Establishing a Commitment to Equity: Where Do We Start?

Kent McIntosh

University of Oregon

Jennifer Rose

Midwest PBIS Network

Milaney Leverson

Kent Smith

Wisconsin PBIS Network

1. Background on building commitment for enhancing equity (and strand overview)

Kent M.

2. Specific approaches for establishing commitment

Jen – self-assessment Milaney – identity development Kent S. - data

Session Agenda

Handouts: http://www.pbis.org

PBIS Center Disproportionality Workgroup

Acknowledgements

Timberly Baker Aaron Barnes Alondra Canizal Delabra Yolanda Cargile Erin Chaparro Soraya Coccimiglio Tai Collins Bert Eliason Erik Girvan Steve Goodman Clynita Grafenreed Ambra Green Beth Hill Rob Horner Don Kincaid

Milaney Leverson Tim Lewis Kent McIntosh Kelsey Morris Rhonda Nese Vicki Nishioka Heidi von Ravensberg Jennifer Rose Therese Sandomierski Russ Skiba Kent Smith Keith Smolkowski

Disproportionality in School Discipline (Losen et al., 2015)

http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rights-remedies/school-to-prison-folder/federal-reports/are-we-closing-the-school-discipline-gap

How do we begin to address racial bias without it backfiring?

Turn to a neighborWhat approaches have you tried to build a

commitment to equity in your schools?How have they worked?

Getting going…

Technical changeUse of specific

strategies, tools, interventions

Adaptive changeShifts in beliefs

and attitudes

Two Types of Change(Heifetz, Grashow, & Linksy, 2009)

How

Why

Change in Beliefs and Attitudes

Change in Teaching Practices

Change in Student

Outcomes

How to Make Lasting Change Happen in Schools (Guskey, 1986)

Change in Teaching Practices

Change in Student

Outcomes

Change in Beliefs and Attitudes

How to Make Lasting Change Happen in Schools (Guskey, 1986)

Change in Teaching Practices

Change in Student

Outcomes

Change in Beliefs and Attitudes

1. I am aware of my personal biases.

2. I am concerned about the consequences of bias in education.

3. I have effective strategies for reducing bias in educational decisions.

Status Questions:How much do you agree?

(Devine et al., 2012)

A 5-point

Intervention

Approach to Enhance Equity in School Discipline

http://www.pbis.org/school/equity-pbis

1. Use engaging academic instruction to reduce the support gap (achievement gap)

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

3. Collect, use, and report disaggregated discipline data

4. Develop policies with accountability for disciplinary equity

5. Teach neutralizing routines for vulnerable decision points

5-point Intervention Approach

http://www.pbis.org/school/equity-pbis

1. Use engaging academic instruction to reduce the support gap (achievement gap)

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

3. Collect, use, and report disaggregated discipline data

4. Develop policies with accountability for disciplinary equity

5. Teach neutralizing routines for vulnerable decision points

PBIS Forum Equity Strand

Partnering with families

C4

E6

D5

Supporting students who identify as LGBTQ E5

E4

A5

B5

1. Complete a self-assessment

2. Engage in identity development

3. Use disaggregated discipline data

Some options for establishing commitment to equity

CR-SWPBIS Tool-version 3.0

Revised tool based upon: 1. Five-point plan from the national PBIS center, and 2. Items are linked with indicators of cultural responsive actions associated with improved outcomes for students of color

Address hidden biases Professional development that addresses racial identity development, color-blindness Acknowledge link between implicit bias and inequitable outcomes for students of color

Use data to develop equity Use survey data to measure student and family satisfaction with school climate Analyze efficacy of interventions Regularly review discipline data

Encourage inclusiveness and clear communication Teams represent the culture(s) of students and families Team norms recognize cultural differences in communication styles

Use culturally appropriate interventions/proactive response Implement universal screening for behavior Identify culturally-competent community based service providers to support the most vulnerable

students Establish a positive, proactive systemic approach

Implement professional development geared to address the needs of culturally-diverse learners Set high expectations using culturally-appropriate behavioral norms

CR-SWPBIS Tool-version 3.0UNIVERSAL (TIER 1) SYSTEMS

InPlace

Partiallyin Place

Not in Place

1. Tier 1 team membership is representative of the cultural groups of the school and community.

     

2. Tier 1 team meeting guidelines (e.g., expectations, or norms) respect cultural differences in communication styles and the various perspectives of all team members.

     

3. Establish high behavioral expectations for students (school-wide and classroom) that incorporate feedback from staff, students, and families.

     

4. Review the behavior matrix for possible inappropriate messages related to the cultural groups of the school and community by soliciting feedback from students and families.

     

5. Translate school-wide behavior expectations into the language(s) of students and families.

     

6. Involve staff, students, and families in creating communications (e.g., handbooks, universal expectations, and acknowledgment systems) that are culturally responsive.

