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NOVEMBER 2021 ■ VOLUME 23 ■ NUMBER 10

Cultural Responsiveness

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cultural Responsiveness

NOVEMBER 2021 ■ VOLUME 23 ■ NUMBER 10

The Indiana Association of School Principals leads in the advocacy and support of all principals in their commitment to every child.

Community Building

President’s Letter: Finding Our Way Through Fear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IDOE - A Time to be Thankful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 From the AP Lens: Examining Equity through the Assistant Principal Lens.6 CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Tiffany Barrett Troy Albert Keith Burke Jason Cary Andrew Hawk Rick Hunt Jared Leiker Debra Misecko Nicholas Mitchaner Kevin Rockey Steve Samuel Matt Stark Kelly Storms Chrystal Street

Promoting Equity with Social-Emotional Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Becoming a Student-Ready School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Building Unified Champion Districts - One School at a Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Equity in Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Power of Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Responsiveness in the School Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 We know OUR story, what about THEIR story?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

11025 East 25th Street Indianapolis, IN 46229 1-800-285-2188 or 317-891-9900 www.iasp.org tbarrett@iasp.org

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Equity and Culturally Responsive Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 IPLI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

© 2020 Indiana Association of School Principals All rights reserved. Any duplication without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

SERVICE

Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 LEGAL REVIEW

Legal Situation Brief: Systemic Equity in Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Labor Disputes: The Inequitable Impact on Student Learning and Achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Return to Table of Contents

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Finding Our Way Through Fear The older I get the more I realize what a factor fear plays in our lives. With two teenage children of my own, our deepest conversations these days center around how to conquer fear and not let it dictate your thoughts, words or actions. Sometimes those conversations have to do with overcoming the fear of a big opponent on the court and sometimes they are deeper discussions of the fear surrounding the assurance of your lifelong occupational pursuit. Whatever the case, I want my own children to know that fear can cause us to act in ways that are not healthy and we must reflect and realize its role if we are to ever conquer it.

I once read the quote “Being brave isn’t the absence of fear, being brave is having fear but finding a way through it.” I love this so much and it applies to fear of nearly every sort. I have personally found that I am unable to find my way through fear without at least one of two things; self reflection and strong mentors.

Self reflection allows me to really see the fear I possess and how it limits me. Without that reflection I will always project my actions or thoughts onto other people or circumstances and more often than not, I have no control over either one of those things. Strong mentors help me by sharing their own life experiences which often allows me to learn from their mistakes or share in their wisdom by following their 20/20 hindsight of how fear impacted them.

How does this relate to equity and cultural responsiveness within our halls? Well, I have found that when we are not carrying these out to their fullest, it often is rooted in our own fears. “What will others think of what I am doing?” “I don’t understand that way of thinking. That is not what I believe or how I grew up.”

Fostering equality and cultural responsiveness within our halls has to do with challenging our own beliefs and modeling what it looks like to question our fears or unknowns and be open to others. It has so much less to do with ‘right and wrong’ and so much more to do with acceptance and acknowledgement. Cultural responsiveness and equity are many times tied to race, ethnicity or various orientations but really at the end of the day, I wonder if the common thread is that we need to face our fears.

We all desire for our students and staff to feel like our school communities are a place of safety and security, a place where they feel accepted and included. If we are to foster these environments, we must take the lead in challenging ourselves to be vulnerable in exposing our own fears and openly talking through them so that we might better understand those with opposing beliefs and different upbringing. When we step out in courage and face our fears, we break down barriers that provide equity and cultural responsiveness a home.

In this month of thankfulness, know how very thankful I am to serve in this role for IASP and how very thankful I am to walk this road in pursuit of equity with each of you! Keep up the great work principals!

Aimee Lunsford IASP President

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Being brave isn’t the absence of fear, being brave is having fear but finding a way through it.

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

IASP Executive Committee Aimee Lunsford President Matt Shockley President-Elect Our November Indianagram is here (yes, we know it is December) and that timing means we get to celebrate all our IASP District Principals and Assistant Principals of the Year, as well as announce our state-level winners!! Our Awards Banquet on Sunday, November 21 brought together both the principals and assistant principals for a wonderful celebration of leadership, congratulations to Ryan Welch - AP of the Year, Bonnie Stephens – Elementary POY, Karianne Polk-Meek – Middle School POY, and Michael Cox – High School POY. Their leadership and accomplishments represent all the fabulous leaders across Indiana, and we look forward to their continued service with IASP as they help facilitate the Aspiring Principals Conference in April.

And, now that is December, we get to also reflect on all that 2021 has brought to us.

We are thankful for you, our members, who have continued to help us grow and shape the school leadership landscape across Indiana. Membership, conference attendance, and school leader programming (INALI, LEADing APs, the LEAD Program) all help renew us at IASP, and challenge us to deliver more to you. With guidance from the IASP Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, we will do just that in 2022.

Dr. Crystal Murff Thorpe Vice President Eric Gilpin Past President Amy Niemeier NAESP State Representative Dave Strouse NASSP State Coordinator Steve Baker Liaison to the DOE Dr. Daniel Peo Assistant Principal Liaison

Our topic this month is Cultural Responsiveness, and this is one that needs our attention. The pandemic has further exposed educational and opportunity gaps within our demographics, and our leadership is vital to helping serve all children, and providing for our diverse state. To borrow from President Aimee Lunsford, it will take brave leadership, for there is no easy way to tackle equity and cultural responsiveness without having the courage to acknowledge our own fears and biases, and then find ways to move our entire school forward. Having interacted with almost 1200 IASP Members during the AP and Fall Conference, I know we have the leadership capacity to be brave for our children. Thank you for all that you do, thank you for your leadership, and remember to take care of yourself and your family during the upcoming holiday season.

Dr. Todd D. Bess IASP Executive Director

Future Indianagram themes Professional Learning Communities Remediation/Interventions Safety Strategic Planning/Vision & Mission Operations and Management Best of 2021-2022 School Year

January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022

Share your thoughts on the Indianagram https://forms.gle/sCmLHwnh4aYcTJdr8

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A Time to be Thankful Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education The holiday season is upon us Halloween is in the recent past, Thanksgiving is days away, and just three weeks after that, we’ll be wrapping up the first half of the 2021-2022 school year!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it always reminds me to take a step back and take a moment to reflect and be grateful. As we have discussed before, it’s so easy for us to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day (I’m preaching to myself as I write this, because I’m guilty of this, too!), but as we are now well into November, my hope is that in the midst of the turkey, pumpkin pie, and family time, we can also each take this opportunity to reflect on the blessings in our lives. As I reflect on my own life, I want you to know that I am incredibly grateful for you -- all of our school principals and educators who care so deeply about our students and the communities in which we serve. Thank you for your partnership and dedication to serving and loving our Indiana students.

Even through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, as you well know, we are also moving forward a major paradigm shift in our state’s accountability system by re-envisioning how we measure student readiness and success. As the global economy continues to change and as technology continues to advance, our collective work to set students up for the greatest possible success is now more important than ever.

and opportunities. By doing so, we can ensure all students emerge prepared for a dynamic future, whether they choose employment, enrollment, or enlistment leading to service.

While we talk a lot about the importance of knowledge and skill development for a student, we must also acknowledge our greater mission, as educators, to support students in finding their purpose, knowing their value, and understanding the possibilities for their life’s path.

To better provide a more comprehensive view of student outcomes, Indiana is moving away from an accountability system that has historically measured student progress through a single test score. In order to provide a more holistic look, the new Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (GPS) dashboard will focus on five characteristics most aligned with student success, regardless of the path they choose. As a reminder, the Indiana GPS characteristics are:

Within these five characteristics, we continue to work with stakeholders to consider how to best measure our progress in these areas, making sure we are student-centered and futurefocused. We are grateful for the robust conversations we’ve had with many of you in recent months regarding this dashboard. Your thoughtful feedback has been invaluable, and we will continue to lean on you in the weeks ahead as we work to officially launch Indiana GPS. Our state has a unique opportunity to be innovative in our approach to measuring student progress, and as the development of Indiana GPS continues, we appreciate your ongoing partnership and collaboration. With the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, please remember the incredible impact you make each and every day for students, families, and educators. And also, take some time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the time spent with family and loved ones. Thank you!

