The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity exists to eradicate educational inequities using its Framework for Change to support students, educators, and communities. We understand that by empowering educators and students, strengthening advocacy efforts, building individual capacity, and centering historical context for present-day impact, we promote equitable and sustainable systems change. For far too long, educational inequities have persisted. We must continue to respond to the need and support students through our continued support of districts, schools, and those serving to educate the young minds of tomorrow.
May 17, 2024 marked the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board decision. Although it has been 70 years since 'separate but equal' was deemed unconstitutional, we know that educational inequities persist. Our namesake Dr. Dudley E. Flood, alongside other trailblazers, worked tirelessly to create possibility in public education and beyond. By all means necessary, that work must continue. We have a collective responsibility to continue Dr. Flood's legacy to create an equitable education for every child.
We are committed to fulfilling this responsibility by delivering critical programming and initiatives, serving as a trusted resource, and providing consistent statewide support. This report highlights the work of the Center in Fiscal Year 2023-2024 to directly address the growing needs due to continued breaches by the state to fully fund and implement the Leandro Comprehensive Remedial Plan.
The Center is a beacon of hope; rising to the occasion in the face of adversity, serving as a catalyst for collective action, and providing support to eradicate educational inequities. We fully believe and embrace that "the greatest motivator is possibility....we are not there yet. We will get there, but we will only do that if we keep the faith and believe there is a destination."
We look forward to being a constant support for our state as we work collectively to create a future where every child can thrive. Together, we can and will make the impossible possible.
Dr. Dudley E. Flood and Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith
FRAMEWORK FOR CHANGE
The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity provides opportunities to participants and partners across its programmatic areas to engage in action that aligns with the six research-based competencies outlined by its Framework for Change. These research-based competencies are modeling, preparing, researching, examining, investing, and convening. Applying the competencies and equity centered tools and resources, the Flood Center raises awareness about embracing care as foundational to establishing equity. This practice aids the center in shifting mindsets and behaviors by applying dignity, respect, and well-being to every individual and situation. This strategy is the driving force behind the reach and impact of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity.
Technical Support
"The best training for equity in schools that I have ever been a part of in 25 years of education."
Our framework is a commitment to act and provide systematic approaches to a diverse stakeholder group within and outside education to establish collective practices to eradicate systemic inequities. This unique framework elevates care as foundational to equity. To change we must act using shared guiding principles of dignity, respect, and well-being comprised of six research-based core competencies to create and contribute to building and maintaining equity.
In 2024, the Flood Center provided comprehensive support to school districts, affinity groups, and statewide partners across North Carolina. Supporting educators as they learn more about inequities, understand and apply data, and work towards implementing strategies that meet the unique needs of their environments.
"My top takeaway was the idea that knowing history allows us to better understand the present and how to make meaningful changes."
STATEWIDE IMPACT
Since 2020, we have expanded our programming initiatives from our signature event, The Color of Education Summit, to 20+ programs across 3 programmatic areas that support NC educators, students, and administrators from 46 geographically diverse school districts across the state. This report provides highlights and testimonials demonstrating our impact across North Carolina.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1
Provide analysis, recommendations, advocacy, and evaluation of district and state-level policies that enable or hinder equity in schools and for each and every student.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2
Develop and sustain meaningful, collaborative partnerships with organizations, philanthropic entities, schools, and districts to maximize efforts and impacts for students and schools.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3
Develop and implement convenings, programming, and professional learning opportunities to learn from and build the capacity of students, teachers, parents, administrators, policymakers, and other organizational and community leaders to understand and improve equity in our schools and communities.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 4
Produce, share, and disseminate the Flood Center’s equity-related work, as well as the efforts and products of partners and stakeholders to ensure access and increase and sustain momentum for equity-driven work and solutions.
Strategy 1: Equity Core Network
We believe in connecting and elevating the voices of leaders, educators, and communities to help address systemic issues related to equity, access, and opportunity across North Carolina. The Equity Core Network builds a community of practitioners across the state to inform research, policy and practice. Recommendations from this network yield better outcomes for students, educators, and their communities.
