Equity Pedagogy

Equity Pedagogy is teaching practices focused on whom we teach, what we teach and how we teach.

Inclusive culturally responsive teaching strategies, classroom environments and school cultures help students from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural groups attain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to thrive and create a more just and humane society. 

Practicing culturally relevant, responsive and sustaining approaches engages students in learning focused on identity, diversity, justice and action. Educators prepare by seeking awareness, knowledge and skills to develop cultural competence and implement equitable practices that perpetuate educational equity. 

This type of teaching aligns with the goals in our Strategic Plan and Diversity and Equity Policy. This type of learning strengthens and promotes the cultural and linguistic diversity of students and empowers them to contribute positively, make decisions about their learning and participate through authentic tasks and civic action.

Educational Equity is about…

• Cultivating the gifts, talents and diverse backgrounds of each and every student 
• Interrupting practices that negatively impact vulnerable and marginalized students
• Reducing the predictability of who succeeds and who fails 
• Fair access and support

We strive for a teaching mindset where…

• Students’ life experiences, cultural backgrounds and identities are valuable assets that contribute to the rich and collective learning of all students. 
• Students’ home culture and the cultural wealth that comes from their families and communities are significant.
• Teachers initiate connections and develop strong trusting relationships. 
• Rigorous learning, and the environment it occurs in, is accessible to all. 
• Different types of knowledge are sought, encouraged, honored and developed.
• We must all actively combat inequity and promote anti-racist and anti-bias teaching and learning
• The instructional materials we use to differentiate instruction have diverse representations, diverse authors, challenge racism, present multiple narratives and perspectives, engage students in meaningful learning experiences and rich tasks, and assess growth in dynamic ways. 

We strive to lead this work by…

• Modeling our commitment to this imperative work through our actions
• Analyzing our school system and through critical self-reflection
• Developing and retaining culturally competent and responsive educators
• Creating, adapting and enhancing culturally relevant and inclusive curricula
• Promoting inclusive and anti-oppressive schools
• Engaging students and the families and communities that matter to them.

Key Initiatives for the 2020-2022 School Year and beyond, include, but are not limited to…

• Increased use of culturally responsive practices by all instructional staff.
• Increased access to culturally relevant instructional materials for students. 
• Provide support for building leaders and Racial and Educational Justice Teams with goals aligned with increasing equitable school climates and classroom cultures. 
• Facilitating a work team to develop an Ethnic Studies Framework that will guide teachers with curriculum supplementation in the 2021 school year and beyond.
• Increasing equitable outcomes for students by guiding Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for the academic and behavioral needs of students.