■ Academic Mastery ■ Career & Postsecondary Readiness: Credentials & Experience ■ Communication & Collaboration ■ Work Ethic ■ Civic, Financial, & Digital Literacy

In order for every Hoosier student to reach their potential, we must work together to prioritize knowledge and skill development across all grade levels to best prepare students to explore college and career pathways

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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION

From the AP Lens: Examining Equity through the Assistant Principal Lens Dr. Dan Peo Assistant Principal Wea Ridge Middle School While preparing for my upcoming conference presentation at the Assistant Principal and Fall Professionals Conferences, I have spent a lot of time reading and reflecting on the recent Wallace Foundation Report about assistant principals that was published earlier this year in April 2021. This report seeks to answer several research questions while also summarizing much of the available research on assistant principals that has been conducted since 2000. The authors Ellen Goldring, Mollie Rubin, and Marissa Herrmann have also laid the groundwork for future research on assistant principals, and one of those research priorities was covered in Chapter VI of the report and is entitled, “How does access to the assistant principalship and the principalship differ by educators’ race, ethnicity, and gender?” As our theme for this month’s Indiangram is Equity and Cultural Responsiveness, I am going to use this space to share some of the key takeaways from this report and how these takeaways can affect school leaders in our individual school communities.

Key takeaways “Educators of color are more likely to become assistant principals and less likely to become principals than white educators” (Goldring et al., 2021, p. 72).

This report found that people of color were disproportionately represented as teachers, assistant principals, and principals when compared to the makeup of student demographics.

When taking the average of the data examined between several states, “34 percent of students were people of color, compared with 13 percent of teachers, 24 percent of assistant principals, and 19 percent of principals” (Goldring et al., 2021, p. 61).

When comparing the demographics of principals and assistant principals, the authors found that people of color were better represented as assistant principals than principals. While examining data from Texas of those individuals who went through principal preparation programs, graduates of color were more likely than white graduates to become assistant principals rather than principals; findings from other states were more mixed.

“Women are underrepresented as both assistant principals and principals relative to their representation among the teaching workforce” (Goldring et al., 2021, p. 72).

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When comparing the numbers of women and men graduating from principal preparation programs, women less frequently become assistant principals than men. The evidence regarding those assistant principals becoming principals was less clear when comparing men and women. In addition, the synthesis showed that women were more likely to be assistant principals and principals in elementary schools than in secondary schools.

“Reasons for these racial, ethnic, and gender differences are complex, and research on assistant principals only begins to scratch the surface of these complexities” (Goldring et al., 2021, p.

73).

According to a few of the studies examined in this report, people of color had less access to mentors and faced hiring discrimination. The representation of women was impacted by differences in tapping (being identified as having leadership potential by their school leaders or others), access to mentorship, hiring discrimination, and the demands on one’s time in relation to family responsibilities. The findings in this report paralleled the broader literature on disparities in employment overall for people of color and women.

The impact on practitioners I consider myself both a researcher and practitioner, and one of my personal goals is to help make research more applicable for us in our individual contexts. So…what do we do with the data in this report? Here are a few things that come to mind:

1. School leaders who are thinking about an EdS or a PhD, know that there are many possibilities for research in the area of assistant principals and their impact on schools.

This research area is ripe with potential for new research, so considering this area as a focus for thesis and dissertation research would provide a wealth of opportunities for better understanding the assistant principalship and its role in schools. The authors of this report stated that the research agenda that they proposed had three key goals: - “Clarifying how the assistant principal role can be a stepping-stone to prepare effective principals,” - “Exploring whether the [assistant principal] role should be a discrete career position for some assistant principals rather than a stepping-stone on the pathway to the principalship,” and - “Examining how the role can contribute to a more diverse and equitable pathway to the principalship” (Goldring et al., 2021, p. xvii).

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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION

2. One poignant example of reflecting on our own biases and practices came from a study where bias appeared in a simulated hiring process experiment where candidates with Asian-sounding names were more likely to be interviewed than candidates with Latinx- or Native American-sounding names. As we continue to reflect on conversations of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our schools, we should be mindful of the concerning findings within this report related to underrepresentation of people of color and women educators ascending into the ranks of school leadership.

Being willing to self-reflect on our own practices is a small step on our journey to achieving greater equity in school leader representation, but it is an important one.

Note: While this report is a synthesis of 79 different studies (the highest quality out of 1,683 studies), there are still gaps in the research area that were supplemented by existing data from the Schools and Staffing Survey/National Teacher and Principal Survey and state data from Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

References Goldring, E., Rubin, M., & Herrmann, M. (2021). The Role of Assistant Principals: Evidence and Insights for Advancing School Leadership. The Wallace Foundation. Available at: https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/pages/the-role-of-assistantprincipals-evidence-insights-for-advancing-school-leadership.aspx.

3. We as school leaders should always be thinking about who among our teacher ranks may be future school leaders. We owe it to ourselves and to these individuals to pay it forward as many of us were tapped or encouraged to consider leadership as a part of our careers.

I often wonder how this type of research should be given attention and prioritized within my own daily leadership actions. And this is the simple daily step you can commit to if you are wanting to start somewhere: creating space for deep self-reflection to adjust practices. Equity is not an additional book study, program, or curriculum. Equity should be the very lens that drives our decision making as school leaders.

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“Equity should be the very lens that drives our decision making as school leaders.”

Dan Peo, IASP Assistant Principal Liaison

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CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

Promoting Equity with Social-Emotional Learning Dr. Brandie Oliver Butler University

All school communities need to ensure all students have access to learning environments, materials, and discussions that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Many schools across the state have created DEI teams, committees, and/ or leaders to address the needs of their students, families, and communities. Additionally, many schools have prioritized socialemotional learning (SEL) and teach SEL within the school day.

How can SEL strengthen and support DEI? SEL provides an entry into how educators can intentionally acknowledge, address, and provide opportunities to heal from the harm from racism and systemic oppression within traditional learning environments.

Together, we can create inclusive, caring, and supportive learning environments that value and promote each student’s assets.

To do this, the foundation of all SEL work needs to prioritize equity, diversity and promote a sense of belonging and student mattering.

Before continuing, I firmly believe it is critical to have a shared understanding of the terms we commonly use within this work.

What is equity?

An equitable school community is where every student has access to the resources and educational rigor necessary for lifelong success, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, language, disability, family background, family income, citizenship, or tribal status. Equity includes resource allocation. However, it also addresses that curricula, learning materials, and instruction acknowledge and affirm students’ backgrounds and cultural and linguistic heritage. 1 How is diversity defined?

Diversity is expressed in a myriad of ways, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, culture, national origin, religious commitments, age, (dis)ability status, and political perspective. 2 What is a sense of belonging?

Belongingness is the human emotional need to affiliate with and be accepted by members of a group. Creating a sense of belonging for all students centers on gaining acceptance, attention, and support from members of the group and providing the same attention to other members. All students need to feel emotionally, physically, psychologically, and relationally safe to develop a sense of belongingness. 3 What does mattering mean?

Mattering to others involves individuals’ perceptions that they are important and are valued by other people in interpersonal relationships and within systems. 4

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SEL Supports DEI When schools intentionally develop SEL frameworks that are comprehensively integrated within all teaching and learning aspects of a school community, they can create the necessary change to ensure all students have access to equitable, inclusive, and value diverse perspectives. There are three C’s that every school can focus on as they begin this work: Culture, Collaboration, and Content.

Culture An essential and often overlooked step in addressing DEI is to examine the existing school policies and practices. SEL work needs to include analyzing and updating (or deconstructing) policies and practices to make sure they promote structures and pathways that are strength-based, asset-centered, and growth oriented.

SEL provides a framework that outlines how all students and adults need to develop, build and practice skills that are critical to lifelong success. SEL promotes a school culture where students, families, and educators feel valued, know their voice matters, and have a sense of belonging.

