A Portrait of a Culturally Responsive School

A PORTRAIT OF ACULTURALLYRESPONSIVE SCHOOL

A PORTRAIT OF A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SCHOOL | 2

Based on our research and experience across thecountry, we have identified practices, policies andstructures that can support the establishment of schoolsand school systems that are intentionally built to ensurechildren of every race, ethnicity, language or othercharacteristics of their identity, have what they need toachieve academic, social, and emotional success. Wecall these practices culturally responsive.

In these pages we present a portrait of a culturallyresponsive school. Organized into eight critical actionareas of a culturally responsive leader, this guide isdesigned to support leaders and their schoolcommunities consciously disrupt systemic racism anddecenter dominant culture.

writer James Baldwin told a room full of teachers in1963. "Everyone in this room is in one way or anotheraware of that. We are in a revolutionary situation, nomatter how unpopular that word has become in thiscountry... To any citizen of this country who figureshimself as responsible – and particularly those of youwho deal with the minds and hearts of young people –you must be prepared to ‘go for broke.’ You mustunderstand that in the attempt to correct so manygenerations of bad faith and cruelty, when it is operatingnot only in the classroom but in society, you will meet themost fantastic, the most brutal, and the most determinedresistance.”

The Leadership Academy definesequity as when every school andschool system is intentionallybuilt to ensure children of everyrace, ethnicity, language or othercharacteristics of their identityhave what they need to achieveacademic, social, and emotionalsuccess.

More than 50 years later, the United States isexperiencing another revolutionary situation. As peoplewere moved to action in response to the murder ofEmmett Till generations ago, today people are speakingup after the murder of George Floyd. Today’s racialreckoning shines a spotlight on the persistent inequitiesin minoritized communities in the areas of climatechange, housing, employment, healthcare and COVID-19,and education. The shuttering of schools across thecountry in March 2020 showed that schools served theircommunities not just as institutions of learning, but ashavens for safety, nutrition, stability, relationships,technology, creativity, and care. As school systemsquickly pivoted how they approach school amidst apandemic, there is a longer-term opportunity toreimagine what school can look like both in-person andremotely and to create more stabilizing forces forcommunities.

Leadership Academy 2021. All rights reserved.

In the words of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, ratherthan provide the traditional western "banking" educationof filling up minds like piggy banks until they are full, themost effective education is “liberation,” one that inspireslearners to think critically and freely. Someone who iseducated within an equitable, culturally responsiveenvironment reflects on the world they live in andchallenges inequitable and oppressive social structuresin order to enact change. Our current educationallandscape continues to broaden our definition andexpectation of school. Our reimagining pushes beyondphysical walls, seat time, school zones, and standardizedexams. We define school as a learning environment thatis both remote and in-person and so use the terms“learning environment” and “school” interchangeably.

"We are living through a very dangerous time,"

The purpose of this tool is to support a schoolleader and their team in re-envisioning theirschool community to be a place wherelearners engage in critical thinking and areencouraged to challenge the very structuresthat raised them. School leaders and theirteams will find this guide useful at any point intheir school’s journey. It can be used as abaseline to create aspirational goals; anaccountability tool to assess progress againstgoals; and as a celebration tool to show quickwins.

please note that this is not an exhaustive listof indicators, nor do we include reflectionquestions for every sample indicator. This toolis meant as a jumping off point and weencourage you to identify the indicatorsrelevant for your context and to create newindicators and reflection questions based onyour school’s context that will help you engagein analysis, conversation and action. We havenot seen a school that has every indicator inplace and reached the point of equity but weare looking to you to “go for broke.”


As you work through this guide, KEY TERMS

The academic success of all students. Culturallyresponsive leaders center student learning andacademic rigor across every school, classroom, andlearning environment in their system. They cultivateand value content expertise. They understand and

apply college- and career-level standards and select high quality instructional materials aligned to standards. Theyhold, model, and communicate consistently high and transparent expectations for all learners and develop thecapacity of the system and the educators within it to know where each student is in relation to those expectationsand use that knowledge to provide appropriate learning supports.

