Professional Learning

Inclusive Education for Equity

Inclusive education, in policy and practice, rejects the exclusion and segregation of students, for ANY reason: gender, language, household income, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, ability, or any dis/ability. Simultaneously, because of an active commitment to equity for all students, inclusive educational systems maximize the participation of all learners, by making learning opportunities relevant and high-quality. This is only achieved through the systemic exploration and change of policy and practice so that schools, classrooms, and educators can meet the diverse learning of all students, and so that student differences, rather than being considered as problematic compared to narrow views of who represents a “typical” learner, are celebrated for their contribution to everyone’s learning in community with each other.

Participants in this professional learning module on inclusive education for equity will learn about, reflect upon, and discuss information about progress and setbacks made towards achieving educational systems, schools, and classrooms that are truly inclusive. Through the exploration of data on educational access, participation, and outcomes, and the development of strategies to apply in their own educational contexts, participants will develop understanding inclusive curriculum, co-teaching, professional learning, and school/family connections.

Download the materials in each of the following three academies. All files will open in a new window. Please print the manuals and save the PowerPoints for use with the academy presentations.

Academy 1: Understanding Inclusive Education

Abstract

This academy traces a path towards inclusive education in the United States. Participants will learn about, reflect upon, and discuss information about progress and setbacks made towards achieving educational systems that are truly inclusive, along with conditions of exclusion or segregation that remain largely unchanged, and some explanations. Participants will have the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the assessment of their own districts’ progress, and development of goals for the future. Additionally, through the exploration of data on educational access, participation, and outcomes, participants will develop their understanding of a rationale for the creation and strengthening of inclusive educational systems that is grounded in equity concerns for all students.

Outcomes

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Equity Academy, participants will:

learn the history of the movement towards inclusive educational systems in the United States;
apply what is learned to assessing districts’ practices, and developing future goals; and
discover why inclusive education is an equity imperative.

Resources

Academy 2: Exploring Inclusive Practices in Schools

Abstract

This academy delves into how to build inclusive schools and what they look like. Participants will learn about, reflect upon, and discuss information about the diversity students, families and educators bring into schools from and how it is critical that schools are ready to educate all students by building on their cultural and linguistic assets. Examples are presented about how to shift one’s thinking so that schools can expand upon what is already in place to create a more inclusive setting. Additionally, participants will develop understanding of how to commit to equity and apply their shifts in thinking to curriculum, co-teaching, professional learning, and school/family connections. Participants will apply what they have learned to the assessment of their own schools’ progress, and brainstorm teaming strategies to address areas of need which they have indentified.

Outcomes

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Equity Academy, participants will:

learn and generate ideas about the supports they need at the school organizational level in order to be effective with all students; and
consider where changes need to be made, from physical space in schools to shifts in educators’ thinking, related to inclusive education.

Resources

Academy 3: Exploring Inclusive Practices in Classrooms

Abstract

This academy helps participants to learn about what inclusive education looks like within a classroom setting. Participants will learn about, reflect upon, and discuss information about challenges relating to and including all students within their classrooms while acknowledging their own role in the process. Participants will be exposed to examples of successful inclusive classroom and learn to recognize elements of inclusive settings. Participants will have the opportunity to begin questioning their own practice and professional development growth, thus enabling and assisting them in making their classroom more inclusive. Additionally, through a planning process, participants will develop their understanding of strategies to create an ideal inclusive setting and begin person-centered planning. This process will assist participants in applying their new knowledge to begin developing a student-centered plan for a particular student’s needs in their classroom.

Outcomes

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Equity Academy, participants will:

apply knowledge of inclusive schools learned in Academy 2, to the creation and strengthening of inclusive classrooms.
reflect on how educators’ dispositions, sociocultural experiences, and group memberships shape the creation of inclusive classrooms.
learn processes for student-centered planning in order to meet needs of students who require additional supports.

Resources

Building Leadership Teams

Inclusive systems and schools unify teachers, staff, students, families, and communities and promote the practice of collaborative and shared leadership.

Informed, competent, and distributed leadership is a critical requirement for successful, inclusive reform efforts and the central role of distributed leadership is to support and sustain implementation of reform that improves teaching and learning for every one in the school.

Leaders at all levels require knowledge of professional development design, the change process, research findings, standards based instruction and assessment, data-supported decision making, and an array of leadership and communication skills and processes. Effective leadership development supports participants in accessing and applying these knowledge bases.