     

7. Professional development for curriculum and instruction includes information on how to differentiate materials and lessons to accommodate the unique learning and communication styles associated with cultural groups within the school.

     

8. Provide professional development for all staff to explore the influence of their own cultural backgrounds during interactions with students and families (e.g., racial identity development, color-blindness, explicit and implicit bias).

     

9. Staff is provided with explicit instruction on classroom management strategies that address situations frequently associated with disproportionate use of discipline with students of color (e.g., subjective behaviors like disrespect, differences in communication styles).

     

CR-SWPBIS Tool-version 3.0

Universal (Tier 1) Item 8: Provide professional development for all staff to explore the influence of their own cultural backgrounds during interactions with students and families (e.g., racial identity development, color-blindness, explicit and implicit bias).

0246

“The Black-escalation effect”(Okonofua and Eberhardt, 2015)

White StudentsBlack Students

Rati

ng

Professional Development Matters

Identity• Practitioner Identity Development• Student and Family Identity Development

– gain knowledge of the cultures and experiences of families, students, and communities served by the school

• School and Community Identity Development– identity development specific to practitioners and

the impact of practitioners’ cultures and experiences on the school and classroom

“To establish meaningful connections with students from different cultural backgrounds, research recommends acknowledging the cultural identity of students instead of being ‘colorblind.’”

Cartledge & Milburn, 1996; Delpit, 1992; Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995;

Singleton & Linton, 2006; Weinstein et al., 2004

Identity Development

• Identity development work must be systemic

• This work will not occur or sustain unless staff are provided support regarding when and how it can best happen

Practitioner Identity

“Awareness of the dimensions of one’s own culture is a prerequisite to understanding the culture of others.”

McAllister & Irvine, 2000

“To establish meaningful connections with students from different cultural backgrounds, research recommends acknowledging the cultural identity of students instead of being ‘colorblind.’”

Cartledge & Milburn, 1996; Delpit, 1992; Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995;

Singleton & Linton, 2006; Weinstein et al., 2004

Practitioner Identity Practitioners must examine and understand:• How and why they perceive the world the way they do• Their own comfort level with issues of race, ethnicity, and

educational and social disparities • The background from which they develop and apply their

expectations, procedures, routines, and practices• The purpose of their expectations, procedures, and practices

It is imperative that staff examine their beliefs about what is “normal,” “appropriate,” or

“acceptable” behavior. These notions are culturally defined and can

vary greatly from person to person, thus providing the basis for disproportionate

correction.

True Colors Activity

• Complete the Personal Style Assessment by RANKING each GROUP of words in each ROW

• Add up your scores to determine which is your highest “color”

• Make sure you score the columns and not the rows

Handout 1.7 Page 1

Rank sets of words by Row

THEN, Score Columns

True Colors Activity

• Join your color group• On chart paper, create

two posters- – One that explains why your

“color” is the best– One that identifies how

those “other” colors make you crazy….

Students and Schools

• In our traditional systems, which color do you think would be the most successful?

• Which color(s) would be more disconnected from our traditional systems?

• Identify a student or a colleague in which you have had a “color” disconnect. Use the student color characteristics to identify a possible action steps toward bridging this disconnect.

Racial Autobiography

• A graphic organizer to show your racial history

• Identifies how you view yourself now

• Identifies key events in your life related to race that makes you that way today.

Name

Elements of Culture/ValuesElements of Culture

My Values Growing Up

My Values Now How Schools Operate

How my Students/Families might be different

How this difference Creates Conflict

Language

Space/proximity

Attitudes towards time

Gender roles

Family Roles

Student and Family Identity

and

DECREASED

INCREASED

Problem behavior in 4th grade African American

students

INCREASED

Smith et al., 2009; Thomas, Townsend,

& Belgrave, 2003; Hughes et al., 2009

Awareness of own cultural background

+ development of self-worth

Academic and behavioral outcomes during middle school

Practitioners learning about student and family backgrounds, cultures, and values

Students understanding their own identity

A Note About Labels…When discussing national or state data,

we generally use categories defined by the Office of Management and Budget (1997)

http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/reic/definitions.asp

These describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote

scientific definitions of anthropological origins.

Ethnicity:Hispanic or Latino orNot Hispanic or Latino

One or more races that apply:American Indian or Alaska NativeAsianBlack or African AmericanNative Hawaiian or Other Pacific IslanderWhite

OR

The Diversity Wheel

Student and Family Identity• Practitioners learning about student and family

backgrounds, cultures, and values• Students understanding their own identity

Awareness of own cultural background

+ development of self-worth =

and

Decreased

Increased

Problem behavior in 4th grade African American students.

Academic and behavioral outcomes during middle school.

Increased

Smith et al., 2009; Thomas, Townsend,

& Belgrave, 2003; Hughes et al., 2009

• Circles of Identity Activity

• iDeal Identity and Assessment– Who am I? – Who are we? – What are our strengths and difficulties? – Where do we want to go as a group?

