A collaboration between South County SELPA, the Equity, Disproportionality & Design Project, and the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST), featuring teachers and school leaders from award-winning schools. In this five session series, NCUST Executive Coaches Cara Riggs, Dr. Rupi Boyd, and Dr. Joseph Johnson will teach about five important practices successful schools have used to elevate learning to new levels for all students.
Equity, Disproportionality & Design, (2021).
This article’s authors described racial and ethnic inequity in educational systems from the vantage point of psychological theory. Practitioners may be interested in this work because it links disparities in education to disparities in society overall. Additionally, the suggested interventions are provided based on established psychological concepts.
Quintana, Stephen M., Mahgoub, L. 2016. “Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Education: Psychology's Role in Understanding and Reducing Disparities.” Theory into Practice. 55 (2): 94-103.
In asking countless researchers to discuss race consciousness in schools, the author creates over 64 chapters describing principles and strategies toward equity. Toward the end, she provides over twenty “everyday antiracist strategies” for educators to use as they struggle to improve systems.
Pollock, Mica, ed. Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School. 2008. New York: The New Press.
With forward by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Blankstein and Noguera use narrative and story to provide the necessary impetus for educators to embark on a journey to equitable schools and society.
Blankstein, Alan M., and Noguera, Pedro. 2016. Excellence Through Equity: Five Principles of Courageous Leadership to Guide Achievement for Every Student. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
The article, First Encounters with Racism, is the result of collaboration between the New York Times and Youth Radio, Oakland, California. Written by four youths from differing backgrounds, the short pieces provide readers with a somber reminder that there is significant work to be done to erase pervasive discrimination and bias both in schools and in society.
The New York Times. 2017. "First Encounters With Racism." https://nyti.ms/2hoLG6g (accessed April 3, 2018).
This paper suggests using root cause analysis with educational partners to address issues of equity in discipline.
Sandomierski, T., Martinez, S., Webster, R., Winneker, A., & Minch, D. (2022). From “Quick Fix” to Lasting Commitment: Using Root Cause Analysis to Address Disproportionate Discipline Outcomes. Preventing School Failure, 66(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2021.1937025
Provides an overview of this New York University self-assessment tool.
Training Module 1: Overview of Metropolitan Center for Urban Education’s Disproportionality Workbooks
Training Module 2: Using the Data Analysis Workbook
Training Module 3: Knowing A Disproportionality Problem Based On Numbers
Training Module 4: Using the Equity in Education Workbook
Training Module 5: Discussing Culturally Responsive Education Beliefs
Training Module 6: Common Causes of Disproportionality in Special Education and Suspension
Edward Fergus, presenter (2010) State Performance Plan Technical Assistance Project, California Department of Education.
This study examines a set of seven “positive outlier” districts in California in which students across racial/ethnic groups are consistently outperforming students of similar racial/ethnic backgrounds from families of similar income and education levels in most other California districts. In addition, these districts are achieving more equitable opportunities and outcomes across a range of measures. This cross-case study consolidates lessons learned from these seven districts in California during the early implementation of new standards in California.
Burns, Dion, Linda Darling-Hammond, Caitlin Scott. 2020. How positive outlier districts create a strong and stable teaching force (research brief). Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/media/463/download?inline&file=Positive_Outlier_Districts_Strong_Stable_Teachers_BRIEF.pdf (accessed January 30, 2023).
Implementing PBIS with a Racial Equity Lens was presented by Dr. Kent McIntosh and SPP-TAP on January 23, 2018. Many schools are implementing PBIS in efforts to reduce racial disproportionality in school discipline. Although there is research showing that schools implementing PBIS with fidelity have more equitable school discipline, eliminating disproportionality requires a specific equity focus. In this webinar, Dr. Kent McIntosh and SPP-TAP shared specific strategies and free resources for enhancing the cultural responsiveness of PBIS systems.
McIntosh, Kent. 2018. "Implementing PBIS with a Racial Equity Lens." State Performance Plan Technical Assistance Project.
This article details results of a qualitative research study completed with black and mixed-race students from a large urban middle school in the Southeast United States. It is unique in that it is one of few studies that allows first person student voice and perspective in the discussion of disproportionate disciplinary procedures. Educators may wish to use this article to reflect on students’ perceptions of exclusionary discipline to compare and contrast them with their own.
Kennedy-Lewis, Brianna L, and Murphy, Amy S. 2016. “Listening to “Frequent Flyers”: What Persistently Disciplined Students Have to Say About Being Labeled as “Bad.” Teachers College Record 1(18).