In 2023, the Flood Center expanded the Student Voices webinar series to include a fellowship. Through the fellowship the Flood Center delivered equity-center professional learning sessions to a cohort of high school students across 3 NC districts. The initiative provides students with opportunities to advocate on a state level using research conducted during the program.
In 2024, the Flood Center expanded the program to include a podcast series centering student perspectives on issues of equity, opportunity, and access. The podcast is planned and executed by students. Since its launch the podcast has released 6 episodes that are available on the Flood Center website.
This work continues to provide a platform for students to share the critical importance of educational equity and opportunity model the significance of bringing diverse voices together for a common goal.
"...it’s so important that our classrooms keep us educated on the real stories, because we cannot continue to glorify and spread these false narratives from the past that highlight oppressors, rather than demanding equity and justice..."
Educational Equity Internship
In 2024, the Flood Center hosted 3 interns from Fayetteville State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partnership with the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Non-Profit Internship Program, Southern Education Leadership Initiative, and UNC School of Government.
In September 2024, the Center presented its namesake, Dr. Dudley E. Flood, with a printed edition of the interactive digital timeline created in his honor. Flood Center intern Ms. LeKira Moore created the timeline using information collected through interviews with Dr. Flood and published it on the Center's website.
Learn more about the Educational Equity Internship and previous interns at: https://floodcenter.org/flood-center-educational-equity-internships/.
The Journey & Impact of Dr. Dudley E. Flood - Interactive Timeline
Step into the past and immerse yourself in Dr. Dudley E. Flood’s journey. Picture yourself in the pivotal years that shaped his story—a narrative filled with resilience, passion, and a relentless pursuit of educational equity. Join us in discovering how one individual’s dedication continues to transform the education landscape for countless students.
Educational Equity Fellowship
Dr. Kesha Branch Hood served as the 2023-2024 Educational Equity Fellow. In May 2023, Dr. Branch Hood received her Superintendent’s Licensure from Appalachian State University and successfully completed her Educational Specialist Degree (EdS) and Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership at Appalachian State in May 2024. She was the recipient of both the Appalachian State Educational Leadership Naylor Outstanding Dissertation Award and Excellence in Equity & Inclusion Award. Her dissertation was titled "You can get there from here: Exploring the impact of trauma on youth through the narrative constellations of multigenerational parents in the community."
During her time as a fellow, Dr. Branch Hood developed a policy brief and lesson plans focused on the importance of student voice, self-advocacy, and inclusion using the Flood Center's Framework for Change. Additionally, she presented at the 2024 Color of Education Summit. Dr. Branch-Hood was the principal at Laurel Hill Elementary School during the fellowship and currently serves as the Director of High Schools and Principal Coach for Scotland County.
In 2024, we released Elementary, Middle, and High-School lesson plans created by Dr. Branch-Hood. The lesson plans can be used in conjunction with the Flood Center's North Carolina School Desegregation & Resegregation Timeline.
To learn more about Dr. Branch-Hood, past fellows, and the Educational Equity Fellowship please visit: https://floodcenter.org/flood-center-educational-equity-fellowship/
Strategy 2: Equity Incubator
We believe in recruiting and retaining a diverse educator workforce. The Equity Incubator Programs address systemic teacher pipeline and diversity issues. In partnership with Institutes of Higher Education, Community Colleges, and Public School Units we support efforts to deploy teachers to hard to staff places in addition to diversifying the educator workforce. Ultimately this allows us to address and contribute to economic prosperity as a diverse teacher workforce improves democracy and economic prosperity of the state.
In partnership with GEARUP at Appalachian State University, the Rural Teacher Leader Network welcomed the inaugural cohort of educators from the Western part of the state in 2023.
The Flood Center launched cohort 3 of the Rural Teacher Leader network in 2024, welcoming 37 educators representing 12 counties across North Carolina. Combined, the three cohorts include educators from Duplin, Greene, Jones, Onslow, Sampson, Lenoir, Wayne, Robeson, Columbus, Scotland, Cumberland, Hoke and Bladen County schools.
"RTLN has opened my eyes to the fact that I am a teacher leader. Teachers have such an important role in the lives of the students we teach. We are there for students to not only teach just the curriculum, but to help with social and emotional needs, to show them opportunities after high school and to guide them in decisions. RTLN was extremely helpful with ideas to help in a variety of areas with my students."