Cultivating and deepening the cultural competence of themselves and the adults they lead. Culturally responsiveleaders affirm the cultures of students and adults through the learning opportunities they provide, the materialsthey use, the environment they build, and their skill in using cultural understandings to support learning. They buildauthentic rapport and trust with students, staff, families, and the community, affirming the multiple identities ofindividuals, and support and guide others in doing the same.

The cultivation of sociopolitical consciousness. Culturally responsive leaders cultivate and support students’ abilityto question and critique social norms, values, practices, and systems that produce and maintain inequity. Theyfacilitate adult and student talk about culture and identity and consistently look for and utilize opportunities togenerate inquiry about inequity, oppression, and change.

A strong foundation of cultural understanding.Culturally responsive leaders understand thedimensions and impact of cultural constructs insociety and continuously cultivate and revisit theirown personal understanding of the impact of cultureon their own identity and the ways in which it shapestheir approach to their professional practice.

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PRACTICE: The use of thisterm is specific and deliberate and requires thateducation leaders understand and simultaneously attendto:

BIAS: An implicit bias is any unconsciously-held set ofassociations about a social group. Implicit biases are theproduct of learned associations and social conditioning.They often begin at a young age, and most people areunaware that they hold them. Importantly, these biasesdo not necessarily align with personal identity. It'spossible to unconsciously associate positive or negativetraits with one’s own race, gender, or background.

A PORTRAIT OF A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SCHOOL


DOMINANT CULTURE: Dominant culture is an artificial, historically constructed culture and refers to socially accepteddominant language, religion, behavior, values, rituals, and social customs. These traits, such as those of white,heterosexual, Christian, able-bodied, cis-gendered, English as a first language, U.S.-born, etc., are often seen as thenorm for society as a whole. Dominant culture is promoted and perpetuated as the right way of being and suppressesall other aspects and intersections of identities and cultures.

HYBRID LEARNING: Students are engaged in learning both inside and outside of the physical school classroom,leveraging a variety of synchronous and asynchronous experiences facilitated by one or more teachers in collaborationwith the students’ caregivers.

HYBRID TEACHERS: Teachers are teaching students in the physical school classroom at the same time they areteaching students in remote learning.

INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM: Another expression of racism reflected in disparities regarding wealth, income, criminaljustice, employment, housing, marriage, healthcare, political power, and education. It is racism that is institutionalized—that is, accepted as part of everyday life, everyday systems and structures, and our common habits, thoughts, andpolicies. [Dr. David Kirkland, NYU Metro Center]

INTERSECTIONALITY: "Intersectionality is simply a prism to see the interactive effects of various forms ofdiscrimination and disempowerment. It looks at the way that racism, many times, interacts with patriarchy,heterosexism, classism, xenophobia — seeing that the overlapping vulnerabilities created by these systems actuallycreate specific kinds of challenges." (Williams Crenshaw)

MINORITIZED: The term minoritized is used throughout the guide to emphasize what the school systems and othersystems within the United States have overtly and covertly done to Asian, Black, Indigenous, Latinx and Students ofColor. The term minoritized was coined by Michael Benitez, Jr. He explains, “I utilize the term ‘minoritized’ as opposedto ‘minority’ to refer to the process [action vs. noun] of student minoritization. My choice of text in this case assumesthat there is a history of structural and institutional actions that have over time limited access to, and led to a lack ofpresence among students of color in higher education labeled as racially and ethnically different from the norm. Doingso also challenges the physical and spatial fixture often associated with how ‘minority’ is often employed in mostliterature focused on similar issues to a more critical understanding of how ‘minority’ came to be constructed sociallyover the course of history and how students continue to be minoritized in contemporary spaces of higher education.”

