Transition Memo
TO: Education Transition Team, Office of President-elect Donald Trump
FROM: Southern Education Foundation (SEF)
DATE: December 3, 2024
RE: The Trump-Vance Administration’s Education Priorities
The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) is one of America’s oldest education justice nonprofit organizations. It was founded on the core principle of advancing educational opportunities for students of color and students living in low–income households. For more than 157 years, SEF has helped develop and advocate for a high–quality, culturally affirming birth–through–postsecondary completion education system tailored to young learners who have been historically underserved. SEF’s mission dates back to 1867 when our organizational funds were used to erect school buildings and collect textbooks for the newly emancipated population and their children. Its fundamental mission was and still is to help create an effective and racially just education system that spurs curiosity, empathy, and confident learners.
Our federal policy recommendations urge the Trump Administration to support young learners nationwide, especially those in the South. This memo explicitly outlines areas where the Trump Administration should focus its efforts to advance academic excellence in the nation’s education system. We respectfully encourage your leadership team to consider the following ten recommendations as you assess needs, determine priorities, and assemble staff for the incoming presidential administration. Read more