Equity: Theory of Change

By providing systemic, long term professional development in a safe and nurturing way over time, addressing cultural competence from a framework that locates problems with diversity as systemic and raising awareness and skills for understanding identity, privilege, and oppression, then those involved in education will better understand the role of difference in interactions between students, families, and the system, around not just race but also class, gender sexual orientation, religion, and other identity areas.

And, we will create the necessary preconditions for improved cultural literacy in individual relationships and interactions. We will eliminate bias in adult/student partnerships and empower relationships with students and families.

That will lead to systems change: the elimination of institutionalized sources of inequity, by providing better access to educational content and eliminating opportunity and enrichment gaps.

Which will result in the elimination of the achievement gap and improved achievement for all.

If this work were easy, we wouldn’t still be having these conversations locally and globally, and it wouldn’t be the greatest challenge of every school district across the nation.