Services | Social Justice & Equity
Partners for Educational Leadership is committed to helping districts, schools, and teachers meet the needs of all students, a challenge that remains complex and difficult, as school systems and individuals continue to struggle with understanding their own and systemic biases that contribute to inequity and significant achievement gaps.
Partners maintain that equity in education is achieved when student outcomes are not predicted by gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, language or ability and where all students reach a level of efficacy and competence that supports a rewarding and productive life. This requires the elimination of the inequities that contribute to disproportionate learning and achievement by students of certain social groups while ensuring all students are prepared for a productive and meaningful life.
Beliefs Guiding Our Equity Work
In America, perceptions and biases about race, class, ability, and gender have deep roots bound into our national history, culture, systems, and structures. By default, these perceptions and biases are replicated in schools.
- Inequities based on racism and classism are baked into our educational system and must be dismantled at a personal, institutional, and systemic level–it is the system that causes the inequities, not the student.
- Educational inequities are caused by racism, prejudice, and bias that disadvantage marginalized groups.
- Working on institutional racism without working on personal and interpersonal transformation allows inequities to persist and subverts systemic transformation.
- Ensuring equity in schools requires a deep commitment to and accountability for high quality teaching and learning.
Partners for Educational Leadership’s Equity Framework
Partners for Educational Leadership offers these services in relation to social justice and equity:
- Build capacity of district leaders to lead for equity, including being able to competently facilitate and lead dialogue regarding race.
- Analyze district data and evidence to diagnose systemic contributors to inequity and develop strategies to address equity gaps.
- Conduct equity audits to identify systemic contributors to inequity.
- Develop Equity Leadership Teams at the district and school level.
- Coordinate, present, and participate in forums utilizing multi-media experiences to explore and examine equity, surface biases, and conduct/lead bold conversations about race, poverty, and privilege.
Contact Jerry Belair for more information jbelair@partnersforel.org
Tools & Resources Relating to Social Justice and Equity
Resources for Responding to Racist and Violent Acts
Posted by: Partners
Date: June 4, 2020
5 New Ways for Schools to work with Families
Posted by: theconversation.com
Date: December 11, 2019
Framing Brave Conversations about Race and Ethnicity
Published by: Leading Equity Center
Written by: Sheldon Eakins
