30 YEARS OF TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP

30 YEARS OF TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP

This year, the National Equity Project celebrates 30 years of transforming leadership in education.

In 1995, the Bay Area Coalition of Essential Schools (BayCES) was founded as a regional center of the national Coalition of Essential Schools. What began as a regional initiative to support school improvement in the Bay Area evolved into a three-decade movement that has transformed how educators across the country see, engage, and act on equity, leadership, and systems change.

Through name changes and geographic expansion—from BayCES to the National Equity Project—our commitment has remained constant: supporting leaders to create the conditions for improving educational experiences, outcomes, and life options for historically underserved students.

In the spirit of Sankofa, we’re reaching back to share 30 stories from 30 years of innovation, courage, and transformation that continue to shape a national movement for educational equity. By rooting in the stories of our shared legacy, we are renewing our purpose in demonstrating what's possible for transforming public education.

In 1995, the Bay Area Coalition of Essential Schools (BayCES) was founded as a regional hub of the national Coalition for Essential Schools, hiring Steve Jubb as its first Executive Director. Initially, the work focused on spreading and supporting CE
In 1995 BayCES was established as a regional center of the national Coalition of Essential Schools (CES). Founded in 1984, CES built a national network of schools that committed to nine Common Principles that emphasized personalized learning, student
From 2000 to 2008, BayCES was a catalyst in the Small Schools movement in Oakland, Berkeley, and Emeryville, CA. The small schools philosophy wasn't just about size—it was about creating environments where relationships mattered, where every student
LaShawn Routé Chatmon joined BayCES in 2001, beginning a journey that would transform both her career and the organization itself. She served as a coach and director of BayCES' high school redesign initiative, where her team pioneered innovative appr
In 2002, BayCES hosted its first Leading for Equity Institute in Sonoma County, convening In 2002, BayCES hosted its first Leading for Equity Institute in Sonoma County, convening school teams to deepen their relationships, leadership practice, and c
In 2005, after more than a decade of coaching in schools across the Bay Area, BayCES formalized what would become a transformative framework: our Coaching for Equity model. The framework articulated 10 core beliefs that challenged conventional coach