Introducing the Journal of Spatial Equity and Education (JSEE)

A new peer-reviewed publication dedicated to the geography of educational opportunity.

We are thrilled to announce that the Tennessee Equity-Focused Policy organization (TNEFP) is launching its inaugural academic journal — the Journal of Spatial Equity and Education (JSEE). This milestone reflects our deepening commitment to evidence-based research that connects place, policy, and educational justice.

Why JSEE? Why now?

Where a child grows up has a profound impact on the quality of education they receive. School district boundaries, neighborhood demographics, transportation access, and municipal resource allocation all shape educational outcomes in ways that are too often invisible in policy conversations. The JSEE was created to change that. By centering spatial analysis alongside education research, we aim to illuminate the structural and geographic dimensions of educational inequity from various lenses— and to inform the policy interventions that can begin to close those gaps.

What the journal will publish

The JSEE welcomes original research, policy analyses, literature reviews, and practitioner perspectives at the intersection of geography and education equity. Submissions may draw from disciplines including education policy, urban planning, sociology, economics, and public health. Priority areas include:

• Geographic disparities in school funding and resource distribution

• Mapping access to early childhood education and post-secondary pathways

• The spatial dimensions of school segregation and integration

• Place-based policy interventions and their measured educational impact

• Community-engaged and participatory research methods in education

• Technology, data, and GIS tools for education equity analysis

• Workforce Development Patterns

• Artificial Intelligence and Spatial Usage

Open access and community-centered

The JSEE will be an open-access journal, meaning all published research will be freely available to educators, advocates, policymakers, and community members — without paywalls. We believe that research on educational equity must itself be equitably accessible. This commitment to open scholarship is central to TNEFP's broader mission.

How to get involved

There are several ways to support and engage with the JSEE at this founding stage:

• Submit your research — We will be accepting submissions for our inaugural issue. Visit tnefp.org/jsee for author guidelines and submission details.

• Spread the word — Share this announcement with researchers, educators, and policy advocates in your networks.

• Subscribe for updates — Stay informed about publication timelines, calls for submissions, and journal news at tnefp.org/jsee.

A note from the TNEFP Director

Launching the JSEE represents a new chapter for our organization. We believe rigorous scholarship and bold advocacy belong together. This journal is our commitment to building the evidence base that the education equity movement deserves. Many of those involved in this work for years are involved in the evolution of this journal without risk of not being able to tell the COMPLETE story.

The work of educational justice is inseparable from the work of understanding place. We invite researchers, practitioners, and community voices from across disciplines and geographies to join us in building the JSEE into a vital resource for the field.

Learn more and get connected at tnefp.org/jsee.