Collaboration A comprehensive approach to SEL requires collaboration.

Not only must educators collaborate, but SEL promotes the collaboration between students, families, and school communities.

Collaboration with partners can help address injustice and related trauma (including discrimination, violence, homelessness, and hunger). 1 SEL initiatives need to include families’ hopes and dreams, honor their culture, and provide them with the respect and appreciation they deserve.

Content Curricula, learning materials, and resources must affirm and sustain students’ diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and traditions.

Stereotype threat can be mitigated in the classroom through teachers’ affirmations, affective language, culturally responsive materials and instruction, and positive discipline practices.

These components of SEL communicate that all students are valued, competent, capable, and integral to the success of the classroom/school.

These 3C’s provide a snapshot into how SEL can promote the DEI work of a school. The following two pages provide additional information to consider as your school embarks on this critical journey.

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CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

Potential Traps Guidance Focusing SEL efforts primarily to address gaps - aimed at students of color because perceived these students lack necessary skills; utilizes a deficit based mindset and approach.

Too much focus or emphasis on self regulation and conflict management skills - approaching SEL from a deficit based lens (students lack knowledge and skills) and only used to address discipline issues.

Utilize a colorblind lens and/or avoid topics that are often perceived as controversial or challenging (i.e., implicit bias, race, poverty, sexual orientation, gender, etc.).

Prescriptive SEL programs and/or formulas dictated by only adults.

Emphasize that SEL is the foundation for all learning. Integrate SEL within all aspects of the school environment aimed to support all students.

Ensure that all SEL work addresses the historical, socio-political, racialized context of education for students of color and students living in poverty in the United States. Acknowledge that SEL is not a ‘tool’ to fix problems. However, a comprehensive SEL approach can address many challenges that students of color and those living in poverty encounter in traditional learning communities.

Ensure that all educators learn and practice having difficult conversations - use of I-messages, empathic communication, and active listening are essential components.

Provide multiple opportunities for students and adults to learn with diverse communities and highlight diverse perspectives’ value.

Include multiple opportunities for students to gain self awareness/insight that includes their identity development.

Normalize the practice of talking about race and understanding events and experiences through the lens of race, culture, and power. Intentionally discuss current events that impact our communities, country, and world’s racial, cultural, and equity struggles.

Begin all SEL work through an asset-based lens, highlighting each student’s strengths, resources, and assets to the learning environment. Ensure student’s voice is an integral part of SEL. SEL needs not only give students voice, but SEL affirms all students are valued and matter.

Infuse SEL training and development for all adult educators regularly. Provide intentional time for adult educators to reflect, question critically, and discuss uncomfortable emotions, personal viewpoints, and diverse perspectives related to discussions of inequity, inclusion, and diversity. Use data and community needs assessment to identify gaps in achievement, opportunity and attainment when developing school’s comprehensive SEL approach and framework.

Provide multiple opportunities to develop student agency helping students lead change that develops/creates school communities that are equitable, supportive, and culturally responsive.

References 1. Aspen Institute. (2018). Pursuing social and emotional development through a racial equity lens: A call to action. Retrieved from https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp content/ uploads/2018/05/Aspen-Institute_Framing-Doc_Call-to-Action.pdf 2. University of Michigan, (2021). Defining DEI: Diversity, equity & inclusion: University of Michigan. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | University of Michigan. Retrieved from https:// diversity.umich.edu/about/defining-dei/.

3. Cherry, K. (2021, March 5). What is a sense of belonging? Verywell Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-need-to-belong-2795393.

4. Dixon, A. L., & Tucker, C. (2008). Every Student Matters: Enhancing Strengths Based School Counseling through the Application of Mattering. Professional School Counseling. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X0801200205 5. National Equity Project, (n.d.). Social Emotional Learning and equity. National Equity Project. Retrieved from https://www.nationalequityproject.org/frameworks/social emotional-learning-and-equity.

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CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: Becoming a Student-Ready School Krista M. Stith Infinite Capacity, LLC

( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)

Rachel L. Geesa Infinite Capacity, LLC

( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)

As we continue to pursue equitable experiences for all students, we reflect on the mindset that students need to be “ready” for the next step or phase of their academic career provided by school programming. One might argue that educational systems are working in a deficit-based framework when students are perceived to be academically, socially, emotionally, and asynchronously behind with their chronological peers. Speaking toward this paradigm shift in post-secondary education settings, McNair et al. (2016) write the following: In this search for the college-ready student, we put the burden of readiness and preparation on the student, when in reality, preparing today’s students for the rigors of college should be a shared responsibility. Just imagine if we focused on the other side of that coin, and instead of seeking the ideal student, we became the ideal college.

Can this paradigm shift apply in PK-12 environments as well- especially in career and college readiness? Schools and districts, particularly during the ongoing pandemic, are limited in capacities (e.g., time, scheduling, resources) to provide equitable career and college readiness opportunities for all students; we suggest that schools can become more student-ready with the help of community partnerships.

How Can A School Be Student-Ready?

In our book coming out this month, Leadership in Integrative STEM: Strategies

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for Facilitating an Experiential and Student-Centered Culture, we highlight several characteristics for educational leaders to promote a shared asset-based paradigm for leaders, educators, support staff, families, students, and community partners.

■ High expectations- First, what is an asset-based mindset? Assetbased thinkers are a) driven by maximizing student strengths, b) focused on student opportunities, and c) attentive to new approaches that would build on students’ present assets and talents. An asset-based paradigm interwoven in a school culture encompasses the belief that all students have assets and talents that will aid them on the path to becoming personally and professionally successful. The student-ready school should support students in developing their own assets and talents.

■ Collaborative leadership- Leaders can gather together to examine disparities and systemic issues that are inhibiting students to feel a sense of belongingness and ability to thrive. Accurate portrayals of students’ experiences that inhibit belongingness may require multitiered solutions/interventions, and so multiple leadership perspectives can be helpful.

■ Data-informed decision-makingExamining disparities, with insight from multiple stakeholders, can be challenging. The Education

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Trust (2015, 2020) developed the Data Equity Walk which can be a useful framework for collecting the data and stakeholder insight to be informed of future decision making.

The exercise entails educational leaders, teachers, students, families, and community members “walking through” data related to equity issues. Participants review and analyze the data, and discuss their thoughts on opportunity gaps, educational outcomes, and school climate. Example questions to prompt discussion are below: - What are your general reactions to the data?

- What questions do these data raise for you?

- What’s the story behind the data?

- Does this relate to any personal experiences you’ve had?

- What further information would be helpful?

- What solutions can you think of to address the issues raised by these data? (The Education Trust, 2015/2020, slide 1) ■ Student-centric educators- Those who work routinely with students should recognize existing biases and reflect on strategies to address these biases for more equitable opportunities for all students to pursue building upon their assets and talents. Educators need time to discuss the diverse interests of students and consider approaches to addressing those interests.

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CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

What are the action steps?

With an asset-based paradigm and awareness of student-ready school characteristics, educational leaders can identify strengths and coordinate efforts to become student-ready. As educators are already pressed with professional responsibilities and resources, reaching out to the community can have significant utility for leaders. The following are recommended action steps when incorporating the community into becoming a student-ready school.

■ Learn about student interests and capacities from all students. Surveys, focus groups, student-teacher mentorships, and school counselor involvement can obtain critical information to inform next actions.

■ Reach out to community partners who can support enriching educational experiences that integrate student needs and interests.

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■ Crystallize the purpose of the partnership(s) and ensure that the school-ready characteristics are interwoven into decisions like high expectations and collaborative leadership.

■ Evolve the partnership(s) as challenges arise and community constituencies move in and out of the community.

■ Celebrate any and all work towards becoming a student-ready school!

A student-ready school provides equitable support for students to pursue their talents and assets, so that they may personally and professionally thrive.

This is a paradigm shift from deficitbased mindsets where students need to “be ready” for the school’s way of doing things. We provided four characteristics of student-ready schools and five action steps to integrate community partnerships into this initiative. Infinite

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Capacity is dedicated to inclusively fostering personal and professional growth for educators, leaders, and community partners through innovative educational practices. Consulting services are available for school and district-level support. Please e-mail us at contact@infinitecapacity.com for more information. Our book, Leadership in Integrative STEM: Strategies for Facilitating an Experiential and StudentCentered Culture, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Rowman & Littlefield.