School and Community Identity • People of the community; their beliefs, values, and

expectations• Shared experiences that shape the behaviors of

community members• The school’s place in the community:

– Source of pride? Source of conflict?

• Connections between the school and community agencies/organizations

• Visibility of the school at community events

Look at Your Data

NO TALKING IN CODE.

We need to beopen

honest &

clearon what our data tells us.

2. Problem Analysis

3. Plan Implementation

4. Plan Evaluation

1. Problem Identification

Is there a problem?

Why is it happening?

What should be done?

Is the plan working?

(All data use slides adopted from Kelsey Morris; Using Data Presentation; www.pbis.org)

PBIS Disproportionality Data Guide

• Equity in PBIS website from OSEP PBIS Technical Assistance Center

• Data Guidebook• WI Risk Ratio Tool

Step 1: Problem Identification

• Is there a problem?

• Identify the difference between what is currently observed (performance) and what is expected our desired (goals).

• Defining the problem with objective measures makes the process more effective and allows accountability for improvement.

• Requires multiple data points

Step 1: Problem IdentificationRisk Ratio

– Represent the likelihood of the outcome (e.g., ODRs) for one group in relation to a comparison group.

– Works for any educational outcome.– Comparison group most commonly used is White students

• Risk index for all other groups is sometimes used– Risk Ratio = 1.0 is indicative of equal risk– Risk Ratio > 1.0 is indicative of overrepresentation– Risk Ratio < 1.0 is indicative of underrepresentation

Risk Index of Target Group

Risk Index of Comparison Group

Risk Index of Latino Students

Risk Index of White Students

.82

.65= 1.27

Step 2: Problem Analysis

• Why is it happening?

• By finding the specific cause of the problem, teams can identify more effective solutions.

• Focus: identifying variables that can be changed, not individual traits or variables that are beyond the control of the system (no blaming the students)

• Key: is the disproportionality identified in Step 1 consistent across all situations or more pronounced in some situations?– Disproportionality across all settings indicates explicit bias

– Disproportionality in specific settings indicates implicit bias

Variables over which school has control

Technical• Policies• Procedures• Programs• Schedule• Curriculum• Instructional methods• Staff roles and responsibilities• SLOs• Staff development• Team protocols• Imaging• Interaction patterns

Adaptive• Low expectations/fixed mindset• Biases, resentments, fears• Sense of self-efficacy • Knowledge• Stereotypes, misconceptions• Deficit v asset thinking• Belief systems• Ownership of vision/mission• Relationships• Connectedness to schooling• History with schooling

Step 2: Problem Analysis

• Vulnerable Decision Points (VDPs)– What themes or issues are associated with disproportionate

data?

– Where is there disproportionate data occurring?

– When is it occurring?• Times of day, days of the week, months of the year, particular content

– What motivations are associated with it?• Perceived function of problem

– Who is involved with it?• Disparities do not indicate racism, but rather contexts where

additional supports are necessary.

Step 3: Plan Implementation

• What should be done?

• Plan Implementation includes:a) Selecting and thenb) Implementing strategies that are most likely to be

effective in solving the problem

Step 3: Plan Implementation• One or more of the following may be targeted:

– Inadequate instructional fidelity or implementation

– Misunderstanding of school-wide expectations• Implement culturally-responsive practices with input from the

students/families

– Academic achievement gap• Discussed in days 3&4 of this training

– Disproportionality across all settings (indicating explicit bias)• Enact strong anti-discrimination policies that include accountability

– Disproportionality in specific settings (indicating implicit bias)• Investigate vulnerable decision points

– Lack of student engagement• Use culturally-responsive pedagogy

Step 4: Plan Evaluation

• Is the plan working?

• Collect short-term (i.e., progress monitoring data) to determine whether solution strategies are being implemented and are effective.

• Engage in periodic data collection and meetings (e.g., monthly or quarterly) so that the plan can be changed based on the results.

• Calculate the metrics chosen in Problem Identification on a regular basis and review them for progress. – Risk indices are not recommended as they will continue to rise

throughout the year.– Risk ratios are recommended because they remain more consistent.

Step 4: Plan Evaluation

• Regardless of the specific data system or time, the following general steps are used:

1. Identify the time periods for evaluating disproportionality data

2. Assess progress and fidelity of solution plan implementation

3. Calculate metrics from Step 1: Problem Identification

4. Compare to the goal determined in Step 1: Problem Identification

5. Share results with relevant stakeholders

Sharing Out

What are you doing to build commitment to address equity in school discipline?What is working?

And why?What is not working?

And why?

Equity Intervention:Your Experiences

Contact Information

Kent McIntoshSpecial Education Program

University of Oregon

kentm@uoregon.edu

@_kentmc

Handouts: http://kentmcintosh.wordpress.com

Cannon Beach, Oregon © GoPictures, 2010

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