Episode 5: Finding the Third Way

In late 2017, Mississippi’s capital school district, Jackson Public Schools (JPS), was at risk of being taken over by the state. As the second largest school district in the state, the prospect of JPS being absorbed into the state’s Achievement School District was concerning for the community, City, and State, especially considering Jackson’s fraught racial history with education. All sides sought alternatives, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation helped to find a third way, by advocating for and allocating $3 million to form the Better Together Commission (BTC) – a community centric approach to school improvement. This podcast examines how JPS was almost taken over, what that meant in the context of JPS’s past, and highlights the role of the community, W.K. Kellogg and the other stakeholders in the BTC.

Om Podcasten

On Philanthropy and Social Movements, we examine the history and future of philanthropy’s relationship with radical social movements. We meet the funders and activists interrogating power, transforming philanthropic institutions, and imagining a new future. We hope that you listen to the podcast and share it widely!