North Carolina Leadership Programs
The NC Leadership Programs provide training and support to improve recruitment, retention, and diversity with superintendents, assistant superintendents, & principals. This programming reimagines the Leadership School of 1973 formed by our namesake, Dr. Dudley E. Flood, which experimented with Educational Leadership Development. Currently, we have 2 groups we support, those in the profession and those aspiring to be superintendents.
"In recent years, the superintendency has become more challenging given the increased politicization of the superintendency and the existing culture wars in the form of book bans and legislation that threatens to violate students’ rights to an equal education free from discrimination."
In 'A Letter to Superintendents of Color' Malasia McClendon discusses the unique experiences of leaders of color, highlighting the need for communities of authenticity and support to ensure the well-being of superintendents. The Flood Center provides on-going support to existing leaders of color in the education profession. This includes but is not limited to professional development, community building, and capacity building. In addition to hosting an annual convening, we collaborate with leaders of color to aspire the next generation of educators.
Superintendent of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Dr. Nyah Hamlett delivered the plenary address at the 2024 Color of Education Summit. Dr. Hamlett affirmed that 'Fear is Not Our Future' by urging educators, students, and education advocates not to flinch in the face of adversity. Leaving teachers, principals, and other participants motivated to inspire change by "leading unapologetically", "being bold", and "standing firmly in their values".
The Flood Center has expanded this impact through its partnership with retired superintendent, Dr. Valerie Bridges and the Center for Responsive Schools. In 2025, the center will continue uplifting leaders of color and aspiring superintendents through the Dudley Flood Ambassador Program.
Learn more about the Flood Center's North Carolina Leadership Programs by visiting: https://floodcenter.org/nc-leadership-program/
Jeanes Fellowship
Seven educators from seven school districts in North Carolina completed the Jeanes Fellowship in 2024. The inaugural cohort of the Jeanes Fellows Program was a partnership between the Innovation Project (TIP) and the Dudley Flood Center designed to provide consistent and intentional infrastructure to support community-school relationships using an equity lens.
Using a two-year cohort model, each educator participated in 70 hours of professional learning and development to design and implement projects to meet the unique equity needs in their school districts. In addition to building community as a cohort, the participants engaged in community building within their school districts, identifying key partners in the work to meet the needs of students by recruiting and retaining a diverse educator workforce.
The fellows presented at the 2023 and 2024 Color of Education Summits, sharing lessons learned and key strategies for advancing equity and opportunity in schools based on their experience and expertise. The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity will launch the 2nd cohort of the Jeanes Fellowship Program in 2025.
To learn more about the historic Jeanes Teachers and the Reimagined Jeanes Fellows Program please visit: https://floodcenter.org/jeanes-fellowship-program/
Drive Coalition
At the close of 2023, the DRIVE Task Force unanimously voted to designate the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity as the governing body of the task force’s work moving forward.
In 2024, the Flood Center fully incubated this work, shifting the title to the DRIVE Coalition. Following the transition the Flood Center engaged statewide partners by developing a DRIVE Forward Advisory Board, establishing DRIVE geographic committees, and creating opportunities for collaboration and leadership throughout the state.
“We will continue the aspiration components around the work,” Townsend-Smith said. “We will continue to push for action toward diversifying the educator workforce. We will continue advocacy efforts and continue to establish accountability.”
The Center is excited to co-host the Annual DRIVE Summit with the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and The Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum on February 1, 2025. Through the theme, “Whatever They See is What They’ll Be: Elevating the Legacy of Black Education through Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown”, the event will inspire collective action around the need for a diverse educator workforce.
To learn more about the DRIVE Coalition and to get involved visit: https://floodcenter.org/drive/
Strategy 3: Equity Education
We believe in convening diverse stakeholder groups. The Center engages organizations, philanthropic entities, schools, districts, policymakers, communities, and students to build individual and collective capacity for understanding complex issues. Ultimately, these programs inspire and facilitate collective action.
Color of Education 2024
The Color of Education Advisory Board, co-led by Dr. Keisha Bentley-Edwards and Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith, in collaboration with the Color of Education partners convened nearly 900 educators, policymakers, researchers, students, community members, and other education stakeholders at the annual summit in 2024.
