Tauheedah Baker-Jones, the chief equity and social justice officer for Atlanta Public Schools (APS), was recently honored with the first-ever “Championing Equity” Urban School District Equity Leader Award.
Baker-Jones was presented with the award at the Council of the Great Schools’ Curriculum, Research and Instructional Leaders Meeting in Portland, Oregon.
The award recognizes an equity leader in a Council member district who has demonstrated leadership in developing strategies designed to dismantle inequities within their respective district, according to a release.
“As the role of equity leaders in school districts is still fairly new, Dr. Baker-Jones stands out as exemplary and a model for other equity leaders across urban school districts,” said Dr. Akisha Osei Sarfo, the Council’s director of research.
“I am very honored to receive this award and proud to have a team of phenomenal equity leaders who lean into this work with me despite the ever-growing challenges presented to us daily,” said Baker-Jones. “We remain proud and passionate about the work we have done and are doing, to advance educational equity in the district, and now, APS is a national model for intentionally, explicitly, and sustainably addressing challenges of equity in education.”
Baker-Jones began serving as the first chief equity and social justice officer for APS back in 2020. Since starting her role, she has led the APS district’s efforts in building a culture of inclusion and advancing educational equity.
Baker-Jones started her teaching career in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Prior to serving as a chief equity and social justice officer for APS, she has worked as a teacher, principal and district leader in Newark, N.J.; a non-profit leader in NYC; and an adjunct professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
The Urban School District Equity Leader Award is the latest in a number of accolades that Baker-Jones has received, including a recognition by President Barack Obama as a White House Community Leader in Education, as well as receiving the Harvard University Afolabi Award for Commitment to Educational Justice in 2020, among others.