Deputy Secretary of Education Jim Shelton will give remarks at Morehouse College's Crown Forum on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel on campus. He will highlight the role of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in achieving equal opportunity for all and President Obama's My Brother's Keeper initiative, which is aimed at creating pathways to success for all youth, including men and boys of color. Shelton, a Morehouse alumnus, also will share highlights from the Department's comprehensive Civil Rights Data Collection, which shines a light on the disparities in access to educational opportunities among youth, including African Americans and other students of color.
The Obama Administration has worked to ensure that there are ladders of opportunity for all students through a variety of programs, from the Excellent Educators for All to the My Brother's Keeper initiatives. Last month, as part of the My Brother's Keeper initiative, the White House announced the My Brother's Keeper Community Challenge—an effort to encourage communities (cities, counties, suburbs, rural municipalities and tribal nations) to implement a coherent cradle-to-college and career strategy aimed at improving life outcomes for all young people. The Challenge is a call to action for leaders of communities across the nation to build and execute comprehensive strategies that ensure all children enter school cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally prepared; can read on grade level by third grade; graduate from high school; complete post-secondary education or training; and that youth out of school are employed and safe from violent crime.
In a move to continue closing equity and opportunity gaps for minority students attending colleges and universities across the country, the Department recently awarded nearly $96 million in grants to ensure every student—regardless of wealth, zip code, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or disability—has the same opportunities to learn and achieve.