At COE 2024, two organization's were presented with the History Counts Award. The award exists to acknowledge, encourage, and support those who promote history, democracy, civic engagement and community to build a path to support youth in PK – 20 settings to develop and implement social justice projects across the state.
Youth-Led Mini Grants
To support youth-driven projects that promote history, civic engagement, and social justice within their communities The Dudley Flood Center launched the Youth-Led Mini Grants. These grants encourage young leaders to develop and implement projects that address local issues through a historical lens, grounded in the principles of equity and community empowerment. The program is a nod to the “History Counts” award, aiming to foster youth leadership, democratic participation, and social justice efforts across North Carolina.
Color of Education 2025 will be held on October 3-4, 2025. Join the Color of Education mailing list for updates.
Mapping the Movement
In 2023, the Flood Center expanded the Mapping the Movement project to include in-person and virtual convenings throughout the year as a continuation of the work done at Color of Education annually.
Since then, the center has facilitated collective action across 100+ organizations through 6 Mapping the Movement convenings, welcoming students with opportunities to share their perspectives on the priorities identified by the collective.
Through Mapping the Movement, nearly 20 individuals and organizations have expanded their network by developing partnerships across the fields of research, policy, and practice to address common priorities related to equity.
In 2024, the Center expanded Mapping the Movement by providing partners in the network with opportunities to host a convening in different areas across the state. The first official pop-up is scheduled to take place in March 2025.
The 2025 Mapping the Movement Convenings are scheduled to begin on February 19, 2025.
Add your organization to the map: https://floodcenter.org/mapping-the-movement/
STRATEGY 4: Communications, Outreach, and Dissemination
We believe in advocating for equitable policies and practices to eradicate the persistent systemic inequities at the state and national levels. The center provides professional learning, technical support, tools, and resources to raise awareness about embracing care as foundational to establishing equity. Through this work we shift mindsets and behaviors by modeling how to maintain dignity, respect, and well-being for each and every individual/situation.
Equity Profiles Dashboard
In 2023 the Flood Center released The Equity Profile Dashboard, an accessible tool that visually presents key equity data for schools and districts across North Carolina. It allows users to analyze disparities, trends, and progress in critical areas that influence educational outcomes. The dashboard serves as both a data repository and a conversation starter, encouraging deeper reflection and collaboration around equity-driven solutions.
In 2024, the dashboard received over 1,000 views on the Flood Center's website. Additionally, the dashboard served as a critical tool for districts throughout the state as they explored the data and used it to inform strategies for advancing equity. We recognize how impactful the dashboard is for districts and acknowledge the need for additional tools to maximize its use. The data for the 2023-2024 school year is now live on the Flood Center's website.
In 2025, the Flood Center will release the Equity Profiles Dashboard Toolkit as a resources to guide entities on deepening their understanding of the data. We understand that accessibility is not only about have physical access to information and resources, but it is also about knowing and understanding how it applies. In an effort to increase accessibility to equity-driven professional learning and development that Flood Center offers technical support to K – 12 schools and districts, institutions of higher education, students, educators, and businesses using its research based Framework for Change.
SUPPORT THE FLOOD CENTER
70 years following the Brown vs. Education ruling, student outcomes are tied to race, ethnicity, residential differences, and the resources available between affluent and economically disadvantaged schools and districts. We believe that every student should have access to equitable, culturally responsive, and high-quality educational opportunities that lead to success in college, career, and citizenship.
We work collaboratively to take action toward addressing issues of systemic racism by advocating for structural changes in policy and practice to build an equitable education system that meets the social, emotional, and academic needs of NC’s diverse student population.
Your investment in our work is a commitment to achieving equity, access, and opportunity for each and every young person in North Carolina. Thank you for championing educational equity & opportunity in North Carolina with us.
The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity is fiscally sponsored by the Public School Forum. The Public School Forum of North Carolina is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN #581654064. Your contribution is tax deductible as allowable by law. All donations are secure.
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Created with an image by ArtCookStudio - "Diverse Crowd Raising Fists in Unity During a Peaceful Protest in a Park"