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Equity & Excellence in Education Resources |
Past Professional Learning
Leading with Excellence & Equity
presented by MASA in partnership with the YMCA and the UnitedHealth Group Equity Innovation Center of Excellence
You and your leadership team are invited to embark on an equity journey through a series of sessions, two in-person and six virtual. We will provide experiences, principles, information, and tools for you to apply in systems change work for greater equity.
Participation is limited to 30 seats. Register early to save your spot!
Session Dates
Participants will attend two in-person experiences along with six live virtual sessions from September 27 to December 6. Full session dates can be found online!
Participation is limited to 30 seats. Register early to save your spot!
Register for the series here!
presented by MASA in partnership with the YMCA and the UnitedHealth Group Equity Innovation Center of Excellence
You and your leadership team are invited to embark on an equity journey through a series of sessions, two in-person and six virtual. We will provide experiences, principles, information, and tools for you to apply in systems change work for greater equity.
Participation is limited to 30 seats. Register early to save your spot!
Session Dates
Participants will attend two in-person experiences along with six live virtual sessions from September 27 to December 6. Full session dates can be found online!
Participation is limited to 30 seats. Register early to save your spot!
Register for the series here!
Equity Symposium
Leading for an Equitable System
Leading for equity in our schools requires us to have a deep understanding of how the different parts of the education system interrelate and how each part functions to create an equitable system for each and every student.
Through a lens of equity, Superintendents and system leaders will learn about a conceptual framework which includes key areas of focus for leaders to assess as they work toward achieving an equitable school system. Participants will hear from district leaders about specific equity efforts that are taking place in their respective districts, and learn how to leverage the collective actions of the system to ensure we are meeting the needs of all learners.
Leading for an Equitable System
Leading for equity in our schools requires us to have a deep understanding of how the different parts of the education system interrelate and how each part functions to create an equitable system for each and every student.
Through a lens of equity, Superintendents and system leaders will learn about a conceptual framework which includes key areas of focus for leaders to assess as they work toward achieving an equitable school system. Participants will hear from district leaders about specific equity efforts that are taking place in their respective districts, and learn how to leverage the collective actions of the system to ensure we are meeting the needs of all learners.
Equity Power Hours
One hour facilitated Zoom meetings where colleagues sign on to have confidential conversations about issues facing them.
Past Meeting Dates and Topics
January 11: Engaging your community: Bringing them into the conversation
February 8: Assessing your system: Data analysis and voice seeking
March 8: Leader Development: preparing your leaders to lead
April 5: Teacher Development: Engaging your teachers
One hour facilitated Zoom meetings where colleagues sign on to have confidential conversations about issues facing them.
Past Meeting Dates and Topics
January 11: Engaging your community: Bringing them into the conversation
February 8: Assessing your system: Data analysis and voice seeking
March 8: Leader Development: preparing your leaders to lead
April 5: Teacher Development: Engaging your teachers
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Learning Resources: Social Justice and Anti-Racism in Policing (LawyerEdu.Org)
In the last few years, the issues of social justice, police reform and racism in the policing and the justice system have become apparent to the masses. Brutal murders and beatings by police have been caught on film and the injustices faced by the marginalized communities in the United States cannot be ignored. Even the White House has launched new Executive Orders to change the way policing works in the United States.
LawyerEdu has created a robust guide with over 100 different articles, websites, fact sheets and more in support of these communities for academics, students, police departments, and anyone working in the criminal justice system.
LawyerEdu has created a robust guide with over 100 different articles, websites, fact sheets and more in support of these communities for academics, students, police departments, and anyone working in the criminal justice system.
- Racial disparities in policing
- Facts and data on anti-Black racism in policing
- Criminal justice reform
- Organizations hoping to motivate change
- Advocacy and procedural justice
- Books and podcasts
Dr. Katie Pekel and the University of Minnesota Recommended Resources
Culturally Responsive School Leadership
Administrative and Community Perspectives in Data-Driven Decision Making: Systemic Perspectives Versus Technical-Rational Perspectives
University of Minnesota: Culturally Responsive School Leadership Framework
Literature Review: Leadership practices in service of improving educational opportunities and outcomes for minoritized communities, especially in instructional settings
Administrative and Community Perspectives in Data-Driven Decision Making: Systemic Perspectives Versus Technical-Rational Perspectives
University of Minnesota: Culturally Responsive School Leadership Framework
Literature Review: Leadership practices in service of improving educational opportunities and outcomes for minoritized communities, especially in instructional settings
Additional Resources
Joint Equity Statement Letter
Truth in Our Classrooms Bridges Divides: futureforlearning.org/2021/06/03/truth-bridges-divides
FrameWorks Institute: www.frameworksinstitute.org/issues/equity
FrameWorks Institute: Talking About Racial Equity in Education
Truth in Our Classrooms Bridges Divides: futureforlearning.org/2021/06/03/truth-bridges-divides
FrameWorks Institute: www.frameworksinstitute.org/issues/equity
FrameWorks Institute: Talking About Racial Equity in Education
Books on Race
Books on Race
Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi - This is admittedly a long book, but perhaps the most influential in my understanding of race and racism. It really is a historical account of racism, one not presented in most history courses or traditional textbooks. I know Kendi's second book is a NYT Bestseller, and hard to get even on Amazon, and it is good as well, but in my opinion Stamped is the foundational reading that really helps make the more actionable work in How to be an Anti-Racist make sense. Stamped really is the WHY. It will also require Googling of A LOT of things - which leads to more learning!