MULTICULTURAL COMPETENCY: A process of learning about and becoming allies with people from other cultures,thereby broadening our own understanding and ability to participate in a multicultural process. The key element tobecoming more culturally competent is respect for the ways that others live in and organize the world and an opennessto learn from them. (Kivel)

PRIVILEGE: Unearned social power accorded by the formal and informal institutions of society to ALL members of adominant group (e.g. white privilege, male privilege, etc.). Privilege is usually invisible to those who have it becausewe’re taught not to see it, but nevertheless it puts them at an advantage over those who do not have it. (Colours ofResistance Archive, Privilege)

REMOTE LEARNING: Students are engaged in learning outside of the physical school classroom leveraging a variety ofsynchronous and asynchronous experiences facilitated by a teacher in collaboration with the students’ caregivers.




What does a culturally responsive learningenvironment, school and system look and sound likeand how are we pushing to make sure it comes tofruition?How do we center students, families and communityvoice in decision-making about school policies andpractices? Does every educator in the school communitydemonstrate warmth, compassion, andunderstanding for every student and family?What opportunities do we provide for students toauthentically engage with members of the communitywho come from different cultures and backgroundsthan themselves?

A variety of stakeholders (students, staff, families andcommunity) are central to revising, adding orchanging school policies and rulesThe school community has identified and dismantlednorms of dominant culture to create an inclusiveenvironment that cultivates a sense of belongingamong all members of the school communityThere are multiple different ways for families toinvolve themselves in the school communityincluding outside of traditional instructional hours

What do we do to create a learning environment inwhich the adults and students are comfortableraising and engaging in conversation about cross-cultural difference, racism, and systemic oppression?How are students involved in determining how to usetechnology in support of their learning?How are students involved in shaping the tone/feel ofthe learning environment, both online and in person?How do we ensure that all students and families havethe technological access needed to support learningoutside of school?

PRACTICE AREAS

The school offers services to families to supportthem in areas of need (continuing education,employment, housing, family counseling, technology,etc.)All governing bodies (PTA, leadership team, etc.) arerepresentative of the student demographicsAll staff members are familiar with the varieddemographic groups in the school, theneighborhoods students live in, and the cultural andlinguistic traditions each possesses




EQUITY AND ACCESS

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Culturally responsive learning environments are built by, with, and for students.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

SAMPLE INDICATORS

All staff members take responsibility to eliminatestudents' social-emotional stress from stereotypethreat and microaggressionsThe goals of discipline policies and practices are tosupport student learning and development and torepair community rather than to punish or excludestudentsAll staff members use restorative practices tostrategically approach discipline and learningenvironment managementAll staff members communicate on a regular basiswith students, families and fellow staff membersfrom other ethnic, racial, language, gender ordisability groups

Leadership and teachers greet families and welcomethem by nameThe school prioritizes resources and/or seeks outpublic/private partnerships to ensure that allstudents and families have access to appropriatedigital devices and high-speed internet service.The approach to remote learning is based on currentcontext and community/family needs and not areplication of in-person learning Teachers help students set up/get acclimated totheir home learning stations and technological tools.Teachers check in with students about how well theirlearning environments are working.



How are we daily showing those we work with that weare committed to equitable outcomes for all students,particularly minoritized students?Do our families and community know what our visionfor equity is? How do we communicate it? How do weengage them in enacting it?Do we leverage our school mission, vision and corevalues when reviewing data and making decisions? Are our mission, vision and core values regularlyreviewed and updated leveraging all members of theschool community?

How are we re-imagining ourselves as a culturallyresponsive community of learners that transcendsthe traditional borders of “school”? How does thisnew vision shape our mission and core values? Howare we communicating about them?Are we using consistent language and definitionsacross the school community aligned to our missionand vision?


MISSION, VISION, AND CORE VALUES

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Culturally responsive learning environments have a shared school mission,vision, and core values for culturally responsive teaching and learning thatsupports all students in accessing and achieving rigorous college- and career-ready academic standards.




