Psychiatrist and professor Dr. Chester Pierce coined the term microaggression in the early 1960s to describe modern-day racism in the U.S. Pierce stated that most racial offenses are "subtle and stunning" and that the "enormity of the complications they cause can be appreciated only when one considers that the subtle blows are…

In this "Equity by Design" brief, the author introduces 6 paradoxical habits of equity leadership, describing and providing examples of 6 practices that are common in equity leadership, yet ultimately re-entrench systemic inequities. Included are key questions to disrupt these habits in practice and in organizations.

There is currently a national debate surrounding what can and cannot be taught in K-12 public schools. In this Equity Dispatch we remember that centering equity and being able to recognize, name, and address the history of systemic racism and oppression in the United States is inclusive, not divisive.

Re-committing to equity work means that equity-oriented educators must reflect on the impact of historical and systemic inequities on minoritized students, accepting that transformative change towards equity takes time and unrelenting and continuous hard work, and it means being willing to pursue educational equity even in the face of fierce…

"Multitier systems of support" (MTSS) are widely understood as an evidence-based framework for coordinating integrated delivery of a continuum of layered services to support students' development. Traditionally, MTSS includes three tiers. Tier 1 refers to universal supports that are system-, school-, or classwide; tier 2 includes…

The curriculum design of educational programs is pivotal to the success of Black students in mathematics and science. It is essential to implement a curricular approach that values the experiences of Black students. In this "Equity by Design" brief, we will provide an overview and framework of/for socially transformative curriculum, and…

Since the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, more organizations have recognized a need to create more inclusive and antiracist environments. While anti-racism continues to be a highly contested value, for some, it has become an en vogue purpose. How do equity-focused school leaders, who are truly committed to constructing more justice-oriented…

This "Equity by Design" brief is intended for preK-12 school leaders who want to better understand the root causes of inequitable outcomes in their systems. Despite educators' often good intentions to effectively serve all students, there is ample evidence of ongoing disparities negatively impacting students of Color in U.S. schools.…

This special edition of "Equity Dispatch" highlights the critical call-to-action presented by keynote speaker Dr. James "Jim" Scheurich at the MAP Center's 2018 Equity Leaders Institute (ELI), entitled "Equity in Action: Transforming Education Systems through Democratic, Critical, and Contextual Inquiry."

This "Equity Dispatch" enumerates issues Black LGBTQ students experience being marked as Black and queer, in a white supremacist and hetero-cisnormative society. Next, it examines what queerness, homophobia, and transphobia looks like among Black youth, reflecting on the consequences of societal oppression for these youth. Finally, this…

This Equity Tool is for educators who want to offer comprehensive and inclusive age-appropriate sex education to students, and are wondering how. This tool delineates what must be included (and excluded) in curricula and appropriate pedagogies at various grade levels; discusses how to navigate conservative backlash teachers might encounter; and…

In this edition of "Equity Dispatch," we explore the concepts of allyship and accomplice, and how they may manifest at the intersection of education and advocacy.

This Equity Tool provides guidance in reviewing standards and curricular materials using equity-oriented domains. It also includes a scoring and analysis guide to assist with the evaluation process.

This newsletter provides educators an opportunity to consider underlying assumptions and beliefs that contribute to an avoidance of acknowledging and confronting racism experienced by their students. By examining various manifestations of educators' race-neutral actions toward and responses to students of color, including their function and…

The purpose of this "Equity by Design Research Brief" is to summarize a study by Dr. David Hernández-Saca of student Sophia Cruz's experiences of being labeled with a Learning Disability (LD), and what the meaning of LD was for her. The purpose of the study was to center student voice within the traditional special education field of LD…