References: The Education Trust. (2015, March). Guiding questions [PowerPoint Slides]. https://west.edtrust.org/wp-content/ uploads/sites/11/Example-2-UC -Berkeley.pdf

The Education Trust. (2020). Data Equity Walk Toolkit. https://west.edtrust.org/ wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ Example-2-UC-Berkeley.pdf

McNair, T. B., Albertine, S., Cooper, M. A., McDonald, N., & Major Jr, T. (2016). Becoming a student-ready college: A new culture of leadership for student success. John Wiley & Sons.

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CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

Building Unified Champion Districts One School at a Time Lisa Graham Special Olympics Indiana

Mike Hasch Special Olympics Indiana

Craig Tornquist Special Olympics Indiana

Tori Batson Special Olympics Indiana

The vision of Special Olympics is that that sport will open hearts and minds toward people with intellectual disabilities and create inclusive communities across our state, the nation, and throughout the world. We believe that those communities should begin with our schools, where we are working to end bullying and to teach the next generation of leaders the true meaning of inclusion every day. Will your school be the next to join our movement?

Through an innovative social inclusion program known as Unified Champion Schools® (UCS), Special Olympics is working to empower youth and educators to be leaders of change in school communities across the nation and the world.

Indiana is a global leader in the implementation of this model, with more than 650 schools and over 260,000 students involved.

But we still have plenty of room to grow.

Unified Champion Schools® facilitates the development of inclusive relationships among students with and without intellectual disabilities while promoting student-led servant leadership through four key components. Schools that meet all four pillars will receive a celebration banner to hang in their school buildings. The four pillars of this program are: ■ Inclusive Student Leadership. An inclusive leadership team should be composed of students of varying ages, abilities, grade levels, backgrounds, and genders. This crucial team is responsible for planning inclusive school activities and will become the primary driver of your school’s culture change.

■ Whole-School Engagement. A Unified Champion School® engages the entire school community in awareness activities ranging from school assemblies hosted by Special Olympics Indiana to inclusion days or disability awareness weeks.

■ Special Olympics Unified Sports®. Bringing together people with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same team and the same playing field, Unified Sports® are based upon a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

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Chris Akers Special Olympics Indiana

■ Fundraising. UCS programs are supported in part by Special Olympics and the U.S. Department of Education. schools are asked to raise $250 for elementary/ $750 for middle/ $1500 for high per school year to offset remaining costs and to support long-term sustainability.

Creativity in meeting these criteria is welcome and encouraged.

Unified Sports®, for example, can be as structured as a multischool sports competition or as relaxed as a day of fun and games with students and teachers facing off in recreational games of Unified volleyball, kickball, pickle ball, or soccer.

Other qualifying activities include Unified eSports, Unified Robotics, Unified Physical Education, held during the school day and meeting statewide P.E. requirements for all students, or after-school Unified Fitness Clubs—an engaging, low commitment way to involve students of varying abilities in fitness activities including walking, dancing, yoga, Zumba, biking, and more.

Fundraising can be accomplished through participation in one of Special Olympics Indiana’s special events, like the Polar Plunge or Plane Pull Challenge, or through any means approved by your school. Successful past examples include Track or Treat, bake sales, holiday donation jars, working at concession stands, and selling t-shirts. The possibilities are endless!

Unified Champion Schools in Indiana is broken down into five different subcategories- Young Champions (Elementary), Champions Together in the Middle (Middle), Champions Together (High), Collegiate Champions (College), and Unified Champion City Schools (Indianapolis city schools). Each of the five subcategories works towards the same goal: INCLUSION. There are many different opportunities in each subcategory. We invite you to join us in this movement and learn more below.

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Please join us for a free, no-obligation training seminar this fall or spring to hear directly from your colleagues about how much Unified Champion Schools has changed their schools for the better, and how the lives of their teachers and students have been improved by this program. These trainings will cover the basics and feature plenty of tips and real-life examples about what works best. Each education level will have a different training geared to the age groups served. Participants in the training can include a teacher or group mentor, an administrator, and/or a handful of students with great hearts and open minds. You’ll leave with all the resources and support needed to ensure that your school is ready to earn a banner this year.

To learn more about Unified Champion Schools, upcoming trainings, or how to get started, contact Mike Hasch at mhasch@soindiana.org.

Young Champions Young Champions- a collaborative partnership between Special Olympics Indiana and Indiana Council of Administrators of Special Education (ICASE). In 2015, 6 districts participated in a pilot program to introduce unified track to their students. Today, thousands of students in hundreds of schools across across the state, have been hosting track events, participating in fitness clubs, and most recently, the newest Indiana sport, Unified Robotics. 15 elementary teams will be competing in a statewide Unified Robotics Tournament later this month. From 2019-2021, 43 elementary schools earned the prestigious Unified Champion School banner. These will be proudly on display in their school halls, signifying their commitment of providing inclusion athletic opportunities for all. We would love to offer one or all these opportunities to your students.

Please contact Lisa Graham (lgraham@soindiana.org) to learn more about Young Champions.

Unified Robotics Competition

2021 Unified Robotics Video Promo

Unified Track Event Winners

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Champions Together in the Middle Champions Together—a collaborative partnership between Special Olympics Indiana and the IHSAA centering on Unified Sports®, student leadership, and whole school engagement activities—has seen tremendous success in establishing UCS programming in Indiana high schools. Building upon those achievements, we were thrilled to begin a similar partnership with IMLEA in 2017 known as Champions Together in the Middle, focused on bringing the #InclusionRevolution to middle schools across the state. In its first full school year (2018-2019), this program engaged schools far and wide and awarded a total of nine Unified Champion Schools® banners— presented to those champions among champions who are involved to the fullest extent. Since then, we have had many more middle schools join in the movement and are excited to see how many will continue to join.

We are thrilled to be offering a brand-new Unified Sport at the middle level this year- Unified eSports! With eSports gaining popularity among teenagers, we wanted to be able to offer an option for students of all abilities. The Unified eSports competition with Rocket League will begin in early November.

Teams of three students (two with an intellectual disability and one without an intellectual disability) will compete for the title of State Champion. Unified eSports will continue in the Spring with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Unified eSports is currently being offered for middle and high schools.

Contact Tori Batson (tbatson@soindiana.org) to learn more about middle schools and Unified eSports.

Champions Together is a partnership between Special Olympics Indiana and the IHSAA that facilitates participation in Unified Champion Schools (UCS) programming by high schools throughout Indiana. Originating in 2012, schools have distinguished themselves through inclusive activities and Unified Sports by meeting or exceeding the four pillars of criteria. These schools are recognized annually with a Unified Champion Schools banner. In addition, there are four Unified Sports tournaments high schools are able to participate in with potential financial funding from SO Indiana and the UCS Yearly Grant. The IHSAA facilitates and oversees Unified Flag Football and Unified Track and Field. SO Indiana sponsors Unified Bocce and Unified Bowling.

US Youth Ambassadors from Indiana, Liam Price (Center Grove HS 2020 graduate) and Elizabeth Price (Carmel HS 2021 graduate) were involved in the creation of Inclusion Tiles. Below is an example of what they look like and if you scan the QR code you can play an online version of the game. How Inclusive Are You?

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CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

To learn more about Champions Together, check out this video: Champions Together Contact Mike Hasch (mhasch@soindiana.org) to learn more about high schools and Unified Sports.

UCS/UCCS Assemblies & More… FREE to your school!

We were on a roll! More than 200 schools throughout Indiana had hosted our live Unified Champion School assembly or Unified Champion School assembly. Everywhere we went, the students were incredibly receptive and enthusiastic.

And then… COVID hit and schools paused. So we began to Adapt. Create. Connect.