Mission, vision and core values were created andupdated in collaboration with families, students, staff,and other members of the school communityMission, vision, and core values articulate theconditions and actions to which the school aspires inorder to ensure equitable access to, and achievementof, rigorous college- and career-ready academicstandards for all studentsSchool’s mission, vision, and values focus on equity,belonging, and being culturally responsiveThere is shared understanding and ownership of themission, vision, and values among all members of theschool communityRegular systems and routines are in place forconsistent disaggregated data analysis to identifyareas in which the mission is and is not being realizedand areas in which progress is and is not being madetoward the vision

All planning processes, including cycles ofcontinuous improvement, grant projects, and district,state, and federal program planning are anchored tothe school’s mission, vision, and valuesDecisions are made by aligning the shared decision-making structure to the school’s mission, vision, andvaluesAll adults share the school’s vision of being creatorsof a culturally-responsive school and act on theirvision through their daily decision-makingThe school’s mission, vision and values are leadfactors in moments of crisisThe school’s mission, vision and values are evident inall learning environments

What do we think a rigorous, culturally relevantlearning experience looks like in person? Remotely? Ina hybrid situation? Are each of the students we are responsible forexperiencing grade-level standards-aligned, culturally-relevant instruction on a daily basis? How do we define academic success for everystudent beyond traditional measures of standardizedtesting? How do we celebrate student learning andacademic success throughout the school?

Which students are currently enrolled inhonors/AP/gifted and talented classes? Specialeducation? Non-academic courses? Is the enrollmentin each demographically representative of ourstudent population?Do all students receive high-quality, effective tier oneinstruction? How do we make decisions about tieredinterventions? Who receives tiered interventions?


SAMPLE INDICATORS

INSTRUCTIONCulturally responsive learning environments have support systems, structures,and routines that prioritize and focus the alignment and coherence of culturallyresponsive curriculum, high-quality instructional materials, instructional practice,and assessment to support all students in accessing and achieving rigorouscollege- and career-ready academic standards. 3

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How are students’ identity, experiences, voice andchoice integrated into every facet of the learningenvironment experience?How do we evaluate our curriculum materials fordominant cultural narrative?How are we providing students with opportunities toengage with standards-aligned curriculum?


How are we creating a community across remoteand in-person learning environments?How do we prioritize and use diagnosticassessments to plan instruction and identify andmeet individual students’ learning needs?How do we limit the influence and impact ofstandardized assessments on daily instruction?

Leadership and teachers know what a culturallyresponsive learning environment looks and soundslike in person and remotelyLeadership and teachers have knowledge of currentcollege- and career-ready standards as written and inpracticeLeadership and teachers identify and mitigate thepresence of dominant culture within college- andcareer-ready content standardsLeadership and instructional coaches ensure high-quality, culturally responsive instructional curriculumand materials are provided, adopted and supported The curriculum leverages project based learning(PBL) as a key component and create opportunitiesfor every student to participate Leadership and teachers understand the role ofaligned assessment tools to support standards andcurriculum Student voice and choice are integral components ofthe learning experience Teachers and leadership choose timely data todisaggregate by student groups to identity disparitiesby race, ethnicity, language, ability and othercharacteristics There are targeted, multi-tiered systems of support toprovide equitable and universal access to culturallyresponsive learning opportunities that support theachievement of rigorous college- and career readyacademic standards for all studentsSpecial efforts are made to achieve learningenvironment integration when students self-segregate in the in-person and remote learningenvironment (e.g. teams for contests, groups forinstruction, other forms of classroom organization)There is evidence of career and college-basedconversations in the learning environment (e.g.,lesson content, bulletin boards, college gear, etc.)

