At a time when more than half of our nation’s public-school students are black, Latino, Asian, American Indian, or mixed race, conversations about race and inequality are happening in schools—between students, with teachers, among leadership, and communities. There are ways to support these conversations as positive, productive sessions that break down walls and contribute to a greater understanding of equity issues impacting students.
In September, the #OurChallengeOurHope campaign highlights how schools are tackling issues of race and equity―from the classroom all the way to the statehouse.
WEBINAR: Building Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Schools
With an educator workforce that largely does not represent the students it serves, how can schools support the needs of the diverse learners who walk their halls each day? What are strategies that teachers, schools, districts, and states can employ to ground policies and practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion? Join this webinar on September 17 at 2:00 p.m. EDT to hear from panelists on their experiences fostering conversations about race and inclusion and promising practices for culturally responsive teaching, addressing implicit biases, diversifying the teacher workforce, and more.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at All4Ed
At the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), we know firsthand how uncomfortable grappling with issues of race can be, but that doesn’t stop us. We’re committed to better understand the complex issues facing historically underserved students and the wide range of inequities preventing them from receiving a high-quality education. Part of that commitment means looking inward to our relationships with each other as we build expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The State of Racial Diversity in the Educator Workforce
This report from the U.S. Department of Education provides a current snapshot of the racial diversity of educators in our nation’s elementary and secondary public schools. It reviews trends in the diversity of students, teachers, and education leaders and examines the teacher pipeline from enrollment in postsecondary education, hiring, and teacher retention.
The Push to Get More Teachers of Color in Special Education Classrooms
Just over 82 percent of special education teachers in public schools are white and only about half of students receiving special education services are white. This Education Week article dives into how teacher preparation programs are bringing people of color and people with disabilities into the special education teaching ranks.
How school leaders can promote district diversity, integration
In this opinion piece for Education Dive, co-principals of the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School in Queens, New York share four strategies for creating an inclusive school community.
States Leading for Equity: Promising Practices Advancing the Equity Commitments
This brief from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) provides an overview of practices and policies states are currently engaging in to provide a stronger education for students. It showcases work in several states towards CCSSO’s ten equity commitments.
How the nation’s growing racial diversity is changing our schools
This analysis from the Washington Post finds that more students attend schools with children of different races than ever before yet, in many big cities and across the South, students remain in districts that are deeply segregated. Through an interactive map accompanying the analysis, readers can discover the overall racial makeup of school districts across the United States.
Many White Principals Feel Ill-Equipped to Support Students of Color, Poor Children
Do you know that around 80 percent of the nation’s K–12 principals are white? Do you also know that white principals are more likely to say their preservice programs did not prepare them adequately to meet the needs of diverse student bodies? This Education Week article breaks down findings from RAND Education and Labor demonstrating the extent to which the educator workforce does not reflect student diversity.
Bridging the Divide Between White Teachers and Students of Color
More than one-third of students at Sussex Tech High School in Delaware are students of color, yet almost 90 percent of its teachers are white. The school’s equity team is working to train educators to be more culturally responsive by challenging their cultural biases and better understanding their students’ perspectives to create more inclusive learning environments.
Valuing Culture is Essential to Learning
Learning environments that recognize and support students’ cultural identities contribute to their academic success. This All4Ed report explains why adolescents need to learn in safe, supportive, and culturally responsive environments and offers recommendations for educators, policymakers, and parents.
Podcast: Exploring Racial and Ethnic Identity Development During Adolescence
How does racial and ethnic identity development impact students and their learning environments? On this episode of All4Ed’s Critical Window podcast, Dr. Joanna Lee Williams, associate professor in the Curry School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia, examines how young people begin exploring the “who am I” question in the context of their racial and ethnic identities.