We now offer customized virtual assemblies, live indoor OR outdoor assemblies, Unified Zoom Dance Parties, and a “Read Like a Young Champion” video series. The good news is, we were able to bring our upbeat and interactive message of INCLUSION to more than 22,000 students last year.

Unified Champion City Schools Unified Champion City Schools- The Unified Champion City Schools (UCCS) initiative will target underserved communities and demonstrate what can occur when sport, leadership, and engagement feature prominently in the way schools engage the youth they are built to serve.

UCCS is a focused approach to amplifying the essential elements of UCS. The goal is to establish a presence that extends programming from UCS schools and expand our reach into each city’s greater community. UCCS hopes to build new stakeholder relationships, grow UCS implementation into new urban area schools and communities unleashing the voice of young people of all abilities in city communities to be advocates for inclusivity.

Contact Craig Tornquist (ctornquist@soindiana.org) to book a free UCS program for your school.

With Unified Champion Schools track record of success, this new program will bring together young people with and without intellectual disabilities. This sets them up for success through social integration and shared experiences. UCCS will change school cultures and strengthen the urban and inner city communities.

Coming Summer/Fall 2022: “The Best We’ve Got” – The Carl Erskine Story (trailer) A story of ignorance and indignity countered by courage and conviction, of small victories and social revolutions, of deep faith and humility, and of friendship and fatherhood. A story of how Carl Erskine, Jackie Robinson and Jimmy Erskine helped move a nation forward.

Videos ■ Unified Champion Schools: Administrator Perspectives ■ Unified Track: A Parent’s Perspective ■ Rochester Principal Oscar Haughs: Champions Together Improves Your Building ■ Oak Hill Superintendent Chad Cripe: The Spirit of Unified Sports ■ Madison-Grant Superintendent Scott Deetz: Winning a Unified Sports State Championship

Unfortunately, even with these successes, young people in prominent cities – where many of the most underserved populations reside – are not able to access these programs.

With recent national attention to the inequities that exist for underserved communities, the time is right for systematic approaches to position schools – in particular city schools – to be models of what’s possible.

Contact Chris Akers (cakers@soindiana.org) to learn more about the UCCS program.

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Join us for this episode of the IASP LeaderCast. A weekly podcast production containing short, sweet nuggets of Wednesday Wisdom for our leadership growth. In this special episode from our “Leading from the Heart” series, Mrs. Aimee Lunsford shares her connections with Cultural Responsiveness & Equity to leading with heart in our buildings.

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CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

Equity in Schools Dr. Crystal Murff Thorpe Principal Fishers Junior High School, HSE Schools Let’s face it. Life isn’t fair. Our lived experiences can impact our future outcomes. The reality is that our lives do NOT all start in the same place. Some of us grew up poor, while some of us were raised in middle-class households. Some of us had both parents in the home, while others were raised by a single parent. Some of us simply had more opportunities than others. We don’t have a choice in these matters, but as educators, we have a choice in how to fill in the gaps to help ALL students reach their fullest potential.

The term equity seems to be a “new” buzzword in education, and it can also be misrepresented based upon who’s using it. As a country, we were built on the foundation of equality, which is giving everyone the same thing. We have all heard the phrase, “Pull yourselves up by the bootstraps.” On the surface, this seems acceptable. But what if you didn’t have boots, but had flip flops? The underlying premise of equality is that it is fair to everyone – everyone should receive the same things. However, this only works if ALL our students come to school on a leveled playing field. Equality doesn’t take into consideration the differences our students bring to school each and every day.

Consider this, if we know a student has a learning disability, we have systems in place to provide additional resources to allow them a chance at academic excellence. Otherwise, we would be educationally negligent in not taking into consideration a student’s cognitive disability. Another example would be making sure our orthopedically impaired students have access to whatever other students have access to – meaning providing ramps, lifts, and other ADA compliant resources. We provide free or reduced lunches and textbooks to our families who cannot afford to pay. We know students who are hungry cannot focus on schoolwork and feeding them is the right thing to do.

Equity is giving individuals what they each need to be successful. Equity-minded schools ensure that each student has an equal chance at success. According to Ashley DeFranza “In the classroom, promoting equity is about educators choosing to embrace rather than shy away from the unique backgrounds, identities, and experiences that their individual students bring to the table.” This means breaking down barriers and building bridges.

All students should see themselves in the curriculum we teach.

Emily Style from the National SEED Project coined the phrase 16

“windows and mirrors.” “A mirror is a story that reflects your own culture and helps you build your identity. A window is a resource that offers you a view into someone else’s experience.

It is critical to understand that students cannot truly learn about themselves unless they learn about others as well (Morgan, 2018).” If students only learn about the dominant culture, we are not validating the rich and diverse culture, identities, and experiences of others.

Where do I begin? Examine your school’s data. Who’s represented in your high ability classrooms and who is left out?

Who’s participating in extracurricular activities? Who has the most discipline referrals? How are students tracked in your school? What type of prerequisites does your school have for advanced level placement? When examining your data, look at race, socio-economic status, and gender. Are their more males than females in your science classrooms? Are more African American students suspended from school than another race?

Are your free/reduced lunch students mostly in the remediation track? If you don’t know where you are, you won’t know where to go. Our students have different needs, and it is our responsibility to meet them.

Review the questions with a critical lens by taking into consideration your own biases and beliefs. If we truly believe that ALL kids can learn, what are we doing to make that happen? Or, are we just making excuses about “those” kids and leaving them further behind. Identify how you can best serve the needs of ALL students through the examination of your curriculum, instructional practices, discipline reports, policies, and practices. Do all of your students feel a sense of belonging in your school? Are children of color represented in all facets of your programs?

Remember, equity is not about taking away from anyone, but it is about creating systems where ALL students have ALL the opportunities necessary for success. If education is truly the great equalizer, then equity must be at the forefront of all that we do. Equity addresses the power structures in schools, restructures them, and creates better outcomes overall. ALL students benefit from equity-minded schools, whether they come to you wearing boots, flip flops, sandals or no shoes at all.

References: DeFranza, A. (June 24, 2019). 4 Practices to Promote Equity in the Classroom.

Northwestern University Graduate Programs. Retrieved on 10/5/21 4 Practices to Promote Equity in the Classroom (northeastern.edu) Moran, K. (July 12, 2018). What are mirrors and windows? We are teachers. Retrieved on 10/11/21 What Are Mirrors and Windows? - WeAreTeachers

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The Power of Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Responsiveness in the School Setting Dr. Dennisha Murff Curriculum Coordinator - Language Assistance Program MSD Wayne Township - Education Center As a school leader, I spent countless hours contemplating how to ensure equity, inclusion, and cultural responsiveness was taking place in the building. I collaborated with the leadership and equity teams, developed professional learning opportunities, facilitated workshops for staff, implemented professional learning communities, created space for individual meetings with teachers, talked with students to hear their perspectives, and planned opportunities for family and community partnerships.

I imagined a school setting where all students could feel safe and comfortable to learn in an environment that valued their brilliance. The school needed a learning environment centered on equitable access for ALL in an inclusive and culturally responsive teaching and learning environment that ensured the needs of students were met. This had to be the norm. As you can imagine, this was not an easy task!

support needed to make these changes occur. However, there was no “opting out” of this work for any of our staff.

Our students deserved educators who were willing to challenge their own thinking to ensure students received the educational opportunities they deserved.

I had staff members at a variety of stages in their journey concerning equity, inclusion, and culturally responsiveness.

There were so many moments where we had to challenge “the way things used to be” in order to provide equitable access for students. We had to think “outside the box” and dismantle structures and norms that were not beneficial for our students. Soon it became clear that the level of consciousness needed was beginning to wear some of the staff members down. Our discussions on equity, inclusion, and culturally responsiveness challenged our mindsets and the current social structures that existed. As the leader, I had to balance the need for progress with the level of

The challenge to be self-reflective in our practices was of paramount importance.

The staff needed to see that all students have the capacity to learn. The students sitting in front of us had brilliance and excellence resonating from their being.

We had to ask ourselves the following questions: ■ Do all of our students have equitable access to high level learning tasks in a culturally responsive learning environment? If not, what were we going to immediately change to see that happen?

