Black Belt Superintendents' Coalition

Alabama is a deep-south state, rife with potential and challenges. Some areas of the state are prospering while other regions are deeply impoverished and isolated. One area of the state, known as the Black Belt, has been plagued with limited opportunities for economic development and growth, a perception that these schools have low educational expectations, and a lack of infrastructure to help the area prosper. In 2004, Alabama's Governor Bob Riley created the Black Belt Action Commission to address the numerous challenges facing this region of the state. As part of the commission's work, thirteen committees were formed to identify needs and potential service providers, research best practices for addressing needs, and develop action plans. One of these committees was an education committee. Possibly the most important outcome from the work of the education committee was the creation of a superintendents' coalition to represent all fifteen of the Black Belt region school districts. Dr. Reed was an active member of this education committee.

The stated mission of the superintendents' coalition is to serve as a collaborative group to improve the quality of education in the region. Purposes of the group are to enhance student achievement, improve attendance, provide strategies to improve the quality of life for all citizens in this region through improved educational opportunities, develop high-quality and equitable educational opportunities by sharing resources in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration, and to become a voice for advocacy in the community, throughout the state, and in the state legislature. The superintendents' coalition provided a vehicle to implement the ideas and plans generated through the work of the education committee, but it also serves as a vehicle for empowering the educational leaders throughout the Black Belt region by creating a formal coalition focused on collaboration and regional success rather than continuing the pattern of isolationism and competition among the school systems.

The underlying assumptions grounding the work of the superintendents' coalition include several claims:

For too long, others have come into Black Belt schools in an attempt to "fix" things. Those of us who live and work in these schools have often been left out of those reform efforts rather than being empowered to take ownership of the problems and find solutions.
The superintendents' coalition has been created to name the issues of most importance to the school systems within the Black Belt region and to frame these same issues in ways that the group can tackle them collaboratively.
There are many problems all of our districts face. When we face them in isolation, these problems seem overwhelming. By collaborating and approaching these issues using a regional approach, we should be able to maximize resources, effectively share ideas and people, and have greater clout when advocating for our needs.
We created this group so we are better able to help ourselves, seeking outside help when we feel it is needed. The group is intended to be action-oriented, focusing on our common issues in a spirit of collaboration and fellowship (Strategic Planning Session, July 2005).

TPI's role was to support research efforts, professional development, organizational and leadership enhancement, and other efforts focused on assisting school superintendents within the Black Belt region to maximize resources and improve student learning. TPI's work in this area was originally funded through an Auburn Outreach Scholarship grant. Activities undertaken included:

Supporting the organizational efforts of the Black Belt Superintendents' Coalition
Facilitating a multi-day strategic planning conference
Hosting "Best practice" conferences
Providing professional development aimed at closing the achievement gap
Collecting data, keeping records of meetings, and evaluating organizational progress
Serving as a resource for educators and others from this region

The Alabama Black Belt Superintendents’ Coalition established nonprofit status in 2007 and plans to reach its goals of enhancing student achievement, attendance, and quality of life by continuing to work together in the spirit of cooperation. For further information about the Black Belt Superintendents' Coalition, contact Dr. Fannie Major-McKenzie, President of the coalition and Superintendent of Dallas County Schools, at (334) 876-4498 or mckenzief@dallask12.org.

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2011