Finally, equity is a central concern of leadership. Leadership development initiatives should increase participants' understanding of equity issues and make special efforts to recruit diverse participants.

The academies in this module promote inclusive systems and schools by coaching Building Leadership Team members in both leadership skills and team collaboration.

Download the materials in each of the following three academies. All files will open in a new window. Please print the manuals and save the PowerPoints for use with the academy presentations.

Academy 1: Leading Change

This Leadership Academy focuses on two essential elements of change: 1) the process of change and its impact on students, faculty, staff, and families, and 2) the function and purpose of building leadership teams in leading change processes. The academy also investigates the personal aspects of change. Change agents and those affected by the change play roles in the process. Knowing those involved in the change provides information leading to smooth implementation.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Define Building Leadership Team roles
Identify Building Leadership Team responsibilities
Acquire strategies to run productive meetings
Recognize change tensions
Develop strategies for easing the change process for individuals and groups

Resources

Academy 2: Gauging Your Systemic Change Efforts

Using a validated needs assessment, the Building Leadership Team learns to gather, analyze, and develop plans for systemic change within a school. Participants gain skills in change management: discovering the value of identifying systemic levels and key stakeholders, using tools for implementing change, and identifying their roles in the change process.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Identify levels of systemic change
Explore and edit a survey tool for gathering evidence for current status at their site
Identify targets within the levels of systemic change
Develop strategies for leveraging change
Analyze the structural and human side of leading change efforts

Resources

Academy 3: Aligning School Goals and School Work

Using district and individual school goals and outcomes, this Leadership Academy provides a process for accomplishing action plans by targeting change efforts by month. Participants will discover various ways of collecting data, analyzing change based on that data, and developing a continuous improvement plan.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Develop a continuous improvement cycle for tracking their change process
Synthesize anecdotal, observational, and frequency evidence for making adjustments to support positive climate for change in their building

Resources

Mining Data

Saying that teachers, families, and administrators need data to make decisions is one thing, understanding and using data well is another. In fact, few teachers and administrators have been educated in programs that have focused on making meaning from data and then using those analyses to guide school improvement and classroom instruction. This module is designed to help building leadership teams learn the skills required to mine data and use it to make decisions. As principals and teacher leaders become confident in their ability to query their data, they will become strong role models and coaches for the entire faculty.

In this module we take a serious look at understanding and using data and other evidence of student performance to improve student learning. Participants will consider a variety of measures of academic performance by asking tough questions about data such as: What do students need to know? How will we know if students have learned it? What will we do if students have not learned what they need to know? Working steadily and continuously as a team, school faculty and administrators can become successful with all, not just some, of their students.

Download the materials in each of the following three academies. All files will open in a new window. Please print the manuals and save the PowerPoints for use with the academy presentations.

Academy 1: Mining Meaningful Data

This Academy helps participants develop their skills to analyze data over time to adjust and improve their strategies for instructional improvement. The activities in this module begin with personal reflection by participants on values and beliefs about the identification, collection and use of data for school improvement. It continues with a brief overview of the new accountability systems, moves to current methods being used by school systems and how this affects all students, and ends with an activity that requires participants to continue their reflection on tracking data that they can use to prepare for subsequent activities. Participants use data from their own school or another school in their state to begin to examine the link between data and practice changes.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Clarify their reasons or rationale for using data to change practice.
Identify and align meaningful data to renew their school improvement efforts to be more culturally responsive.
Determine what data should be used to guide practice.
Use school wide improvement survey and other forms of displaying outcomes to analyze data.

Resources

Academy 2: Identifying School-wide Patterns of Student Performance

This Academy helps participants develop their skills to analyze and use data over time to adjust and improve their strategies for instructional improvement.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Identify a set of questions that will continually guide their leadership efforts for culturally responsive practices.
Match the kinds of data that can be collected with those questions.
Establish an ongoing process for measuring change effects.
Understand the impact of progress in the building from a complex framework of change mechanisms.

Resources

Academy 3: Looking at Student Work to Target Instruction

In this Academy, participants learn to examine student work samples to target instruction and link aggregated student work data to make changes school wide.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Lead a protocol with faculty on student work samples.
Assist faculty in defining goals for enhancing their teaching practice with all students.
Aggregate information from student work sample meetings to identify new targets for professional learning, outreach to families and technical assistance to teachers or programs within the building.