■ What inclusive practices are being implemented for all students, including those that have been historically marginalized?

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After much reflection, I decided to dive into the power of individualized and differentiated professional learning opportunities. I knew this would take us to the next level by meeting the learning needs of staff concerning the professional learning topics that had been chosen. In order to challenge mindsets, I had to change the “hearts and minds” of staff in the building.

This required me to acknowledge their various levels of understanding about equity, inclusion, and cultural responsiveness. I honored their learning needs so they could do the same for our students.

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■ Have we strategically embraced the cultures of our students with a clear focus on developing culturally responsive curriculum, instruction, assessment, and learning environments?

These questions were valuable steps to move our staff forward as we created meaningful action plans and made direct connections to student learning outcomes. I also intentionally shared with staff that contrary to popular belief, historically marginalized communities have always valued education. Unfortunately, students can find themselves in hostile and unwelcoming learning environments.

It is our responsibility to disrupt the status quo that views historically marginalized students through a deficit lens. When we take the time to do this we are ensuring an equitable, inclusive, and culturally responsive teaching and learning environment where all students are able to feel seen, heard, valued, and respected.

“In order to challenge mindsets, I had to change the “hearts and minds” of staff in the building.”

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We know OUR story, what about THEIR story?

Leigh Barnes IPLI Mentor Principal John Simatovich Elementary Returning this year has not exactly been what we all had planned or hoped for; nonetheless, we continue to rely on our servant leadership, endless empathy, and great fortitude to make this year a success for everyone in our buildings.

Through reflective conversations, it is only natural to look back at the last two years and have discussions about the challenges we went through and how we have been shaped as a result. As building leaders, we each know OUR personal story and our teachers know their story, too. But what about our students: Do we really know THEIR story?

This year, in addition to our servant leadership, endless empathy and great fortitude, we add the responsibility to remember that each of our students has their own unique story, both at school and at home. Some of our students were virtual all of last year, some of our students were home-schooled or absent for multiple weeks, and some of our students simply had their own challenges trying to learn through all of the distractions. Each story is different. Each story is new. Each story is a journey none of us have personally experienced.

When we are presented with a child who is struggling academically, socially, emotionally, or behaviorally, this is when we hold the responsibility to find out their story and have empathy. This is where it is our responsibility to understand where they are right now in their struggle and help move them forward.

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Think about this story: Two years ago a kindergarten child was excited about his first schooling experience. He did not attend preschool, but he is thrilled about meeting his teacher and making new friends. School just started to feel like home,and then quarantine hit. The child tried virtual learning with very little success, and essentially missed the second half of the school year. First grade came last year and he learned virtually through an online school, but it still never felt like it did when he first started school. This year he is in a brand new school.

He is struggling socially and emotionally, essentially shutting down. The teacher is tired, frustrated, and struggling for answers. Stories like these exist all around Indiana, and as leaders, it is our responsibility to be the moral and structural support for our teachers and staff in understanding THEIR students’ stories. This is where a story brings endless empathy.

This picture is reality; moreover, it is the bigger picture of where we are as students learning, teachers instructing, and principals leading. We ask why we are still struggling two months into school...this is why. Knowing and sharing their story is our responsibility, and it starts with listening.

Take the time out of your day to listen to your students, teachers, and parents. Understand their struggle and that each of their stories are unique. It is only when we understand each “story” can we then begin to help.

Stay positive, and know that as leaders, you are more valuable now than ever!

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Charla Chailland Ball State Alumna

Online Master’s in Educational Administration with Principal’s License Be mentored by a community of passionate scholars who are doctoral-level, have worked as P-12 administrators, and who have grown our program into the largest principal preparation program in Indiana. Consider what it meant to alumna Charla Chailland, director of clinical experiences and recruitment at IU-Kokomo: “All of my professors were willing to support me along my educational journey—whether I was in their course that semester or not. My professors were spectacular.”

Register for our Webinar bsu.edu/online/edadmin March 1 | 4 p.m. Eastern

• Internships are fulfilled within your own school district.

• With a master’s degree, you just need the 24-credit license to become a principal.

• No GRE needed for admission—you can apply quickly and start on your degree.

Questions? Contact Casey Schultz, Academic Advisor, today: cmschultz@bsu.edu.

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Equity and Culturally Responsive Practices Kendra Lowery, PhD Associate Dean for Equity and Engagement Associate Professor Dept. of Educational Leadership Ball State University Increasing numbers of school leaders are seeking ways to achieve equity in schools by implementing culturally responsive practices. To provide more clarity, I turned to three practitioners and scholars who exemplify these concepts in their practice to explain how they understand, educate, and promote equity and cultural responsiveness.

Mrs. Wilisha Scaife is the Professional Learning Specialist for Culturally Responsive Family Engagement and Instructor at Ball State University and Co-Chair of the Indiana Community Schools Network.

Dr. Lasana D. Kazembe is an Assistant Professor of Urban Teacher Education and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at IUPUI. Dr. Stacy Coleman is the Principal of Henry W. Longfellow/STEM Medical School 28 in Indianapolis and received her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Ball State University.

Equity…

Mrs. Scaife: “is about access and opportunity and recognizes the advantages and disadvantages that are often historical in nature. Because of these advantages and disadvantages, people have different needs to obtain what ALL people need and deserve. Where there is a long history of discrimination in a nation, there are lasting inequities.

To truly understand equity, one must understand why equality is not the solution. Equality says, ‘give everyone the same thing to work with because that’s what’s fair.’ Equality doesn’t take into consideration gaps in access and resources, and these gaps keep those who are institutionally oppressed, marginalized, and disenfranchised behind those who have little to no barriers to 24

resources. Equity is giving each individual the access they need to be successful.”

Dr. Kazembe: “means giving each person (ex. student) the resources that they need to learn and thrive. Relatedly, equity refers to the process of reforming practices, policies, and procedures in order to support and bring about more fairness and inclusion. Within education, this means ensuring that students have access to resources, teachers, interventions, and supports they need to achieve academic success.”

Dr. Coleman: “is understanding that students are vastly diverse and their experiences can impact their academic outcomes. As a result, equity in education requires educators to identify and address the barriers that students might encounter and work to remove those barriers through the leveraging of resources, supports and the creation of an inclusive environment.”

A common theme among these definitions is the focus on ensuring access to resources that people need based on an understanding of their diverse and unique experiences.

Culturally Responsive Practices…

Mrs. Scaife: “are those equity-focused, socially just, partnering practices that are learned from the cultural wealth and funds of knowledge of the community. Culturally responsive and sustaining practices respond to community-identified needs and come alongside (as a democratic process) to authentically engage the community in the concerted co-generation of solutions. This recognizes the expertise of community and elevates community to its rightful place of leadership in practice.”

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Dr. Kazembe: “are engaged, critically reflective, and humanizing teacher practices that acknowledge, access, affirm, and apprehend the culture, history, humanity, and heritage knowledge of students, families, and communities.

When authentically engaged, these practices connect to and build on past/ current experiences, sociocultural/ sociopolitical perspectives, ethical agency, and diverse ways of learning, sharing, interpreting, and meaning-making.”

Dr. Coleman: “utilize students’ lived experiences as an asset, which makes their learning relevant and meaningful. Through these practices, students are able to see themselves in the curriculum, which in turn creates a sense of belonging and empowerment.

Compiled, these feelings can result in higher levels of achievement amongst students and a culture for high expectations is developed. Students build trust, empathy and self-confidence through the use of culturally responsive practices.”

There is a common emphasis on the acknowledgement of students and/ or their communities which results in school practices that engage and value their experiences.

From Understanding to Action With a clear understanding of equity and culturally responsive practices provided by the three experts above, it is important to get started or continue equity action. Mark Anthony Gooden, a professor in the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University, asserted, “a principal must abandon the idea of merely being good and start doing good.” He offered an accessible framework for principals to engage www.iasp.org

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

in anti-racist practices, which I think applies to equity and culturally responsive practices more broadly: Meditate (reflection, introspection), Educate (personal and organizational learning about content and data), Demonstrate (taking action alongside the communities you serve) (edweek.org, 2020).

