In a landmark Supreme Court case, justices ruled in 1954, that separate schools for Black and white students were illegal. This case, filed by Oliver Brown, on behalf of his daughter, Linda, was combined with similar cases and became known as Brown v Board of Education of Topeka Kansas. Argued by a legal team led by Thurgood Marshall, on behalf of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the case resulted in a verdict that overturned the 1896 “Separate but Equal” doctrine in the Plessey v Ferguson case.  The court said the plaintiffs, by being forced to attend separate schools, were “deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.”  

To commemorate the occasion of the Supreme Court Decision, NCOEE, along with its partners, will host a conference, bringing educational leaders, directors of community-based organizations, academics and policymakers from across the country, to discuss key issues. Research related to the 1954 decision, its impact on our students and communities, and where we go from here, will be led by academics from around the country.  Their findings will also be highlighted in a book to be published after the conference.  We hope this groundbreaking event will help to cement our concerns into the national consciousness and result in policy and programmatic changes to benefit our students. ​

The National Coalition on Education Equity (NCOEE), along with its partners, Indiana Council on Educating Students of Color, WestEd, National Council on Educating Black Children (NCEBC), and the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) hosted it's first national conference on October 5 - October 7, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The "Equity in Action" conference brought together educational stakeholders from across our nation who are committed to educational equity. Attendees learned about and share transformational programs and practices to improve outcomes for students of color, marginalized students, and students with disabilities. The goal of the conference was to form a cohesive network of stakeholders who will, over time, develop a national plan for educational equity.