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Advancing Spatial Justice: Announcing the Publication of the Inaugural Issue & Call for Papers

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The Journal of Spatial Equity and Education (JSEE) publishes its milestone first volume and opens inquiries for Volume 2, inviting groundbreaking work on the Spatial Echo framework and educational finance.


"Spatial justice is not a substitute for social justice, but a necessary part of it. Without addressing how place and geography dictate institutional adequacy, educational equity remains incomplete."

A Milestone in Spatial Equity & Education

CLARKSVILLE, TN — The Journal of Spatial Equity and Education (JSEE), published by Tennessee Educational Funding and Policy (TNEFP), is proud to announce its milestone Inaugural Issue (Volume 1, Issue 1), now available online via open access.


At the same time, the editorial board is pleased to announce the formal Call for Papers for Volume 2, Issue 1. Submissions will officially open in January 2026 and remain open through June 21, 2026.


About the Inaugural Issue

The inaugural edition of JSEE marks a pivotal departure from conventional educational research that treats geography as an incidental variable. Grounded in the Spatial Echo framework, Volume 1 examines how historical policy patterns—such as discriminatory mortgage redlining and exclusionary zoning ordinances—continue to produce contemporary fiscal and geographic inequities across school districts.

Key thematic threads in this issue include:

  • Technical spatial econometrics evaluating school district funding adequacy formulas.

  • The longitudinal impacts of state funding legislation, including Tennessee's Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Act.

  • Environmental justice analyses examining historical industrial zoning and school siting adjacent to cumulative health burdens.


Read Volume 1, Issue 1 Online

All articles in JSEE are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, ensuring unrestricted worldwide access for educators, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders.


Call for Papers: Volume 2, Issue 1 (2026)

The editorial team invites empirical, methodological, and policy-focused manuscripts for our upcoming 2026 volume.


Single-Blind Peer Review

In response to scholar feedback and to streamline workflows, JSEE has transitioned to a single-blind peer review process for Volume 2. Contributing authors may now retain their names and institutional affiliations on their manuscripts. Reviewer identities remain strictly confidential.


Priority Research Pillars

We welcome submissions addressing one or more of our four core pillars:

  1. Historical Patterning & Educational Finance

    Spatial analysis of capital investment gaps, district revenue disparities, and the enduring fiscal echoes of historical segregation policies.

  2. Spatial Health Equity & Environmental Justice

    The intersection between school siting, neighborhood infrastructure, cumulative environmental burdens, and long-term student achievement.

  3. Ethical AI & Algorithmic Geography

    Spatial audits of predictive models, resource-allocation algorithms, and automated educational tools to counteract algorithmic reinforcement of geographic bias.

  4. Workforce Pipeline & Regional Economic Alignment

    Spatial mismatch between technical education pipelines, community college accessibility, and emerging regional industrial clusters.


Accepted Submission Types & Word Counts

  • Empirical Research Articles: 6,000 – 10,000 words

  • Methodological Innovations: 5,000 – 8,000 words

  • Policy Evaluations: 5,000 – 8,000 words

  • Review Articles: 6,000 – 9,000 words

  • Research Notes & Brief Reports: 2,000 – 3,500 words

(Note: Word counts exclude abstract, references, tables, and appendices. Style must follow APA 7th Edition.)


Important Dates & Submission Schedule

Milestone

Date

Status

Inaugural Issue

Out Now

Published (Open Access)

Volume 2 Submissions Open

January 2026

Upcoming Call

Submission Deadline

June 21, 2026

Firm Cutoff

Editorial & Review Decisions

July 2026

Single-Blind Review

Publication Date

August 2026

Volume 2, Issue 1

Zero Author Processing Charges (APCs)

In steadfast alignment with the mission of Tennessee Educational Funding and Policy (TNEFP), JSEE charges no submission fees and zero Article Processing Charges (APCs). Scholarly dissemination should never be restricted by financial barriers.

  • ISSN (Print): 3071-4982

  • ISSN (Online): 3071-4990

  • License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)


How to Submit

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the JSEE Scholastica editorial management system:

👉 Official Portal: https://jsee.scholasticahq.com/

👉 Publisher Website: https://www.tnefp.org

👉 Editorial Queries: submissions@tnefp.org

Tags: Spatial Equity, Educational Finance, TNEFP, Policy Research, GIS, School Funding, Call for Papers, Open Access



Comments


TENNESSEE EDUCATIONAL FUNDING AND POLICY (TNEFP) is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization and Tennessee Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation. TNEFP is a SAM.gov Registered Entity (UEI: DSL4ZB7NABR9) and an independent research institute eligible to serve as a Prime Recipient for federal assistance awards.

Contributions to TNEFP are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Registration and financial information may be obtained from the Tennessee Secretary of State by calling (615) 741-2555 or visiting the Secretary of State's website.

EIN: 41-4747896 | Charity (CO) Number: CO54645 | SOS Control Number: 002093423

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