Between August and November 2022, we will publish five blog posts as a part of our series, Living Improvement:Resources from the 2021 Carnegie Summit on Improvement in Education (and elsewhere). Resources will focus on leadership, equity, data, and coaching. In this post, we present resources focusing on the role of equity in continuous improvement.
The promise of education is that it will give a child the tools, knowledge, and resources to thrive. Society sets the expectation that if children work hard in school, they will be prepared to pursue further education or employment and lead healthy, dignified, and fulfilling lives. Unfortunately, for too many students, this is an unfulfilled promise. Studies show disparities in student outcomes along intersecting lines of race, ethnicity, gender, and income. Our education systems are routinely producing inequitable results — under-serving students of color and those from low-income households year after year.
The resources here demonstrate ways that educators might use continuous improvement to address problems of inequitable outcomes and a lack of inclusiveness and belonging. Continuous improvement is, at its heart, a very powerful means to combat inequities — one that combines intellectual, analytical, and methodological rigor, deep empathy for students and educators, and respect for their specific contexts, strengths, identities, and challenges. The organizations sharing resources and practices below strive to be passionately user-centered by lifting up the voices of students and educators, and engaging them in the process of improvement. These leaders exemplify using improvement methods for equity with a laser-focus on variation as the problem to solve, looking at what works for whom and under what conditions. What makes these resources particularly unique is their emphasis on individual self-reflection. They remind us that improvers must be aware of their own biases and blind spots, maintain a learner’s stance, embrace an improvement mindset, and meet students and educators where they are.
Set 1: Student Voice as Data
Learn more about how the Network for College Success actively incorporates student and teacher perspective in their continuous improvement efforts and uses student voice data to in their ongoing work. This example was shared in the “Student Voice as Data: Co-Creating the Schools Our Students Deserve Through Their Own Words” session at the 2021 Summit.
Presenters:
- Regina Pretekin, Lead Postsecondary Coach, Network for College Success at The University of Chicago
- Katherine Pressler, Postsecondary Coach, Network for College Success at The University of Chicago
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READFoundations for Young Adult Success FrameworkThis report explores the Foundations for Young Adult Success Framework, providing an understanding of how agency, integrated identity, and competencies impact youth development and needs. |
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WATCHIncorporating Student Voice in Continuous ImprovementLearn about NCS’s improvement effort focused on improving students’ high school experience to prepare students for postsecondary success. Presenters from the network describe the key themes that emerged from data gathered from student focus groups and surveys in year 1 of their work that shaped the direction of the improvement going forward. Watch Video » |
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WATCHDevelopmental Relationships Data ToolLearn about the developmental relationships data tool and dashboard that the Network for College Success used with seven schools to better understand students’ perspectives on connections with adults in their schools. The data helped schools center students’ experiences in the improvement work. Watch Video » |
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WATCHDevelopmental Relationships Data Tool Team ReflectionObserve members of the Counselor and Coach Collaborative (CCC) discussing their data using a structured protocol, hear how they reflect on what students have reported, and learn about some of the next steps for deeper investigation and for testing changes that emerged. Watch Video » |
Set 2: Equity Driven Continuous Improvement
Learn about conditions, capacities, and practices necessary to support school districts to address racial inequity in education using continuous improvement methods and learn from leaders working with schools in varied contexts across California about conditions that support equity-focused improvement. These resources were included in the “Equity-Driven Continuous Improvement to Address Racial Inequities” session at the 2021 summit.
Presenters:
- Alicia Bowman, Improvement Specialist, WestEd
- Amber Valdez, Senior Program Associate, WestEd
- Kelsey Krausen, Senior Engagement Manager, WestEd
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READGetting Better at Getting More EquitableThis April 2021 publication provides a summary leveraging principles, organizational conditions, capacities and strategies that enable continuous improvement to address racial inequities. Findings were drawn from engagement with county office leaders and educators across the state of California who provide improvement coaching and guidance to school districts as part of the state’s accountability and support system. |
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WATCHAddressing Racial InequitiesA panel of California county office of education leaders offer their unique perspectives on urgency and key considerations when addressing systemic racial inequities with the school systems they support using continuous improvement. Featured Panelists: Daryton Ramsey, Ventura County Office of Education; Fabiola Bagula, San Diego County Office of Education; Rhonda Beasley, Santa Clara County Office of Education; Rebecca Lewis, Shasta County Office of Education. Watch Video » |
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WATCHConditions Needed to Address Racial InequitiesA panel of California county office of education leaders discuss conditions, capacities, and practices that support effectively addressing racial inequities within schools districts using continuous improvement. Featured Panelists: Daryton Ramsey, Ventura County Office of Education; Fabiola Bagula, San Diego County Office of Education; Rhonda Beasley, Santa Clara County Office of Education; Rebecca Lewis, Shasta County Office of Education. Watch Video » |