Avoid the meditation/reflection–education/book study abyss which, while intellectually and emotionally engaging, falls short of action that leads to material changes for students and communities. At the same time, we should continuously meditate and educate as we implement actions that create equitable and culturally responsive practices and systems in our schools.

Reference: Gooden, M. A. (2020, October 13). What an anti-racist principal must do. Education Week. https://www.edweek. org/leadership/opinion-what-an-anti-racist-principalmust-do/2020/10

IPLI News Dr. Kelly Andrews Director Indiana Principal Leadership Institute Equity IPLI is a premier professional development opportunity for the practicing principals of Indiana. We are here to support you, encourage you, and provide growth in your leadership as we learn together, lead together, and connect.

This year, IPLI Extended has adopted the theme of “Advancing Equity and Inclusion Through Culture, Effective Teaching, and Curriculum.” As we have embarked on this learning journey together, we have also embraced the differences/definitions between equity, inclusion, and diversity.

Diversity is the quantitative representation of differences. It is about measuring the number of representations of the cultural communities in our organization.

Inclusion: This includes the quantitative representation of our differences, but more importantly, it’s about the qualitative experience around those differences. The focus is the extent to which people can bring their whole true, authentic cultural selves into their interactions, whether at schools, at work, in their personal interactions and relationships. Authenticity and opportunity: You can be who you are at your core and still attract opportunities which means that you can be flourishing, thriving, having opportunities, and more come your way based on your differences.

Equity: Our process of recognizing the historical legacies and the current realities of discrimination and prejudice that people from marginalized communities experience.

It essentially recognizes that not everyone starts from the same place, given the historical legacies of discrimination impacting their current realities.

Without equity, diversity and inclusion are not possible.

Ritu Bhasin from Bhasin Consulting Inc. https://youtu.be/spBB68Wv7KM Thank you to our speakers, Dr. Anthony Muhammad, Dr. Tameka Hobbs, and Dr. Dennisha Murff for guiding IPLI Extended through this year’s learning journey.

IPLI Seminars They all assisted IPLI in building our community of learners and encouraging the great work that principals and teachers continue to create at their schools.

January 2022, IPLI will welcome the following speakers to our seminars at the Lawrence Township Community and Education Center in Indianapolis:

Cohort 8 – Dr. Phil Warrick discusses HRS Level 3 Curriculum

Cohort 9 – Dr. Rhonda Roos discusses “The Deliberate and Courageous

Principal,” and Dr. Steve Gruenert discusses selecting two teacher leaders.

Extended Cohort 3 – Dr. Tameka Hobbs and Dr. Dennisha Murff discuss

Advancing Equity and Inclusion Through Effective Teaching and Curriculum.

Principals continue to lead and are vital to the success of our Indiana students.

We are grateful for their leadership as they are learning leaders, leading-learners!

Wishing everyone a continued safe and healthy school year.

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UPCOMING EVENTS IASP hosts events throughout the year to support the growth and development of Indiana school administrators and students. Each event is intentionally designed to encourage and engage you in the pursuit of learning!

FIND A FULL LIST OF EVENTS AT IASP.ORG/EVENTS

Special thanks to our Platinum Corporate Sponsor

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INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

COUNSELING STUDENTS PRE-K TO 12 TOWARD POSITIVE GROWTH

M.A. COUNSELING WITH A MAJOR IN

SCHOOL COUNSELING IWU’s Master of Arts with a major in School Counseling program is founded on the principles of servant-leadership. You will be prepared to serve students pre-K through high school in collaboration with parents, teachers, staff and the community.

48 CREDIT HOURS Online/On Site

For more information, call or visit us online.

765-677-2572 | INDWES.EDU/VISIT The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and the Council of the Accreditation of Educational Preparations (CAEP), formerly known as the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

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SERVICE

Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update Susan Miles Officer, Kids Caring & Sharing TM Riley Children’s Foundation KCS school partners in health equity attainment A few of the most important outcomes of the statewide Kids Caring & Sharing philanthropy program include children learning that they are important to a larger community, that they can make impactful contributions regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, or economic situation, and that moving into action on behalf of others without expecting a reward is always the right thing to do.

Equally important is that the funds raised through KCS campaigns and entrusted to the Riley Children’s Foundation for application at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health bring hope to children and families in Indiana and beyond through a healthcare system dedicated to actively and intentionally addressing health equity – a contributing factor to educational achievement.

In a June 2021 organization publication (https://iuhealth.org/ thrive/in-pursuit-of-health-equity-an-evolution-in-healthcare), Riley Hospital’s parent healthcare system, noted current work regarding Health Equity: “Health equity, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, means that “everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.” And this means “removing economic and social obstacles to health, such as poverty and discrimination.” 4 Some of our health factors are driven by genetics or behavior.

But much of our health is driven by the social and economic factors around us – the determinants of how and where we live, work and play – and their unequal distribution among people and within communities.

unconventional when most hospitals restricted visiting hours.

Dr. Green implemented a policy that allowed parents to be at their children’s bedside as much as possible and to be partners in their child’s care. Today family-centered care is the norm, not the exception.

Being at the forefront of systemic change is not inexpensive and it is only through the dedicated support of our active philanthropic partners that innovations are achieved. This month, a decades-long vision in evolving maternal fetal medicine, just one component in addressing Indiana’s troubling history of high infant and maternal mortality rates, comes to fruition as the new Maternity Tower at Riley Hospital finally welcomes is first guests. Schools, organizations and individuals continue to play an important role in this and other healthcare initiatives to bring about the best health outcomes possible for all.

Fundraising opportunities as diverse as participants Play Games to Change Kids’ Health and Change the Future – Extra Life Game Day is Saturday, November 6 Not every student is interested in dressing up in themed costumes, or standing on their feet for hours at an event, or walking laps around a gym or outdoor track to raise money to support Riley Hospital, but most have a heart for helping others in some way. Reaching out to students and school staff who would love to parlay their interest in playing board and electronic games into a fundraising venture can turn to the Extra Life program which unites thousands of gamers around the world playing games in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. In Indiana, Riley Hospital for Children is the only CMN-affiliated hospital.

To get to that place of equity is complex. It means addressing racism and other forms of oppression – from societal levels all the way down to healthcare settings. It means peeling back the layers and focusing on root causes within community health.

All of it requires coordination, partnerships, data-driven action, and boots-on-the-ground work.”

Leading an evolution in healthcare is not foreign to Riley Hospital. Dr. Morris Green (1922- 2013), a visionary and revered developmental pediatrician who served as Riley Hospital’s first physician-in-chief, is best known for instituting familycentered care at Riley Hospital, a care model that was quite

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SERVICE

Since the program’s inception in 2008, Extra Life participants have raised more than $87 million to help sick and injured kids. Participants pledge to play games at home, after school, in-person or online most any day, but a special 24-hour push day on Saturday, November 6 will help boost awareness for this year-round effort to raise funds through online or tabletop game play! Learn more and register to play here: www.extralife.org Tippecanoe Valley High School’s Esports #GamingVikings will participate on Extra Life Game Day playing to raise $1,000 goal to benefit Riley kids. The game club at Southmont High School and Indiana Academy’s Beta Club are also supporting Riley Hospital through Extra Life initiatives this year. You can support their efforts here:

While Extra Life activity runs on a calendar year, participating Indiana schools will be recognized within the KCS July 1 – June 30 giving year. Game playing enthusiasts at your school can join the Extra Life program any time before the end of the school year to add to your 2021-2022 KCS giving total.

KCS resource reminders Current and active KCS support resources are available online at www.rileykids.org/KCS, https://give.rileykids.org/ RileyResource and https://give.rileykids.org/KCS21_22 New KCS Gift Submission Address Riley Children’s Foundation P.O. Box 3356 Indianapolis, IN, 46206-3356

■ https://www.extra-life.org/index. cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=56731 ■ https://www.extra-life.org/index. cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=58494 ■ https://www.extra-life.org/index. cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=56231

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Let’s work together to find creative ways to keep supporting Riley!

