Hey Advocates,

Unfortunately, another senseless act of violence occurred earlier this week in the US. My heart goes out to the Covenant School community.

Darlene and I were in San Diego this week at the Deeper Learning Conference. We facilitated a four-hour workshop, "A Deep Dive into Amplifying Student Voices." We believe that students need to occupy spaces where they can freely be themselves. However, society has taught us which identities are prioritized and valued. Doing so contributes to normalizing how different identities from the dominant group are devalued and othered. Schools are spaces that are supposed to serve all students; when students' lived experiences are not valued or treated as equally important, they either adapt to the culture or ostracize themselves due to feelings of oppression.

Our session was about developing a framework for fostering a culture of belonging in which each student feels valued and loved at your school. We had participants at all grade level...

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of equity work in education. However, I would argue that since the murder of George Floyd, there has been pushback from folks who lack the understanding of what equity truly is. Equity work involves creating a learning environment that recognizes and addresses systemic barriers that may prevent certain students from succeeding, such as racism, poverty, or discrimination based on gender, sexuality, or ability.

While this work can be challenging, it is also enriching for educators and students. This post will explore five ways to find joy in equity work in education: celebrating small wins, connecting with others, embracing learning, creating meaningful connections with students, and remembering your "why." By incorporating these strategies into your daily practice, you can create a more inclusive and equitable classroom and help all students reach their full potential.

1. Celebrate Small Wins: Equity work in educa

   ...

As educators, we strive to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. However, achieving educational equity requires a holistic approach that addresses not only academic achievement but also students' cultural, social, and emotional needs.

In my conversation with Dr. Dionne McLaughlin, we discussed 8 Equity Strategies You Can Use Today. These strategies offer a comprehensive approach to promoting equity and excellence in education that can benefit students and schools.

1. Personalizing Data: One of the essential steps to achieving educational equity is to personalize data by looking at the pictures of students and learning about individual student stories. This information can be used to generate personalized learning goals and to monitor progress toward those goals.
2. Promoting Equity: Creating a fair and just learning environment for all students is crucial to achieving equity. Using equity audits and an equity lens can help identify and address areas of inequity. Prin...

Hey Advocates, 

What a week it has been! I stopped in Albany, OR, to wrap up an Equity Audit with the Linn County Juvenile Department of Justice. I facilitated a virtual book study session with the Bondurant-Farrant CSD, then hopped on a plane to New York for a keynote at the Farmingdale State College.

Check out what the Leading Equity Center has to offer! I'd love to speak at your next event/training. Let's chat if you are interested in working together. 

Last week I received a response to the newsletter, which included a link to this article, "Wellesley schools settle lawsuit over 'affinity groups' for students of color." As Philip Marcelo from Boston.com reports, "Parents Defending Education has agreed to drop its suit while Wellesley Public Schools will make it clear that the groups are open to any and all students." Parents Defending Education stated in their federal civil rights complaint, "Because racial affinity groups divide children by race, these groups foster racial di...