Communities Organizing for Racial Equity in Education (CORE) Collective

What is the Communities Organizing for Racial Equity in Education (CORE) Collective?

Since 2016, The Education Trust—West has channeled over $1,000,000 to and partnered with 15 non-profit organizations in working toward education equity and achieved wins helping to increase outcomes for students of color. In 2023, we re-launched this program with a renewed focus on racial equity, collaborative capacity-building, educational advocacy, resource sharing, and power-building.

CORE Collective Overview 

Our program, the CORE Collective, is a two-year subgrant program that aims to empower grassroots organizations serving students, parents, families, and communities who have been most affected by racialized opportunity and investment gaps in California’s education systems. We focus on early learning and care, K-12, and higher education.

We aim to build the power and capacity of community-based organizations and support them in advocating for racially equitable and just policy and systems change in education. Participants have the opportunity to share their learnings and grow their networks by coming together regularly. They also receive support and thought partnership from other members of the CORE Collective and have direct access to Ed Trust—West staff through research and policy consulting/support.

We have four main goals for the CORE Collective Program:

  1. Strengthen and improve California’s educational equity ecosystem.
  2. Support power- and capacity-building activities and collaboration.
  3. Direct resources to emerging BIPOC-led and -serving grassroots community-based organizations.
  4. Advocate to achieve racially equitable systems change at state and local levels

Our program collectively impacts California’s education systems, providing more equitable outcomes for all students, families, and communities.

CORE Collective 2023 – 2025 Cohort

We are thrilled to announce that we will be working in partnership with eight outstanding organizations across the state as part of our CORE Collective cohort for the next two years, from May 2023 until May 2025. Each of these organizations shares our vision for equity and inclusion in California’s education systems, as outlined in our policy agenda Moving Forward Together: A Policy Agenda for Racial Equity in California Education Systems in 2023. We invite you to learn more about these incredible partners below!  
Black Californians United for Early Care and Education (BCUECE) is a powerful coalition of advocates, policy influencers, civil rights organizations, researchers, university faculty, non-profit leaders, early educators, caregivers, providers, families, and community-based organizations. As BCUECE members, we have intentionally organized our influence around a 10-point policy plan to serve over 490,000 of California's Black children and students (Kids Data, 2020). BCUECE intends to create bridges to previous work and create equity-minded policies that focus on Black children, students, families, and the ECE workforce.
Central Valley Scholars empowers students to realize their potential and capabilities. They directly provide resources, guidance, and support to help students achieve their educational dreams. They value and understand that every student has their own pathway to education, and reimagine and rebuild classrooms, programs, workshops, universities to directly accommodate the individual needs of students.
PON envisions that in every public school, parents genuinely are equal partners and decision-makers in ensuring that opportunity and achievement gaps are closed and that all students have a high-quality educational experience that promotes diversity and inclusion, is tailored to their needs, and prepares them for success in school and life.
Calculus Roundtable focuses on STEM education for underserved students because STEM is so important for our present and future world. CR wants to make sure that the communities they support do not get left behind - because it's hard enough just to catch up.
Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities' (EMAC) mission is to serve and support marginalized Southeast Asians by empowering their communities through advocacy and healing from present and past disparities to build an equitable and robust future.

BLU Educational Foundation provides educational and human services programming to youth, adults and organizations, with a mission, to build healthy productive communities. Our initiatives focus on education, health, & wellness, civic engagement, leadership development, advocacy, and the Arts. BLU partners with nonprofits, governmental agencies and educational institutions in various capacities to support the development, coordination and implementation of programs and policy. Additionally, BLU convenes groups around issues impacting communities of color.

LEAF's purpose is to increase college enrollment and persistence among low-income students attending East San José High Schools; to support systemic reform in the education system to benefit all low-income students and increase funding for all schools in East San José. LEAF is currently comprised of four programs that prioritize academic success, parent engagement, and economic mobility for families that are experiencing systemic barriers alongside their first-generation student for the first time.
The Black Educators Advocates Network exists to transform the environment, practices, and policies that affect the educational experience for Black educators, administrators, students, and parents. The Black Educators Advocates Network was born out of necessity. Founded byBlack educators who recognized the desperate need for an educational experience that considers and centers around Black students, BEAN is committed to transforming the learning environment for students of color. BEAN centers its efforts around community building, research and discovery, and bold advocacy.
Regional Spread
  • Calculus Roundtable
  • Latino Education Advancement Foundation
  • Parent Organization Network
  • BLU Educational Foundation
  • Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities
  • Central Valley Scholars
  • Black Educator Advocates Network
  • Black Californians United for Early Care & Education (statewide)

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Contact/More Information

For more information, please contact Lange Luntao, Director of External Relations, on the Partnerships and Engagement team at The Education Trust—West. 

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