Students have a sense of agency and optimism forthe futureStudents express self-love, self-acceptance, andpride in their multiple intersectional identitiesStudents have an understanding of their own andothers’ cultural histories and contributionsStudents have empathy and meaningful connectionswith othersThe in-person and remote instructional approachnurtures student agency, self-directed learning, andsociopolitical consciousnessStudents critique every domain of knowledgeincluding investigating who created the “knowledge”and the assumptions and potential biases held bytheir perspectives.Teachers develop and use diagnostic assessmentsbased on college- and career-ready standards,identified gaps in instruction and the knowledge andskills foundational to students’ ability to accessgrade-level content in order to plan and delivertargeted instruction and interventionsSchool leaders critically analyze the utility andlimitations of standardized assessments and makedecisions about their administration and use ofinstructional time for preparation based onmaximizing long-term student outcomes andopportunitiesA variety of media and online platforms are leveragedto support student learningStudent mastery of standards are prioritized over“seat time”Competency-based pathways are utilized forgraduation requirementsCore courses are not siloed but integrated forstudents to see connections across all content areas



SAMPLE INDICATORS

Are we building the capacity of those around us to beculturally responsive instructional leaders?Are professional learning experiences based on dataand current learning needs of staff?Do professional learning experiences maximizeopportunities to create multiple modes of learningaligned to beliefs of adult learning?


Is there space and expectation for all staff to engagein their own self-work?How are teachers prepared and supported indesigning and delivering culturally responsiveinstruction in virtual settings?


Professional learning is based on beliefs about adultlearning: 1) Adults learn most deeply from experienceand reflection; 2) Learning to be a leader must be asocial process; 3) Discomfort is inherent intransformative learning; 4) Adults rely on stories tomake meaning; and 5) Adults learn best in anenvironment of structured freedomAll staff members individually and collaborativelyexamine and challenge their own assumptions andbiases in light of disconfirming evidence Teachers engage in action research and cycles ofcontinuous improvement to identify, test, andevaluate new culturally responsive instructionalstrategies Performance expectations for staff are aligned to theschool’s mission, vision, and values are consistentwith culturally responsive practice, high professionalstandards, and educational research

Multiple data points are used to diagnose and assessteaching effectiveness, including the ability todirectly confront biases that impede students’ abilityto learn and achieve rigorous college- and career-ready academic standardsAn annual scope, sequence, and curricula forprofessional learning is focused on rigorous college-and career-ready academic standards and culturallyresponsive practice to support professional learningfor teachers and staffCommunities of practice explore emerging practicesand research-based models to challenge the statusquo and identify solutions to persistent instructionalchallenges and inequitiesVarious learning modalities are used to designflexible, ongoing, and just-in-time learning forteachers and staff


ADULT LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENTCulturally responsive learning environments provide evidence-basedprofessional learning and coaching as well as goals-based evaluation toteachers and school staff to ensure equity of opportunities and outcomes for allstudents. 4

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SAMPLE INDICATORS




Instructional focused professional developmentbuilds teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogicalcontent knowledge necessary to teach the conceptsof their disciplineTeacher and student-centered professional learningpromotes collective responsibility for students’learning and cultivates a dynamic culture for adultlearningProfessional learning is anchored in the priorities ofteachers’ daily work and is sustained in a coherentsystem of collaborative planning, learningenvironment practice, observation, feedback, andcontinuous cycles of inquiry grounded in evidence ofstudent learning

Adults collaborate with each other to create learningwhere students make meaning from a variety ofmaterials with multiple viewpointsProfessional learning prioritizes the skills teachersneed to design and deliver culturally responsiveinstruction in virtual settings through the scaling upof instruction (e.g., pre-recorded lessons); facilitationof differentiated instruction (e.g., utilization ofcomputer-adaptive learning or live one-on-oneinterventions); expansion of opportunities for studentpractice; and cultivation of student engagement (e.g.,videos, interactive tools, or games)

How will the decision we just made impact thestudents, families and communities that we areserving?Are we making fiscal decisions with the students andfamilies that will be most impacted in mind?Are there multiple voices and perspectives included inthe decision-making process? Are we respecting and leveraging the perspectivesand experiences of all staff members in the schoolbuilding? Do we hire and make teaching assignments based onthe needs of students?

