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“Exploring Equity and Excellence” is a virtual learning series designed to support educators and school communities in achieving educational equity and excellence. If an integral component of a school’s mission is to ensure that all students have equal access to high-quality, educational opportunities and the support or resources they need to succeed, then how do we create a safe, supportive, and courageous space to examine and think critically about this important topic? By engaging in collaborative inquiry, the primary goal of this workshop is to provide a lens for examining what is at the center of our school cultures and for ensuring that every member of our school community feels respected and represented in that center. Other goals include . . .
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- Understanding how our educational goals of excellence and equity are intricately interwoven
- Developing a deeper understanding of how school culture works—and impacts our student outcomes
- Identifying strategies for shifting cultural norms to better align with our school mission and values
- Investigating how issues such as racism and bias can present obstacles to the full inclusion of students
- Examining our systemic policies, practices, and curriculum from a strengths-based, equity mindset
- Exploring opportunities for centering the voices of those in our school communities who may have felt marginalized in the past and whose experiences can inform our ongoing progress
- Collaborating to identify barriers to progress and to create action steps for ensuring everyone in the school community feels respected and represented at the center of our cultural norms
Why explore educational equity and excellence?
Somewhere in the mission statement of most schools, there is often a reference to ALL students. In reality, we know however that our education systems are often falling short of success with large numbers of children. Reversing these trends requires a collective effort and a sense of critical urgency to explore what we mean by educational equity and excellence—and to examine reflective questions as members of a school community. Such questions include . . .
“Perhaps our missions and commitments are never truly secured for any one group or individual, unless they are proven to be afforded to all individuals.”
– Craig Martin, Executive Director Pegasus Springs Education Collective