Hunt Institute, Hunt-Kean Fellows Visit Charleston’s Meeting Street Schools

Charleston, SC – Hunt Institute Executive Director & CEO, Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, along with five Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows, today toured Meeting Street Elementary School @Brentwood to learn more about the partnership between Meeting Street Schools (MSS) and the Charleston County School District (CCSS). They were joined by MSS and CCSD leadership who engaged Fellows in a discussion about maximizing collective impact, maintaining a high-performing public school, and expanding educational opportunities and student outcomes.

The emphasis on Meeting Street Schools was encouraged by Hunt-Kean Fellow, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who believed that the public-private partnership serves as a unique and innovative model for districts across the nation.

“I am honored to host state leaders from around the country who are coming to South Carolina to learn new and innovative ways for the public and private sector to work together in educating our children,” said Wilson.  ”It is my hope that programs like Meeting Street Schools can serve as another best practice model in our education system while providing new opportunities for growth in our students.”

Additional Hunt-Kean Fellows in attendance were: Milwaukee (WI) County Executive, Chris Abele (Cohort 3); Virginia Delegate Tag Greason (Cohort 2); Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin (Cohort 3); and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes (Cohort 3).

The Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows program seeks to partner with senior-level political leaders who have the knowledge, skill, and will to be effective, reform-minded education policymakers at the state level. Named for renowned education governors Jim Hunt (D-NC | 1977-1985; 1993-2001) and Tom Kean (R-NJ | 1982-1990), the national, nonpartisan Fellowship launched in the fall of 2014.  To date, the program boasts nearly 60 Fellows representing 38 states.  Post-Fellowship pathways have led individuals to the Office of the Governor, the U.S. Senate, national platform committees, and the posts of Senate Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore.  In addition, six Fellows have announced a run for governor in 2018.

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About Meeting Street Academy-Charleston

Meeting Street Schools was in 2008 upon the belief that all children deserve an excellent education regardless of their geographic or socioeconomic circumstances, and all children have the ability to excel in the classroom. Where access to quality public education or affordable private alternatives is severely limited, MSS is providing children with transformational educational opportunities. Today, MSS serves more than 900 students across 3 campuses (1 private and 2 public) in South Carolina. 

For more information, please visit www.meetingstreetschools.org.