Resources

Universal Designs for Learning

The concept of Universal Design foregrounds equitable opportunities and access to spaces, information and participation for all by creating environments and products that accommodate as many individuals as possible from the beginning. Universal Designs for Learning (UDL) extends Universal Design into the field of education. While initially defined as a method to minimize barriers students may experience when learning new concepts, this professional learning module presents UDL as an approach to providing access to robust opportunities to learn for a diverse range of learners in inclusive educational environments. This module leads participants through UDL activities and short informational presentations that focus on applying UDL across the curriculum, designing inclusive classroom learning environments, assessing students' ongoing progress, adjusting instruction, and addressing legislation that impacts curricula and assessment utilized in schools.

Academy 1: Becoming Familiar with Universal Designs for Learning

Resources

Academy 2: Building UDL into Curriculum and Instruction

This Academy helps participants develop their skills to analyze and use data over time to adjust and improve their strategies for instructional improvement.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Identify a set of questions that will continually guide their leadership efforts for culturally responsive practices.
Match the kinds of data that can be collected with those questions.
Establish an ongoing process for measuring change effects.
Understand the impact of progress in the building from a complex framework of change mechanisms.

Resources

Academy 3: Implications of UDL for Assessment and Progress Monitoring

In this Academy, participants learn to examine student work samples to target instruction and link aggregated student work data to make changes school wide.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Lead a protocol with faculty on student work samples.
Assist faculty in defining goals for enhancing their teaching practice with all students.
Aggregate information from student work sample meetings to identify new targets for professional learning, outreach to families and technical assistance to teachers or programs within the building.

Resources

Co-teaching

Co-teaching is a method for delivering instruction that draws on the strengths and expertise of multiple educators. Although there are many styles of co-teaching, each involves two or more educators collaborating to plan and deliver sound instruction for a group of students. This module introduces the many faces of co-teaching relationships, exemplars and non-exemplars of successful co-teaching strategies, approaches for developing co-teaching skills, and opportunities to co-plan lessons.

Academy 1: Working Together: General and Special Educators

This academy explores the elements of collaborative teaching relationships and the necessary institutional structures and professional skills needed to collaborate successfully.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Identify expectations for collaboration and consultation between general and special educators
Explore the skills that educators need to collaborate successfully
Examine the time needed for successful collaboration and how buildings develop schedules that create time for collaborators to plan and evaluate together
Examine current practice in their own buildings and identify strengths and needs

Resources

Academy 2: Co-teaching Strategies

This academy explores the research behind co-teaching as a professional development strategy as well as an effective instructional practice for students. A variety of co-teaching strategies are explored and evaluated in light of their impact on student and professional learning.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Identify a set of co-teaching strategies and their research base
Distinguish between exemplar and non-exemplars of practice
Measure co-teaching skills and identify areas for improvement
Examine how these models can be expanded to provide blended special and general education opportunities for students
Analyze strategies for developing co-teaching skills and practices among their general and special education staff

Resources

Academy 3: Co-Planning Curriculum Using State Standards

This Academy provides the CLT with experience in co-planning curricular units.

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, participants will:

Provide a rationale for co-curricular planning in inclusive schools
Explore the relationship between planning for state standards-based curriculum and IEP goals
Tailor a set of planning processes to meet their own building context
Identify ways to implement co-planning in their own buildings

Resources

Assessment

Conducting sound assessments is a necessary part of exemplary teaching. Assessments not only evaluate student learning, they serve to guide subsequent instruction. This module looks at the construction of both quality assessments and student learning outcomes, examines multiple ways to assess learning, explores the use of rubrics for assessing student work, and highlights key elements of performance assessment tasks.

Academy 1: Classroom Assessment Practices

Resources

Academy 2: Rubrics for Assessing Student Learning

Resources

Academy 3: High Quality Performance Assessment Tasks

Resources

Collaborative Leadership Teams

Culturally responsive educational systems are grounded in the belief that culturally and linguistically diverse students can excel in academic endeavors.

Leaders at all levels require knowledge of professional development design, the change process, research findings, data-supported decision making, and an array of leadership and communication skills and processes. Effective leadership development supports participants in accessing and applying culturally responsive practices.