How do we seek out and/or prioritize resources toensure that all students have access to digitaldevices and high-speed internet service at home?How have we leveraged the collective wisdom andexperience of our entire school community, includingfamilies, students, staff and community partners, toestablish and communicate robust contingencyplans for ensuring continuity of learning and studentsupport during times of crisis and disruption toschooling?


OPERATIONS AND RESOURCESCulturally responsive learning environments manage school operations andresources to ensure equitable access to, and achievement of, rigorous college-and career-ready academic standards for all students.5

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All staff are part of strategic planning and decision-making processesStructures and processes are in place to ensure thatevery student has access to the learningopportunities, culturally responsive teachers, andsupports required for their individual success Human, material, and supplementary resources areallocated to eliminate disparities in all minoritizedpopulations Formal and informal leaders within the school andinstructional leadership team are empowered andhave the capacity to take on specific day-to-dayand/or regular decision-making functionsComposition of school staff is representative of theracial/ethnic/gender/disability composition of thestudent body and larger school communityStaff members of different genders, races, ethnicbackgrounds, or disabilities are distributed equitablyacross the various job classifications fromadministration to non certified positionsLeadership uses competencies in educational equityas an integral part of how they assess staff memberperformance People at different job levels, paid or volunteer, aretreated with comparable respectStudents who struggle most are assigned to the mostexperienced and/or skilled teachers Easy availability of recent visual, print, and non-printmaterials which accurately provide information aboutmales/ females/nonbinary of varied groups intraditional and non-traditional rolesExpanded/personalized student learningopportunities are available beyond the learningenvironment , e.g., Internships, online learning, dualenrollment, flipped classrooms, field experiences

Time is structured across the day, week, and year toprovide different opportunities for student learningand development, e.g.,intersession, block schedules,early release/late arrivalThe school-level calendar aligns with family workschedules and students’ social and emotional needsStructures such as remote learning are leveraged sothat students’ school assignments are not basedsolely on their zip code and neighborhoodsSchool-level budget is allocated to provide a safe,accessible building and classrooms for students andfamilies of all abilitiesStudents are allowed to carry and use school-owneddigital devices at homeSchool leaders work with the district to ensureaccess to high-speed internet in students’ homeenvironments through public-private partnershipsand/or the provision of mobile hotspotsSchool leaders work with district leaders to developand communicate clear and specific contingencyplans with the input of the entire school communityto implement in times of crisis and disruption thataddress and prioritize the health and safety ofstudents, families and staff; establish mechanismsfor continuing teaching and learning when regularattendance in school buildings is not possible; detailthe processes and procedures to continue provisionof nutrition, health and counseling services forstudents and families; and address the social andemotional well-being of students, families and staff


SAMPLE INDICATORS



What personal biases are we holding to students,families and colleagues that may be getting in theway of us being able to be culturally responsiveleaders? What biases do we hold on approaches to learning(remote and in-person) that may be getting in the wayof us being able to be culturally responsive leaders?Are staff members active learners who seek outlearning opportunities to improve on how theysupport students, families and communities?

How do staff reflect on their own self-work inpersonal identity development and the understandingof their personal beliefs, assumptions, biases, andbehaviors?How are staff members learning to use technologicaltools and a remote environment to support them inthis work?

