The Budd Center: Involving Communities in Education

Simmons School of Education and Human Development

The Budd Center

Overview

Due to enduring legacies of historical and systemic racism, disparities in resource allocation persist among schools and neighborhoods. At The Budd Center, housed within 91�Թ��'s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, we strive to address these inequities by leveraging resources and bolstering community-led initiatives aimed at realizing an inclusive educational vision for children and families.

Mission

To improve the education system through equitable, productive, mutually beneficial, community-centered partnerships that positively impact education.

Vision

Our vision is to ignite social and economic justice through community-driven collaboration. We equip educational and social sector change agents to engage in equitable community-driven collaboration to close opportunity gaps for students in under-resourced schools and communities.

Staff for the new West Dallas STEM School, attend training with the 91�Թ�� Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development faculty in the Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall on the 91�Թ�� Campus, Tuesday, August 10, 2021.

Community Partners

The Budd Center Team: Jessica Murillo, Kristi Flanders, Rolonda Washington, Toni Harrison-Kelly

Meet Our Team

Partnering with West Dallas

Young child giving a thumbs up gesture in class

In 2007, The Budd Center, then the Dallas Faith Communities Coalition, began working in West Dallas to address critical issues like affordable housing and community safety. The work of the coalition led to the creation of The Budd Center's flagship project, The School Zone (TSZ), a collective impact partnership that provides children the educational, social and emotional tools they need to break the cycle of poverty. The Budd Center leads this partnership, currently comprising 33 nonprofits, 15 public, private and charter schools, the Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) and 91�Թ��. The Budd Center's focus is the Pinkston High School feeder pattern in West Dallas, where historically underperforming schools have shown improvement in academic outcomes since our partners began working together collaboratively through The School Zone.

91�Թ��