The academies in this module promote inclusive systems and schools by coaching Collaborative Leadership Team members in both leadership skills and team collaboration.

Download the materials in each of the following three academies. All files will open in a new window. Please print the manuals and save the PowerPoints for use with the academy presentations.

Academy 1: Fostering Team Leadership in Culturally Responsive Systems

This academy investigates change from interpersonal perspectives. Using knowledge about cultural responsivity and group development, and by building trust-building skills, participants learn to facilitate change. As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will develop strategies for easing the change process for individuals and groups.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Recognize the characteristics and importance of culturally responsive systems.
Use Process Roles to conduct effective and efficient meetings.
Foster trust within a group and with stakeholders.
Develop a strong team: establish norms, foster relationships, and celebrate successes.

Resources

Academy 2: Engaging Stakeholders in Culturally Responsive Systems

This academy investigates change from interpersonal perspectives. Using personality theory, participants learn to engage stakeholders to plan for systemic change. Participants learn skills in change management by adapting change agent roles to fit stages of change adoption. As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will develop strategies for easing the change process for individuals and groups.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Keep communication lines open with essential stakeholders.
Engage their change audience.
Identify cultural influences and personality traits that affect communication styles.
Use basic communication skills.
Support stakeholders as they progress through change stages.

Resources

Academy 3: Creating Culturally Responsive Systems

In this academy we will examine aspects of culturally responsive systems. By the end, you should be able to identify key elements of an educational system and how to leverage change that leads to culturally responsive outcomes for the system.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Recognize the influences of people, policies, and practices on educational systems.

Invest in people, policies, and practices to bring about systemic change.

Use a systematic process for implementing effective educational change.

Resources

Collection and Use of Evidence

Notice the number of times that data and evidence appear in NCCRESt’s principles. Saying that teachers, families and administrators need data to make decisions is one thing, understanding and using data well is another. In fact, few teachers and administrators have been educated in programs that have focused on making meaning from data and then using those analyses to guide school improvement and classroom instruction. This module is designed to help building leadership teams learn the skills required to mine data and use it to make decisions. As principals and teacher leaders become confident in their ability to query their data, they will become strong role models and coaches for the entire faculty.

In this module we take a serious look at understanding and using data and other evidence of student performance to improve student learning. We begin by looking at school level data to identify patterns in school performance. We then examine data to understand school structures and then look at issues of pedagogy and practice. Participants will consider a variety of measures of academic performance by asking tough questions about data such as: What do students need to know? How will we know if students have learned it? Who is successful? Who is not? What will we do if students have not learned what they need to know? Working steadily and continuously as a team, school faculty and administrators can become successful with all, not just some, of their students.

Academy 1: Mining Meaningful Data

This Academy helps participants develop their skills to analyze data over time to adjust and improve their strategies for instructional improvement. The activities in this module begin with personal reflection by participants on values and beliefs about the identification, collection and use of data for school improvement. It continues with a brief overview of the new accountability systems, moves to current methods being used by school systems and how this affects all students, and ends with an activity that requires participants to continue their reflection on tracking data that they can use to prepare for subsequent activities. Participants use data from their own district or another district in their state to begin to examine the link between data and practice changes.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Clarify their reasons or rationale for using data to change practice.
Identify and align meaningful data to renew their school improvement efforts to be more culturally responsive.
Determine what data should be used to guide practice.
Use a district-wide improvement survey and other forms of displaying outcomes to analyze data.

Resources

Academy 2: Identifying School-Wide Patterns of Student Performance

This Academy helps participants develop their skills to analyze and use data over time to adjust and improve their strategies for instructional improvement.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:
Identify a set of questions that will continually guide their efforts for culturally responsive practices.
Match the kinds of data that can be collected with those questions.
Establish an ongoing process for measuring change effects.
Understand the impact of progress in the building from a complex framework of change mechanisms.

Resources

Academy 3: Looking at Student Work to Target Instruction

In this Academy, participants learn to examine student work samples to target instruction and link aggregated student work data to make changes school wide.
Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Establish a protocol with faculty on student work samples.
Assist faculty in defining goals for enhancing their teaching practice with all students.
Aggregate information from student work samples to identify new targets for professional development, outreach to families and technical assistance to teachers or programs within the building.