All staff members recognize their personal triggersaround intersectional identities similar to anddifferent from their own All staff members know and own their cultural lens All staff members recognize their position, privilegeand power and their impact on their decision-makingAll staff members understand that student learningdrives the system and that every action is in serviceof ensuring that all students have the opportunities,access, and supports necessary to meet rigorouscollege- and career-ready standards All staff members remain current and knowledgeableof research to inform instructional and organizationaldecisions, including those that focus on issues ofequity and student academic outcomes

All staff members work with supervisors to setpersonal measurable goals aligned to the mission,vision, values, and performance metrics of the schooland systemAll staff members actively pursue personalprofessional learning opportunities directly linked toorganizational needs with specific attention to thestudent populations servedAll staff members actively seek to understand andbuild competency in equitable and culturallyresponsive leadership practicesAll staff members pursue learning to best supportstudents in remote learning environments


PERSONAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENTCulturally responsive learning environments have staff who take personalresponsibility to develop and nurture the skills and dispositions needed tosupport all students and families.6

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SAMPLE INDICATORS



Where is racism currently operating in our schoolcommunity?What policies, structures, biases and practices do weneed to dismantle in order to provide a moreequitable experience for students?What is the story being told from the data we typicallyanalyze? Whose story is being told? Whose isn’t? What process(es) are in place for evaluating existingschool policies, practices, and procedures for culturalresponsiveness? What prompts us to make changes?What inhibits us from making changes?

How are we building a coalition of stakeholders tobuild an equitable school?How are we analyzing data to identify challenges andmake decisions?How are we taking an iterative approach - utilizingshort-term cycles of continuous improvement and/ordesign thinking - to harness the potential to learnfrom new and rapidly evolving challenges?

There is an active equity-focused instructionalleadership team representative of studentdemographics as well as the grade levels, academiccontent, and student support services provided in theschoolAnalysis of student attendance, behavior, andachievement data is frequent with specific attentionto patterns of disproportionality (i.e. an over-representation of African-American boys in specialeducation classes) and identification of root causesRegular collection and use of disaggregated data onthe learning environment to make culturallyresponsive instructional leadership decisions

Leadership engages community to build a coalitionof supporters in decision-makingLeadership and leadership team navigate resistorsand demonstrate empathy for diverse perspectiveswithout personalizing resistanceAll teams use cycles of continuous improvement andprinciples of design thinking to review data andidentify areas of inequity and necessary action withthe instructional leadership teamLeadership and leadership team implementstrategies for the inclusion of staff, families, andother stakeholders in planning processes


STRATEGIC CHANGE AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTCulturally responsive learning environments use multiple sources of data toidentify successes and challenges in working toward the school’s mission andvision and engage staff, students, and families in strategic planning andcontinuous improvement activities designed to mitigate those challenges. 7

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SAMPLE INDICATORS



Leadership teams and professional learningcommunities address new and emerging challengesthrough real-time documentation, reflection, quickfeedback loops and course correctionLeadership teams recognize and analyze societaland communal data and its impact on student data

Leadership and leadership team consider eachdecision’s potential to create, sustain, or disruptinequityLeadership teams look to innovative tools and thelatest resources to co-create an equitable remote andin-person experience for students

How are we ensuring families and communities arekey collaborators in improving the school experiencefor all students remotely and in-person?How do we involve and engage families andcommunity members in student learning andcommunity events remotely and in-person ?Are family and community advisory groupsrepresentative of our student population? How do we ensure that all students and families canaccess school communications in their nativelanguage? How does the school building represent the languagediversity of our students and families to create anaccessible and welcoming environment? How doremote forums do this?

The people involved in planning school events andprograms are representative of the schoolcommunity by race, ethnicity, language, gender,disability, and socioeconomic status


COMMUNITY CARE AND ENGAGEMENTCulturally responsive learning environments have an inclusive and caring schoolculture that facilitates a sense of belonging among staff and students, andcreates a true partnership with families and communities. 8

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SAMPLE INDICATORS

Students and adults work together to build anaccessible learning environment for students in theschool building or from a remote learning space

What services can we make available in the onlinespace? (Or connect to)How do we make the remote learning environmentrepresentative of all racial or ethnic groups, genders,etc.What family and community supports have we foundto be effective that can and should be sustained inthe future?How do we build relationships and equip familieswith the resources to be partners in supportingstudent learning?How do we center culturally-responsive socialemotional learning and support mental health withinour school community?