Stamped: Racism, Anti Racism, and You (YA Book) by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi - This is the Young Adult version of Stamped From the Beginning that YA author Jason Reynolds wrote. In the audible version Reynolds also reads it - which I think is really pretty powerful.
How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi - This is the one that has gained quite a bit of attention - he also did a podcast with Brenee Brown - which I have not listened to but others have told me they have found it useful.
White Fragility: Why it is so hard for white people to talk about race by Robin DiAngelo - This is the #1 Book on NYTimes list and Amazon. Though I want to be clear, I feel this book is for white people. She is also a highly sought after speaker (I brought her the U of M last year -though her YouTube clips really do the trick ;-) Her academic article that appeared in the Journal of International Pedagogy that became the book is available here. Her other academic articles and book chapters are available here.
Is everyone really equal? An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education by Ozlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo -This is one that I feel like can be used with staff as you work to define terms such as oppression, privilege, racism. It is short and written with a practitioner audience in mind. *I would say, it is always important for a leader to first read anything you may ask staff to read.
Culturally Responsive School Leadership by Muhammad Khalifa - You will be getting this as part of MPA and we will use it in the Academy. Much of what we read in education is about culturally responsive pedagogy (Zaretta Hammond, Geneva Gay, Bettina Love...) but Muhammad is one of the few scholars who writes about culturally responsive leadership. The introduction to the book - which is really like a chapter is available for free download on the Harvard Press website.
Educated in Whiteness: Good Intentions and Diversity in Schools by Angelina Castagano is Free right now from the University of Minnesota Press through the end of August : https://manifold.umn.edu/projects/project-collection/racial-justice She also recently edited The Price of Nice How Good Intentions Maintain Educational Inequity. This book has chapters for all parts of the system and focuses on how whiteness as niceness is really problematic.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander is an incredible account of the criminal justice system, something I knew very little about empirically before reading this book. It led me to reading research articles on SROs ... let me know if you want me to send any of those your way – the research is clear – we should not have SROs in our buildings.
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown - Channing Brown has also recently been on Brenee Brown's Podcast (have not listened to that one yet either... but you see a theme here;-) This book was interesting in the fact that the author, a Black woman, tells of her experiences as a young professional (in non-profit work) but also reflects on her own knowledge acquisition and looks back on childhood experiences.
Dying of Whiteness: How The Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland by Jonathan Metzl - This is written by a White MD who basically acted as an investigative reporter in the 'heartland' of America for a few years. His book focuses on health care, gun control and education. It is full of statistics yet they are woven in with personal stories of the many, many people he interviewed.
Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side by Eve Ewing - This is an account of the closing of schools on Chicago's storied "South Side ''. What is so interesting about this book is that Ewing not only grew up there and has deep personal connections, she is also a researcher so the telling of the story through research based methodologies is super interesting.
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates - This is a reflection on eight of the pieces Coates wrote for The Atlantic, one from each of the years President Obama was in the White House. While the original pieces are interesting, and in typical Coates style, masterfully written, it is the introductions in reflection to each that situate them in their place in time and his thoughts on them now. The one about Bill Cosby illustrates Coates’ honest vulnerability as he reflects on himself as a 'struggling writer'.
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo - This is a fairly quick read and while some of it may likely leave you nodding your head, "yes" it is a good reminder of things we may want to think about (metacognition is always good!) as we engage in discussions about race.
Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit and her seminal article that became the book: The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children - In the past when principals have told me they are going to begin equity work and where should they start with their staff.... after I have asked them what they have read ;-) , I have suggested starting with Lisa Delpit’s article "The Silenced Dialogue..." for a few reasons. 1.) It's good 2.) Most educators recognize the name Lisa Delpit 3.) It was written in 1988. That last one is significant because as you read it, I think you will find what Delpit was arguing for in 1988 has largely not happened.
Just Mercy: A Story of Injustice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson - I read this probably 5 years ago when it was the "freshman read" at the U. It is now a motion picture, which is also good. Stevenson's book is so well written and the personal stories are captivating, following this up with Alexander's The New Jim Crow may be a good combination.
The School to Prison Pipeline: The Role of Culture and Discipline in School Edited by Nathern Okilwa, Muhammad Khalifa and Felicia Briscoe - This is a compilation of a number of different topics, each with its own chapter. The chapters on PBIS and Restorative Practices are must reads for any school implementing or engaging in these strategies. We read them as part of the CRSL Academy.
Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi - This is admittedly a long book, but perhaps the most influential in my understanding of race and racism. It really is a historical account of racism, one not presented in most history courses or traditional textbooks. I know Kendi's second book is a NYT Bestseller, and hard to get even on Amazon, and it is good as well, but in my opinion Stamped is the foundational reading that really helps make the more actionable work in How to be an Anti-Racist make sense. Stamped really is the WHY. It will also require Googling of A LOT of things - which leads to more learning!
Stamped: Racism, Anti Racism, and You (YA Book) by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi - This is the Young Adult version of Stamped From the Beginning that YA author Jason Reynolds wrote. In the audible version Reynolds also reads it - which I think is really pretty powerful.
How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi - This is the one that has gained quite a bit of attention - he also did a podcast with Brenee Brown - which I have not listened to but others have told me they have found it useful.
White Fragility: Why it is so hard for white people to talk about race by Robin DiAngelo - This is the #1 Book on NYTimes list and Amazon. Though I want to be clear, I feel this book is for white people. She is also a highly sought after speaker (I brought her the U of M last year -though her YouTube clips really do the trick ;-) Her academic article that appeared in the Journal of International Pedagogy that became the book is available here. Her other academic articles and book chapters are available here.
Is everyone really equal? An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education by Ozlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo -This is one that I feel like can be used with staff as you work to define terms such as oppression, privilege, racism. It is short and written with a practitioner audience in mind. *I would say, it is always important for a leader to first read anything you may ask staff to read.
Culturally Responsive School Leadership by Muhammad Khalifa - You will be getting this as part of MPA and we will use it in the Academy. Much of what we read in education is about culturally responsive pedagogy (Zaretta Hammond, Geneva Gay, Bettina Love...) but Muhammad is one of the few scholars who writes about culturally responsive leadership. The introduction to the book - which is really like a chapter is available for free download on the Harvard Press website.
Educated in Whiteness: Good Intentions and Diversity in Schools by Angelina Castagano is Free right now from the University of Minnesota Press through the end of August : https://manifold.umn.edu/projects/project-collection/racial-justice She also recently edited The Price of Nice How Good Intentions Maintain Educational Inequity. This book has chapters for all parts of the system and focuses on how whiteness as niceness is really problematic.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander is an incredible account of the criminal justice system, something I knew very little about empirically before reading this book. It led me to reading research articles on SROs ... let me know if you want me to send any of those your way – the research is clear – we should not have SROs in our buildings.
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown - Channing Brown has also recently been on Brenee Brown's Podcast (have not listened to that one yet either... but you see a theme here;-) This book was interesting in the fact that the author, a Black woman, tells of her experiences as a young professional (in non-profit work) but also reflects on her own knowledge acquisition and looks back on childhood experiences.
Dying of Whiteness: How The Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland by Jonathan Metzl - This is written by a White MD who basically acted as an investigative reporter in the 'heartland' of America for a few years. His book focuses on health care, gun control and education. It is full of statistics yet they are woven in with personal stories of the many, many people he interviewed.
Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side by Eve Ewing - This is an account of the closing of schools on Chicago's storied "South Side ''. What is so interesting about this book is that Ewing not only grew up there and has deep personal connections, she is also a researcher so the telling of the story through research based methodologies is super interesting.
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates - This is a reflection on eight of the pieces Coates wrote for The Atlantic, one from each of the years President Obama was in the White House. While the original pieces are interesting, and in typical Coates style, masterfully written, it is the introductions in reflection to each that situate them in their place in time and his thoughts on them now. The one about Bill Cosby illustrates Coates’ honest vulnerability as he reflects on himself as a 'struggling writer'.
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo - This is a fairly quick read and while some of it may likely leave you nodding your head, "yes" it is a good reminder of things we may want to think about (metacognition is always good!) as we engage in discussions about race.
Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit and her seminal article that became the book: The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children - In the past when principals have told me they are going to begin equity work and where should they start with their staff.... after I have asked them what they have read ;-) , I have suggested starting with Lisa Delpit’s article "The Silenced Dialogue..." for a few reasons. 1.) It's good 2.) Most educators recognize the name Lisa Delpit 3.) It was written in 1988. That last one is significant because as you read it, I think you will find what Delpit was arguing for in 1988 has largely not happened.
Just Mercy: A Story of Injustice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson - I read this probably 5 years ago when it was the "freshman read" at the U. It is now a motion picture, which is also good. Stevenson's book is so well written and the personal stories are captivating, following this up with Alexander's The New Jim Crow may be a good combination.
The School to Prison Pipeline: The Role of Culture and Discipline in School Edited by Nathern Okilwa, Muhammad Khalifa and Felicia Briscoe - This is a compilation of a number of different topics, each with its own chapter. The chapters on PBIS and Restorative Practices are must reads for any school implementing or engaging in these strategies. We read them as part of the CRSL Academy.