AAAE, founded in 1983, has provided unrelenting advocacy on behalf of African American students and staff within the San Diego Unified School District. For decades, those serving as district superintendent scheduled monthly meetings with the AAAE leadership to discuss whatever concerns or requests were felt necessary by all parties, and for progress reports on key priorities mutually agreed upon. This kind of communication and collaboration has been inconsistent at best in recent years, due to what AAAE considers a lack of follow through. In the 2016-17 school year, there was a communications impasse between SDUSD and AAAE. This led to AAAE public protests, community forums, news conferences, newspaper editorials, etc.  Then this past June, the superintendent agreed to meetings with the coalition, also attended by Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, district E trustee.

The African American Student Success Coalition, a part of AAAE, had been formed to broaden community involvement and support on behalf of AA/AS. The coalition convened a town hall in July to discuss with the community the impact of the SDUSD budget deficit, so those present could share concerns they want the AASSC to address. Another town hall is being convened on October 24, 2017, at the George Stevens Community Center, to secure community input on current issues.