Seattle Public Schools’ Office of African American Male Achievement
Community Collaboration With The Alliance
The Alliance supports SPS in their commitment to actively become an anti-racist educational system to ensure that students furthest away from educational justice can thrive. In 2019, the Alliance for Education partnered with SPS and the philanthropic community to support the launch of the first ever Office of African American Male Achievement (AAMA) in Seattle, exceeding a goal of raising over $3.6 million to support the Office’s first three years.
About AAMA
AAMA was established to reimagine and build a school system that intentionally cultivates the strength of Black boys and teens, ensuring each and every Black student recognizes their own potential and feels supported in their education. By listening to the expressed concerns of Black male students, AAMA will create a framework that aligns work and practices across the district to ensure SPS has the culture, conditions, staff competencies, and community connections in place for all Black boys and teens to excel in their education.
Investing in Racial Equity
Seattle Public Schools is the first district in Washington, and one of only a few across the nation, to create an office that intentionally cultivates the cultural and academic strengths of Black male students while simultaneously addressing their needs. The Alliance continues to invest in this strategic and innovative approach. Learn more about the program here!
Our Voice, Our Vision Community Engagement Report
Seattle Public Schools’ Office of African American Male Achievement is proud to publish “Our Voice, Our Vision: Strategies for Supporting Black Excellence in Seattle Public Schools,” a report that explores how Black boys, teens, and families experience the SPS system.
Research findings and recommendations are products of their voices and insights. This report represents an ongoing conversation about rectifying inequities, building just schools, and leading from the insights of students and families.
“Our Voice, Our Vision” offers insights toward achieving the racial equity goals outlined in SPS’ Seattle Excellence and lays the groundwork for AAMA’s multi-year plan to implement structural changes in Seattle Public Schools.
“Black families have been marginalized so much in public education, of course they want to see fixes for each individual child. But the role of AAMA is to push the entire system and address adult practices and our policies that have been a barrier to meeting the needs of all of our African American boys and teens. By focusing our work on the system, the individual needs of students will be met.”
Dr. Mia Williams