Equity Resources

The BEST/VTPBIS State Team is currently in the process of engaging in ongoing equity work. You can find our Commitment to Equity here.

Equity Resources

Scroll down to find information and resources in each of these sections:

What is educational equity?
Getting started
Equity in a tiered framework
Resources to help you understand and address the 5 foundational elements of equity in PBIS
Take action
Additional resources
References

What is Educational Equity?

Educational equity exists when educational policies, practices, interaction, and resources are representative of, constructed by, and responsive to all people so that each individual has access to, meaningfully participates in, and has positive outcomes from high-quality learning experiences, regardless of individual characteristics and group memberships. (Fraser, 2008; Great Lakes Equity Center, 2012)

Educational equity means that every child receives whatever she/he/they need to develop to her/his/their full academic and social potential and to thrive academically and social-emotionally. Every child, every day. Period. (Aguilar, 2020)

A brief intro: The Fundamentals of Educational Equity

Getting Started

For most schools, the very first step to addressing equity issues is to examine discipline data for disproportionality, and identify an existing team that will develop an action plan and monitor progress.

Foundational Elements of Equity in PBIS

Collect, use, and report disaggregated discipline data
Implement a behavior framework that is preventive, multi-tiered, and culturally responsive
Use engaging instruction to reduce the opportunity (achievement) gap
Develop policies with accountability for disciplinary equity
Teach strategies for neutralizing implicit bias in discipline decisions

(see resources and tools for each of these elements below)

For more information: A 5-Point Intervention Approach for Enhancing Equity

Equity in a Tiered Framework

Equity is a Tier 1 issue. Teams cannot address inequitable student outcomes by providing Tier 2 and 3 supports to students from groups who receive disproportionate rates of referrals and suspensions.

Tier 1

School PBIS teams build Tier 1 systems honoring students’ cultural strengths by including student voices meaningfully in classroom systems and building positive teacher-student relationships. School personnel can learn about their own cultural backgrounds and personal biases to define and teach school-wide and classroom expectations reflecting the values and norms of their students, families, and communities. To improve relationships, school personnel should use strategies to acknowledge students meaningfully and respond instructionally instead of punitively.

Tier 2

A key equity step for Tier 2 teams is to assess the extent to which access to positive, instructional Tier 2 interventions is consistent across student groups. For example, students from marginalized groups may be under-referred for Tier 2 support, even if their ODR or other screening data indicate a need. In equitable Tier 2 systems, interventions increase instructional opportunities, feedback, and positive home communication with students’ families. Teams may also use interventions such as mentoring from local culturally-specific agencies.

Tier 3

Behavior support plans at Tier 3 are individualized and contextualized. Effective Tier 3 systems include processes to involve students and their family members meaningfully in goal-setting and intervention design. It is critical to build trust and establish systems for two-way communication and shared decision-making, without making inaccurate assumptions about home life or family values regarding education.

credit: National Technical Assistance Center on PBIS

Resources to help you understand and address the 5 Foundational Elements of Equity in PBIS

Collect, use, and report disaggregated discipline data:

Implement a behavior framework that is preventive, multi-tiered, and culturally responsive:

Think about and discuss your school-wide and classroom expectations: 10 Questions for Ensuring Equity in School Discipline
Embed Culturally Responsive Practices in Tier 1
Assess and improve the cultural responsiveness of your PBIS implementation. It may be helpful initially to pre-select a few items for the team to consider: TFI Cultural Responsiveness Companion (pgs. 12 – 28)
Gauge, reflect on, and plan for meaningful student participation in your school-wide and/or classroom PBIS implementation: An Equity Toolkit for Inclusive Schools: Centering Youth Voice in School Change
Assess the depth of your equity practice with this 1-page rubric.: Social Leadership for Social Justice: Where are you on your educational equity journey?

Use engaging instruction to reduce the opportunity (achievement) gap

Examples of Engaging Instruction to Increase Equity in the Classroom
Gather input from students about representation and relationship in the classroom: Culture and Connection Student Experience Survey. Contact the teacher/developer for more info here: https://www.slsj.info/contact
Read this engaging (and concise!) book yourself, with a book group, or school-wide. It’s great for all school staff, with lots of easy to use strategies and tools for teachers: We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be, by Cornelius Minor.

Develop policies with accountability for disciplinary equity

Key Elements of Policies to Address Discipline Disproportionality: A Guide for District and School Teams

Teach strategies for neutralizing implicit bias in discipline decisions

Help staff identify their vulnerable decision points (VDPs) – given situations coupled with a person’s internal state – that increase the likelihood of bias affecting discipline decision-making: Don’t Discipline Hangry: 3 Steps to a Better Classroom
Teachers can use this simple checklist to self-assess themselves for bias: A Simple Way to Self-Monitor for Bias
Brief outline of the 5 abilities and examples of knowledge, skills, and actions of equity literate educators
Read this book yourself, in a book group, or use selected chapters or the entire book for professional development. Pertinent for all educators, not only for coaches. Excellent resource for how to engage in conversations about equity, bias, and racism. Also available as audio book. Coaching for Equity: Conversions that Change Practice
Explore self-guided professional development resources, including Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education from Learning for Justice (previously Teaching Tolerance)

Additional resources that address multiple aspects of the 5 Foundational Elements of Equity

Your team can select specific domains to help with reflection and development of equity systems and practice: Equity Rubric from Coaching for Equity (Aguilar, 2020). Domains include: Teacher Beliefs; Relationships and Culture; Class Environment; Rigor and Expectations; Access and Participation; Student Performance; Curriculum and Instruction; Family and Community Partnership; School Culture; Institutional and Organizational (policies and practices)
Equity protocol questions to use when considering and policy, program, practice, or decision: VT AOE Equity Lens Tool

Take Action

Commitments for Equity Work:

Stay engaged
Speak your truth
Experience discomfort
Expect and accept non-closure

Courageous Conversations About Race (Singleton, 2015)

31 Moves to Promote Justice in Your Classroom, Campus, and School Community

Additional Resources

References

Aguilar, E. (2020). Coaching for equity: Conversations that change practice. Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass.

Fraser, N. (2008) Social right and gender justice in the neoliberal movement: A conversation about welfare and transnational politics. Feminist Theory, 9,225-245.

Great Lakes Equity Center (2012). Educational equity: What’s it all about? An Equi-learn Webinar presentation by Skelton, S & Kigamwa, J., The Great Lakes Equity Center.

Singleton, G. E. (2015). Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

VT PBIS

Equity Resources