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Hoosier high school teachers can become fully credentialed —at no cost to them—to teach dual credit courses to Indiana students through the Teach Dual Credit Indiana partnership.

Teach Dual Credit Indiana provides funding for high school teachers who need graduate level courses in the liberal arts disciplines to meet Higher Learning Commission requirements by 2023.

What subject areas qualify?

Non-STEM fields such as communications, English, social studies and world languages.

How do teachers apply?

Teachers need to provide contact information, teaching license number, administrator and school contact information and a letter of acknowledgment on school letterhead. Learn more at TeachDualCredit.org.

Did you know?

Dual credit courses allow students to earn college credit and high school credit at the same time and makes the transition to college easier and more affordable for students as they earn college credits while still enrolled in high school.

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The Indiana Commission for Higher Education estimates dual credit completion saves Hoosier students $69 million in postsecondary tuition and fees each year.

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1/3 of students who complete dual credit in Indiana are from lowincome households.

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Students who earn dual credit in high school are more likely to graduate college on-time and to graduate college at all.

Are you a STEM field teacher looking for similar opportunities?

Check out STEM Teach Indiana at STEMTeachIndiana.org

TeachDualCredit.org 30

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Special thanks to our Gold Corporate Sponsor:

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LEGAL REVIEW

Legal Situation Brief: Systemic Equity in Education Séamus Boyce Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP

Striving for systemic equity within your school through both policies and practices may not only be something you promote to have the best learning environment possible for each of your students, but it may also keep you away from the ire of the federal government.

A recent appointment and initiative should put education leaders on notice of the heightened scrutiny for having consistent and equitable practices.

One consistent theme we have advised IASP members on through the KGR Legal Help Desk (LHD) is to ensure your decisions are as consistent as possible. Not only is that the most fundamental approach to fairness, but it allows you to better defend against allegations of discrimination. As described in this article, all signs point to increased scrutiny of your policies and practices for non-discrimination.

Spotlight in Indiana: In August of 2020, Governor Holcomb published a memo titled “True Equality and Equity leads to Opportunity for All.” Governor Holcomb shared, “I called my entire cabinet together and shared my commitment to acknowledge past shortcomings and do something about it no matter how hard, raw or uncomfortable it might be.” His first action following his commitment was to create Indiana’s first-ever Chief Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity Officer. He further stressed that “the surest path to equal opportunity in life is with a high-quality education.”

In response to Governor Holcomb’s agenda, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) requested assistance to situate their goals within Indiana’s larger goal of supporting systemic change. In this March 25th, 2021 report, the IDOE stated, “Equity in education means that schools are putting systems in place to ensure that 32

every child has an equal chance for success. That requires educators to understand the unique challenges and barriers faced by individual students or student populations, then ensure that additional supports are provided to help them overcome said barriers.”

This report identified a need for adult (teacher and staff ) competencies, student-specific competency standards (rather than grade-specific), and intentionality with the language and terminology around equity.

Spotlight on Federal Level: Under the Biden Administration, it is likely that there will be increased accountability on schools to ensure that their policies and practices do not unlawfully discriminate. The Biden Administration has been aggressively responding to issues of equity. In June 2021, President Biden issued an executive order that, among other things, defined equity as, “consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals.”

Additionally, the confirmation of Catherine Lhamon to lead the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Right (OCR) indicates that OCR investigations into claims of discrimination will likely increase.

Lhamon has demonstrated her propensity for initiating investigations, and in response to her confirmation, she highlighted her top priorities as, “advancing enforcement of race, disability and sex discrimination; returning to comprehensive civil rights data collection, and rebuilding staff capacity.” She was the architect of many of the non-discrimination initiatives under the Obama Administration. Based on her past work, education leaders should anticipate and prepare for more scrutiny by the OCR. This could include the return of burdensome “class-wide” investigations that analyze all aspects of student data including discipline and access to programs.

These are not fun and can be triggered unilaterally by OCR or by a single complaint from a parent alleging that Return to Table of Contents

the school treated a student different based on race, gender, disability, or another protected category.

Civil Rights Data Collection – The OCR has a biennial survey referred to as the “CRDC” which is short for the Civil Rights Data Collection. This survey gathers and publishes key information about student access to educational opportunities and school climate from nearly every public school (pre-K through 12th grade) in all 50 states.

When a complaint is filed against a recipient of federal funds, OCR considers the data collected from these reports in determining whether to open a case. And if the OCR opens a case, it is anticipated they will bring back the “class-wide” investigation approach previously discussed if the data suggests concerning disproportionality among classes of students. Among other information, the data collected pertains to enrollment demographics, harassment, racially discriminatory discipline practices, restraint and seclusion of students, school staff and salaries, and school expenditures.

What is the legal lesson from this brief ?

You should review your policies and past practices for those areas identified on the CRDC. Additionally, if you have goals that promote systemic equity for your school, you should prioritize taking action on those goals. An investigation by OCR may require you to change your school’s policies and practices and may also place you under continued monitoring. Taking proactive steps to avoid investigations and monitoring will likely save you a lot of time and stress from having to engage with the federal government on these topics.

We at the KGR Legal Help Desk are here to address legal issues for IASP members. For example, if you receive contact from the OCR, you may use the LHD and we can point you in the right direction. Until the next Situation Brief, stay legal!

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LEGAL REVIEW

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LEGAL REVIEW

Labor Disputes: The Inequitable Impact on Student Learning and Achievement Taylor Hunter Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP In recent years, there has been increased attention on labor activity in schools due to legislative changes that dramatically impacted bargaining laws and school funding. This is especially true during Indiana’s bargaining season which commences on September 15th through November 15th. Despite that strikes or work stoppages by public employees are almost universally prohibited by statute in Indiana, school leaders may be forced to respond to illegal work stoppages or other actions that impede or prevent the operation of schools during a labor dispute.

In 2018, five percent of all K-12 public education workers walked out on strike - this is by far the biggest spike in teacher’s strikes since the 1980s. West Virginia led the movement in February 2018 when 34,000 teachers walked out for ten (10) school days. Following West Virginia were tens of thousands of teachers from Oklahoma and then Arizona. Smaller strikes followed in Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Colorado, and Georgia. This national wave of strikes has been a part of what some refer to as “Red for Ed,” and in November of 2019, Indiana public schools also saw teachers join a “Red for Ed” movement.

While the spotlight on work stoppages is typically on the dispute between teaching staff and school administration, data suggests that an increase in work stoppage within schools has negative, long-term consequences for students.

Teacher Strikes in Indiana: Indiana code 20-29-9-1 addresses employee strikes and makes it unlawful for a school employee, a school employee organization, or an affiliate of a school employee organization to take part in or assist in a strike against a school employer or school corporation. The remedy against such a strike includes (1) an action of law, (2) a suit

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in equity, or (3) another proper proceeding taken against the school employee organization or any person aiding or abetting in a strike. IC 20-29-9-2.

Inequitable Consequences for Students: The most apparent consequence of a strike or work stoppage is that, at a minimum, a student’s educational structure is disrupted as schools are forced to cancel in-person and remote instruction.

Without question, teachers are the most significant schoolbased inputs into student learning. School closures and transition to eLearning days due to work stoppages also gravely impact low-income families who do not have adequate childcare. There are further consequences for students who are educated within the climate of contentious relations.

Studies that focused specifically on teacher strikes indicate that strikes that last for more than 10 days have statistically and economically significant negative effects on test score growth. Baker, Michael, Industrial actions in schools: strikes and student achievement, (2013). Beyond strike-specific studies, the data collected during COVID-19 indicates significant learning loss from virtual instruction proved to be greater on minority students and students from lower socioeconomic classes.

Bottom line, during a time when Indiana is experiencing significant workforce shortages with teachers and challenges in addressing historical funding issues affecting teacher pay, it is increasingly important that students’ wellbeing is prioritized by both parties and considered the biggest motivator in determining the best path to dispute resolution.

We at KGR routinely provide day-to-day legal counseling on these important topics. We along with IASP stand ready to support you.

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NOVEMBER 2021

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