Named in memory of Robert Chadwick Ray — a brilliant man who never had a defender.
Named in memory of Robert Chadwick Ray — a brilliant man who never had a defender.
A brilliant man whose gifts went unrecognized and unadvocated for. He never had someone who understood the systems working against him. He never had a defender in the room. The CHAD Project exists because Robert didn't — and because no child should carry that story forward.
The CHAD Project creates educational content and policy literacy resources for families navigating the special education system — with a focus on literacy, equity, and the everyday realities facing students in Coatesville and across Chester County. We center families navigating a system that was not built with their children in mind.
Founded by Elgin Bailey — Special Education Teacher, Curriculum Chair, and 20+ year veteran of youth-serving systems including juvenile detention, behavioral health, and alternative education. He knows how these systems work, and he's committed to making that knowledge accessible to every family that needs it.
We meet families where they are — through content that breaks down what's happening in special education, and why it matters.
A recurring look at Pennsylvania's literacy data — what it means for students in Coatesville and beyond, and what families and educators can do about it.
Plain-language breakdowns of how the special education system works — IEPs, evaluations, and what the law actually says, explained without the jargon.
Translating education policy — teacher pipelines, retention, early childhood investment — into what it means for the families and communities it affects.
Available for talks, panels, and community workshops on literacy, special education, and educational equity.
Every family we serve is treated with the respect the system too often denies them. We show up with care, not charity.
We tell the truth. About what's in the document. About what's happening in the room. About how these systems were built to exclude.
The educational failure of children in marginalized communities is not accidental. It is structural. We show up accordingly.
Rooted in Coatesville. Present wherever families need us. We actively build solidarity across advocates who share this belief.
We build families' capacity to advocate long after we leave the room. The goal is power returned to the people who always should have had it.
No family is turned away because of what they cannot afford. That will never be a barrier here.
Interested in a speaking engagement, workshop, or panel? Reach out and we'll respond within a few days.