educational equity

In the inaugural NYC Youth Agenda, Education Equity had not yet taken shape as a distinct policy priority. Instead, education-related recommendations were woven throughout broader categories such as Civic Participation, Economic Justice, and Gender & LGBTQ Justice. Even then, young people centered their lived experiences and underscored the urgent need for inclusive, supportive, and well-resourced learning environments. The formal launch of the Education Equity policy group in 2022 marked a turning point — a response to the overwhelming presence of education-related concerns in our research and a commitment to deepening youth-led advocacy in this space.

Since then, the Education Equity group has pursued bold, multifaceted strategies to confront systemic inequities in NYC public schools — from uplifting student voice and reimagining resource distribution, to advancing inclusive curriculum, comprehensive sexual health education, and a diverse teaching workforce that more closely reflects NYC’s diverse student body. Last year, we sharpened our focus on long-term transformation by advocating for increased investment in education-focused school-to-career pipelines, identity-affirming mentorships, and student power in educator hiring processes. We also championed expansive investments in inclusive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate sexual health education, ensuring that all students — especially those historically underserved — have access to the knowledge, dignity, and support they deserve.