There is a compelling need to reform California’s K-12 system and for additional investment in disadvantaged and minority students that lag far behind, to address these challenges and to reduce systemic inequities. This brief summarizes an economic analysis of three specific – and related – issues facing California’s public school system: students’ failure to complete high school, chronic absenteeism, and disciplinary infractions.
Belfied, C. Rodgriguez, V., Bowden, A.B., Oas, J. (2023). The Economic Benefits of Equity Across California Schools. California MTSS Research Consortium, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. Accessed September 8, 2023. https://transformschools.ucla.edu/research/the-economic-benefits-of-equity-across-california-schools/
This brief includes an empathic discipline program: an intervention for teachers that is designed to mitigate the consequences of bias on their students’ education outcomes with a focus on exclusionary discipline. Researchers tested whether the empathic discipline program could be implemented through MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) networks in a large and diverse school district and whether it could mitigate yearlong suspension rates.
Okonofua, J. and Semko, S. (2023) Through MTSS, Empathic Discipline Program Can Mitigate Racial Disparities in Suspension Rates. California MTSS Research Consortium, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. Accessed September 5, 2023.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of health, social, emotional etc. issues facing Latino males in America. It is useful for practitioners who seek to further understand prevalent issues affecting Latino males in America.
Noguera, P., Aida Hurtado and Edward Fergus Eds. Understanding and Responding to the Disenfranchisement of Latino Males: Invisible No More. New York: Routledge, 2011.
This volume examines the interconnected concepts of punitive school discipline and early introduction to the criminal justice system. The authors review how improved understanding and amended practices are integral to eliminating the current trajectory of students into the penal system.
Fasching-Varner, Kenneth J., Martin, Lori Latrice, Mitchell, Roland W., Bennett-Haron, Karen, ed. Daneshzadeh, Arash, ed. (2017). Understanding, Dismantling, and Disrupting the Prison-to-School Pipeline.Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Considers the degree to which poverty contributes to disproportionality in special education.
Russell J. Skiba et al. (2005) The Journal of Special Education.
This series of articles on Inequities in schools takes a close look at some schools and districts that are engaging in hard work of embracing the goals of equity and turning them into action steps that are benefiting students. The articles discuss that black, Hispanic or low-income students schools may not have the same advanced courses as white, more affluent peers, teachers with long track records of effective teaching or are more likely to face harsher discipline. Articles: 1. In Pursuit of Equity 2. Data Reveal Deep Inequalities in Schools 3. How Onw District is Raising Math Rigor and Achievement for Students of Color 4. Access to Quality PD Is an Equity Issue, Teachers Say 5. The Simple Policy Change That's Getting More Students of Color in Advanced Courses 6. The Art of Making Science Accessible and Relevant to All Students
Samuel, C.A., Schwartz, S., Blad, E., Gewertz, C. 2020. Uprooting Inequities in Schools. Bethesda, Maryland: Education Week http://e-news.edweek.org/hostedemail/email.htm?CID=41632109141&ch=555AE40C00CA2111F027762D339E115D&h=090c7478f5f0b706ad27de4da5c61b08&ei=7f7OBGlxN&st=04-MAR-20
Bastable, E., Meng, P., Falcon, S. F., & McIntosh, K. (2023). Using an Embedded Mixed Methods Design to Assess and Improve Intervention Acceptability of an Equity-Focused Intervention: A Methodological Demonstration. Behavioral Disorders, 48(3), 201–211. https://doi.org/10.1177/0198742919880486
Teachers—especially White teachers—rarely have opportunities to learn how to teach for racial equity. This study explored a teacher professional development model organized around EQUIP (https://www.equip.ninja/), a research-based classroom observation tool that generates quantitative data on equity patterns in students’ classroom participation.
Shah, N. Ph.D., Reinholz, D., and Harris, A. (2023) Using Equity Data from Classrooms to Support Teacher Learning for Racial Equity. California MTSS Research Consortium, UCLA Center for the Tran
Based in activist tradition, Love persuades educators to teach students about racial violence, oppression, and their ability to change society for the better.
Love, Bettina L. 2019. We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom. Boston: Beacon Press.
The WEEAC houses a number of equity related resources on a variety of topics. This center is no longer providing technical assistance to states.
