News Release

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education, in collaboration with the Western New York Education Equity Task Force, will host its annual Igniting Equity in Education Conference on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Active Learning Center, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 955 Main St., Buffalo.

This daylong gathering will bring together educational leaders, university faculty, community stakeholders and policymakers around the theme: Models of Excellence: Building Support for Neighborhood and Community Schools.

Attendees will explore how neighborhood and community school models can center student needs, strengthen community ties and promote equitable outcomes across Western New York.

• Expert panels on defining neighborhood and community schools and how those models operate in practice.
• Presentations of preliminary research from the Buffalo School Choice Research Project.
• Case studies on two distinct models: University-Assisted Community Schools and the BOCES CO-SER model.
• A policy-oriented panel focused on next steps and transforming insights into actionable change.

“At GSE, we believe educational equity is not a lofty ideal but a shared responsibility,” said Suzanne Rosenblith, dean of the Graduate School of Education. “This conference offers an opportunity for our region to convene around practical, community-rooted models—neighborhood and community schools—that place students and their lived experiences at the center. When educators, families, researchers and policymakers work together, we can co-create systems that truly serve all learners.”

The conference is sponsored by the Western New York Education Equity Task Force with financial support from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and UB’s Graduate School of Education.

Attendance is open to practitioners, researchers, students, community organizations and the public.

The Western New York Education Equity Task Force is a collaborative initiative co-convened by UB’s Graduate School of Education, the Buffalo Equity Coalition and the Urban Think Tank. Its mission is to leverage collective expertise and partnerships to implement data-driven solutions, dismantle structural barriers and create sustainable opportunities for students and families across Western New York.

The task force includes representatives from local school districts, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, business and civic groups, and community-based organizations.