RedefinED Atlanta has been investing in public schools across Metro Atlanta since 2017. To date, our total investment exceeds $11.5 million, with the majority of funding going to organizations led by people of color.
At their best, these resources are a catalyst for improved student experiences and increased family support. Recent examples from Liberation Academy and Miles Ahead Charter School underscore just what’s possible when schools get the support they need.
Liberation Academy opened its doors in College Park in 2022 as a tuition-free public charter school serving students in grades 5-8. RedefinED helped support them through the incubation phase to launch. As part of our portfolio of schools, they participated in the Instructional Culture survey administration and analysis from TNTP, a national education nonprofit that specializes in research and policy.
For Liberation’s leader, the survey results highlighted a need to increase parent involvement and staff satisfaction. The school committed to boosting engagement with these key groups. At their recent Donuts with Dads event, for example, over 100 fathers and father figures came together to form connections and learn from each other, in some cases looking past their previous differences to work together for the benefit of their children. Because of events like these, Liberation Academy was able to increase parent involvement across the board and nearly double its staff satisfaction scores and retention.
RedefinED Atlanta also supported the launch of Miles Ahead Charter School (MACS) in Powder Springs in 2023. Today, they are a K-8 school, with a mission to grow whole, healthy, happy people for the 21st century. Their model rethinks traditional education practices to better serve scholars in our digital world, including offering coding as a language, social-emotional wellness and character education, real-world learning expeditions, and other opportunities for students to synthesize and apply their learning.
Consider the stories of Story and Lennox, two students who came to MACS a year ago seeking a community focused on helping them grow both academically and in character. Their time at MACS started with some tears and tantrums, but their parents trusted the school. By February, both Story and Lennox demonstrated not only academic growth and improved attendance. Their attitudes toward school changed, too, as they jumped out of their family’s car each day to run to class. On their spring summative assessments, Story scored proficient on both her reading and math tests (something she did not achieve previously), and both students grew more than 12 points on their reading test from the beginning of the year and scored outstanding on their student-led conferences in May.
RedefinED Atlanta is proud to invest in public K-12 schools like Liberation Academy and Miles Ahead Charter School. We will continue to invest in schools, teachers, and programs across our community in ways that promote integrity, excellence, and sustainability. We will continue to follow the data, focusing on communities with the greatest need and demand.
And you can help! Learn more about ways to engage so you can play a vital role in shaping the education landscape of Atlanta.