The code of student conduct is collaborativelycreated and processes are in place to ensure it isapplied fairly and equitably to all studentsRemote and in-person school assemblies, specialprograms, and speakers reflect the diverse nature ofthe school and larger community and/or bring adiverse set of ideas and experiences based ongender, race, ethnicity, disability and ability In the school building, bulletin boards, displays, halldecorations, classrooms, and offices represent allgenders, members of varied racial or ethnic groups,and people with disabilities in a variety of rolesSchool events including athletic, dramatic, service,PTA/PTO, etc. are scheduled to provide opportunityfor families with varied work and home commitments to attend and participate inSchool emblems, mascots, team names, and othersymbols are free from racial, ethnic, gender, ordisability biasMaterials, notices, and other school communicationare sent using a variety of accessible technology andavailable in multiple languages, Braille, or audioversions as required

Leadership and leadership team seek and utilize theexpertise and resources of community groups thatrepresent and serve students and their familiesAll staff members interact with students and familieson a regular basis to learn about and respond to theirexperience of the school, including teaching andlearning, their feeling of belonging, and ideas forcreating a more responsive and equitableenvironmentSchool leaders work with district leaders to collectand analyze feedback from families, students, andstaff about which practices have built strongerlearning partnerships between schools and familiesand should be continued in the futureFamilies are provided easy-to-understandinformation via mechanisms that adapt to theirschedules and support an active and feasible role inthe learning partnershipSocial emotional learning and supports for studentsand educators decenters norms of dominant cultureand centers vulnerability, healing, joy and communityThe remote learning environment provides space forstudents to express themselves through the use ofavatars, backgrounds, etc.



RESOURCES

Abolitionist Teaching Network. (2020). Guide for Racial Justice & Abolitionist Social and Emotional Learning.

Benitez, M., Jr. (2010). Resituating culture centers within a social justice framework: Is there room for examiningWhiteness? In L. D. Patton (Ed.), Culture centers in higher education: Perspectives on identity, theory, and practice (pp.119-134). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Benson, T. A., & Fiarman, S. E. (2020). Unconscious bias in schools: A developmental approach to exploring race andracism.

Building Equitable Learning Environment Network’s framework.

Colours of Resistance Archive, Privilege. Accessed 28 June 2013.

Dewey, John. (1997). Experience and Education.

Delpit, L. (2001). Other people’s children. Harvard Educational Review, 56(4), 379-385.

Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

Freire, Paulo. (2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

Garcia, E. and Weiss, E. (2020). COVID-19 and student performance, equity, and US education policy: Lessons from pre-pandemic research to inform relief, recovery, and rebuilding. Economic Policy Institute.https://www.epi.org/publication/the-consequences-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-for-education-performance-and-equity-in-the-united-states-what-can-we-learn-from-pre-pandemic-research-to-inform-relief-recovery-and-rebuilding/

Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

Gay, G. (2002) Preparing for culturally-responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education. March 1, 2002.

Gottlieb, M., Cranley, M. & Cammilleri, A. (2007) Understanding the WIDA English language proficiency standards: Aresource guide. The WIDA Consortium. Retrieved at https://www.wida.us/standards/Resource_Guide_web.pdf.

Graves, Aaliyah El-Amin, Madora Soutter, Jalene Tamerat, Pauline Jennett, Shelby Clark, Saira Malhotra & JamieJohannsen (2018) Developing sociopolitical consciousness of race and social class inequality in adolescents attendingprogressive and no excuses urban secondary schools, Applied Developmental Science, 22:3, 169-187, DOI:10.1080/10888691.2016.1254557

Hammond, Zaretta. (2015). Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and RigorAmong Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Hehir, T. & Katzman, L. (2013). Effective inclusive schools: Designing successful schoolwide programs. NJ: John Wiley& Sons, Incorporated.

Howe, Florence. (1965). “Mississippi’s Freedom Schools: The Politics of Education”




RESOURCES (Cont'd)

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A Portrait of a Culturally Responsive School

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