: Desegregation Strategies of the Past, Resegregation in the Present, Strategies for Education Equity in the Future
Thursday, Nov. 16 Plenary: Making K-12 Education Resources More Equitable for Students Enrolled in Historically Underinvested Schools
Thursday, Nov. 16 Plenary: Making College Opportunity More Equitable in a Post-Affirmative Action World
Friday, Nov. 17 Plenary: The Wisdom of Youth: Students’ Vision for Improving Education in the South
Call for proposals, sponsors, and exhibitors: SEF is calling for proposals from both practitioners and researchers to present papers and lead sessions at our upcoming 2023 Issues Forum. We are also inviting interested organizations to sponsor the event or exhibit during the forum.