About
The Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership (SEZP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving student achievement in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Built differently. Designed to last.
SEZP is one of a kind — and that’s exactly the point.
Born from a groundbreaking partnership between Springfield Public Schools, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Springfield Education Association teachers union, SEZP was founded in 2015 with a clear and urgent mission: to transform chronically underperforming schools and unlock the potential of Springfield’s students.
Today, we serve more than 5,000 students across 16 middle and high schools throughout the city.
SEZP isn’t a charter school network. It isn’t a state takeover. It isn’t a traditional in-district turnaround. It’s something better — a first-of-its-kind model that pairs school-level autonomy with the support, accountability, and community trust that students and families deserve.
The result? Schools that work. Students who thrive. A city that’s changing.
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How SEZP Came To Be
Christopher Gabrieli
Co-Chair, SEZP Board of Directors
Co-Founder, Empower Schools
Matt Brunell
Co-Executive Director, SEZP