Resources

Understanding Culture and Cultural Responsiveness

In this module we explore culture and diversity as it applies to educators and education, by exploring the influence of culture on everyday activity, on individual identity development, and as it relates to systems of power and privilege in our education systems. In education, what works for some students may not work for others. By understanding the lives of the students and what they bring to their education, we can build on those strengths. To do this, we must become culturally responsive and get to know all students on an individual basis, with openness and respect.

Academy 1: Appreciating Culture and Cultural Responsiveness

In this academy we explore cultural responsivity as it applies to educators and education. In education, cultural responsivity involves creating equitable opportunities for all students.
Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information sared, participants will:

Review your own cultural beliefs and behaviors so you can broaden your cultural responsivity to other people's (students') cultures.
Understand the impact of culture on individuals and systems- why does it matter
Develop a diversity perspective- understanding the developmental process of becoming a culturally reponsive educator
Understand the development of a culturally responsive perspective and pedagogy
Understand what happens when we are NOT culturally responsive

Resources

Academy 2: Uncovering Diversity

In this academy we explore the complexity of identity. We also expand on the concept of culturally responsive pedagogy and practices for student achievement.
Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared, participants will:

Recognize cultureally responsive pedagogy, practices, and policies.
Develop an action plan to implement culturally responsive practices within your educational setting.
Differentiate between the concepts of equity and equality.

Academy 3: Power, Privilege, and Change

In this academy we examine social power and privilege as it plays out in society and in education. We also explore how power and privilege disparities within schools create inequitable educational opportunities and outcomes for students of color, students whose first language is not English, students who are economically disadvantaged and students who are labeled with special education needs.
Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared, participants will:

Recognize power and privilege disparities within schools that create inequitable experiences for students from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Create an action plan to bridge the gap between school and students from diverse cultures

Resources

Culturally Responsive Literacy

Culturally responsive literacy models examine not only the methods of teaching students to engage with and learn from multiple texts, but also consider the many purposes for which individuals become literate. This module examines the purposes of literacy in students' lives, methods of designing and implementing culturally responsive literacy instruction, and the use of many forms of literacy as powerful tools for student engagement in school and social change. Participants are guided through information and activities that question how literacy is used applied to students' lives, as well as how culturally responsive literacy instruction can address achievement gaps for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse and/or students with disabilities.

Academy 1: Literacy for What?

This academy examines the question “literacy for what?”, exploring the relationship between the politics of literacy and learning in the United States and understanding the key shifts needed for teachers to move towards a more culturally responsive literacy model. The academy will help participants make a distinction between a traditional literacy lens versus a culturally responsive literacy lens. This academy serves to position the theoretical foundation for the remaining academies where greater attention is given to specific culturally responsive literacy strategies. It is critical for participants to examine and understand the question of “Literacy for what?” before moving on to the next two academies.

Resources

Academy 2: Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction- What does it Look Like in the Classroom?

This academy focuses on developing awareness, approaches, and skills needed to transform current literacy practices into a more culturally responsive model. This shift is supported by data that demonstrates a continued achievement gap for marginalized students in our public schools (e.g. students of color, low socioeconomic status, students with disabilities, and English language learners). Participants are introduced to the seven elements of culturally responsive literacy instruction and explore ways to implement elements into classroom practice.

Academy 3: Boundary Crossings-Creating Language Experiences in the Classroom for ALL Students

The goal of this academy is for participants to understand that cultural differences in the classroom become cultural boundaries that need to be crossed by both teachers and students. Teachers, through culturally responsive instruction can help bridge the gap of these cultural boundaries. If educators truly embrace diversity, they look beyond festivals, foods, fashions, and folkways for ways to structure classrooms, schools, and programs in ways that affirm diversity and promote success for all students.

Resources

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practice

Culturally responsive educational systems are grounded in the belief that culturally and linguistically diverse students can excel in academic endeavors.

Culturally responsive pedagogy and practice facilitates and supports the achievement of all students. In a culturally responsive classrooms and schools, effective teaching and learning occur in a culturally-supported, learner-centered context, whereby the strengths students bring to school are identified, nurtured, and utilized to promote student achievement.

Download the materials in each of the following three academies. All files will open in a new window. Please print the manuals and save the PowerPoints for use with the academy presentations.

Academy 1: Understanding Cultural Responsiveness

In this academy we explore what it means to be culturally responsive as it applies to educators and education. In education, cultural responsivity involves creating equitable opportunities for all students.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Define the Dimensions of Culturally Responsive Education
Recognize what Culturally Responsive Practices look like at the organizational, personal, and instructional levels
Identify the role of school culture, prejudice reduction, and knowledge construction in creating culturally responsive educational systems
Develop an understanding of contributive, additive, transformative, and social action models as they apply to practice

Resources

Academy 2: Culturally Responsive Classrooms

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Recognize the features of culturally responsive pedagogy and practices
Identify the characteristics of culturally responsive teachers
Develop an understanding of how to create culturally responsive classrooms
Develop knowledge about assessment of practice and student learning

Resources

Academy 3: Culturally Responsive Curriculum

This academy will focus on the idea of content integration and knowledge construction through curriculum review and redesign.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Define Culturally Responsive Curriculum
Identify features of culturally responsive curriculum,
Explore the hidden curriculum
Review what levels of content integration
Examine a curricular unit and develop approaches to expand the level of content integration in that instructional unit.

Resources

Culturally Responsive Response To Intervention

Culturally responsive educational systems are grounded in the belief that culturally and linguistically diverse students can excel in academic endeavors. NCCRESt's newest professional learning module presents Response to Intervention (RTI) as a culturally responsive framework for ensuring evidence-based, high-quality opportunities to learn in inclusive settings for all students, including those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Culturally responsive RTI frameworks have the potential to address issues of disproportionate representation for diverse students in special education programs by providing access to curriculum and instructional practice grounded in research that attends to the powerful role of culture in teaching and learning.

Participants in this professional learning module will become familiar with the basic structures and features of culturally responsive RTI with a focus on ensuring that general education provides robust, high quality opportunities to learn for all students. Participants will also identify traditional attitudes related to what counts as evidence in research and practice, expand upon these views, and design interventions for their own pedagogy that take into account the role of culture in teaching and learning.

Academy1: Culturally Responsive Response to Intervention Models

This academy presents Response to Intervention (RTI) as a culturally responsive model for ensuring evidence-based, high-quality opportunities to learn in inclusive settings for all students, including those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. While culturally responsive RTI models have the potential to address issues of disproportionate representation for minority students in special education programs by providing access to curriculum and instructional practice grounded in research that attends to the powerful role of culture in teaching and learning, these models also hold promise in ensuring that diverse learners are provided with more robust educational opportunities.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Become familiar with the basic structures and features of culturally responsive RTI with a focus on ensuring that general education provides robust, high quality opportunities to learn for all students
Get acquainted with research that supports literacy instruction for learners who are culturally and linguistically diverse
Learn to strengthen general education systems to meet the needs of diverse learners through educators’ professional learning towards culturally responsive practices

Resources

Academy2: Informing Educational Decisions in Culturally Responsive RTI Models

This academy investigates culturally responsive intervention within RTI frameworks. Participants learn to design interventions for their own pedagogy that take into account the role of culture in teaching and learning. Participants also learn to adapt their current intervention approaches by considering both preventative and early intervening strategies to meet the needs of all students within the context of their current situation. Finally, participants engage in an activity that has them consider what is already there in their own schools and classrooms that support the move towards culturally responsive intervention in RTI frameworks.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Identify traditional attitudes related to what counts as evidence in research and practice and expand upon these views.
Explore how culture mediates and impacts learning, instruction, and intervention in and outside of RTI models.
Apply these understandings to the design of culturally responsive interventions within RTI frameworks.

Resources

Academy3: Ensuring Culturally Responsive Student Supports

The activities in this module begin with a personal reflection by participants on values and beliefs about the identification, collection and use of data for school improvement. It continues with a brief overview of the new accountability systems, moves to current methods being used by school systems and how this affects all students, and ends with an activity that requires participants to continue their reflection on tracking data that they can use to prepare for subsequent activities. Participants use data from their own school or another school in their state to begin to examine the link between data and practice changes.

Academy Outcomes:

As a result of the activities and information shared at this Leadership Academy, module participants will:

Gain awareness of the need for increased research on RTI with students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
Identify and interpret existing research that demonstrates effective interventions at the secondary and tertiary tiers for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
Consider RTI as an alternate process for identifying students who require special educational supports.
Consider interventions at the tertiary tier that are inclusive and collaborative.