'Cultural proficiency challenges learning communities to go even deeper when inquiring about student barriers to success. This perspective is necessary to truly address the achievement and expectation gaps in our schools. Before we ask ourselves why our students are not succeeding, we must understand and examine our own perceptions and assumptions about them'-Timothy A. Bias, Administrator, Pomona Unified School District, CA Close the achievement gap with equity-focused professional learning communities! Professional learning communities (PLCs) can be a powerful force for creating equitable, inclusive schools where all students succeed. Integrating the four Tools of Cultural Proficiency with the PLC framework, this relevant guide offers school leaders, district administrators, and staff developers a collaborative approach to address bias and inequity. Culturally Proficient Learning Communities discusses the impact of our history on cultural understanding and provides a wealth of practical PLC-building strategies-including assessment and inquiry-driven planning, instructional design, curriculum development, coaching, leadership, and shared decision making. The authors examine the goals, purpose, and process of creating and sustaining equity-focused PLCs through: - Templates, protocols, activities, and rubrics for deconstructing inequity in student achievement - Stories, tools, and thinking prompts to guide an inside-out transformation toward cultural proficiency - An extended example of one school district's journey in becoming a culturally proficient learning community Schools that view diversity and differences as assets and opportunities will experience stronger holistic growth and increased academic achievement!

What leaders love most is the way Cultural Proficiency lays the groundwork for powerful organizational growth with resources to: Engage colleagues in collaborative dialogue about creating powerful teaching and learning environments Recognize and respond to both individual and group differences to break down barriers Use the Cultural Proficiency Continuum to assess the limitations of school practices and identify opportunities to shift the culture

Why a new edition of Culturally Proficient Coaching? Why now, especially? Because several polarizing years later, there's even greater urgency for us all to critically examine our attitudes, beliefs, and practices when working with students who look or sound "different." No matter how broadly you define coach, no matter which coaching model you follow, this is the resource to help you get started. With the first edition, the authors' big goal was to shift our thinking in service of standards-based teaching and leading, and equitable interactions that support all students achieving at highest levels. Now, with this second edition, the authors add a third goal: to encourage a more holistic mindset and expanded contextual uses. New features include: Enhanced research on the effectiveness of coaching in educational settings New data on response to implicit bias and microaggressions--subtle and unintentional, yet destructive, forms of discrimination that continue to marginalize Refinement and updating of the Tools of Cultural Proficiency, which enable you to provide equitable life-affirming experiences to all cultural groups Expanded models of Culturally Proficient Coaching Conversations A special section on crafting Breakthrough Questions to shift entrenched mindsets and barriers to Cultural Proficiency By design, Culturally Proficient Coaching is an intentional, inside-out approach that mediates a person's thinking toward values, beliefs, and behaviors that enable effective cross-cultural interactions and equitable learning environments. Here's your opportunity to serve as that expert and trusted mediator, boosting educators' cultural confidence and consciousness, while honing their coaching skills. "We owe it to ourselves and to our children to productively embrace and engage diversity, with all of its tensions, for the sustainability of humanity. These authors have given us the invitation, the road map, and the call to action. the embarkment is up to each one of us." --Carolyn M. McKanders, Director Emeritus Center for Adaptive Schools and Thinking Collaborative

How often do you hear, "The only parents who showed were the parents who didn't need to be here." But how often do you consider time of day, lack of child care, cost of dinner, transportation, lan guage of the presentation, even relevance of the topic-all real-world barriers for families of our historically underserved students. Here at last is a resource that will open up access and reveal all-new ways to forge more culturally inclusive partnerships with families and communities . . . partnerships that extend well beyond parent-teacher conferences, PTA meetings, and the occasional bake sale. The two big services Equity Partnerships provides? Using the Tools of Cultural Proficiency, you'll Discover new concepts and strategies to engage families and communities-and reduce, if not eliminate, barriers--through four essential principles: communication, connection, collaboration, and community Engage in frequent opportunities to reflect on your own assumptions and values, then collaborate with colleagues to co-create systemic practices and policies for devising, implementing, and assessing family and community engagement actions in your schools and districts We know inherently that family and community engagement is critical to the success of our stu dents. Let Equity Partnerships be your go-to tool for breaking down the walls that for too long have limited all of us. "Raising the next generation is a shared responsibility and privilege. These authors have been first responders for decades by pro moting Cultural Proficiency as a means to ensure equity and access for all. In Equity Partnerships, they identify the powerful and critical link of family, school, and community engage ment to strengthen families, build community support, and increase student success." --TRUDY ARRIAGA, Associate Dean for Equity and Outreach, California Lutheran University, and Coauthor of Opening Doors

Like other works in the Cultural Proficiency series, the book begins with a focus on one's self with the premise that one cannot adequately lead change in schools or other organizations until one truly knows and understands one's self as a leader. In Cultural Proficiency as a Journey, the authors model self-disclosure and reflection by offering personal narratives describing their respective journeys toward Cultural Proficiency. They also provide readers with numerous prompts for individual reflection that ultimately result in the creation of "Cultural Autobiographies." Through engagement in this process, leaders are challenged to interrogate their experiences and perceptions through the lens of Cultural Proficiency, openness to difference, and celebration of the Other.

Cultural Proficiency encourages teachers to engage in deep self-examination to uncover their beliefs and biases with respect to race, income level, language and other variables of difference.

General approaches to multiculturalism run the risk of overlooking an increasingly diverse student population that deserves special consideration and attention: students from immigrant backgrounds whose families toil the fields in order to provide better educational opportunities for their children. This book's purpose is to guide educators to think deeply about their roles and responsibilities in the education of children of farmworker families in our nation's schools. Readers will view their classrooms, schools, districts, and the migrant programs they lead in a broad and inclusive manner through the lens of cultural proficiency. The initial steps when embracing cultural proficiency entails thinking reflectively about one's own values and behaviors and the school's policies and practices toward children of farmworker families. Cultivating a willingness, openness and commitment to meeting the challenges and opportunities of this often-invisible aspect of diversity is an important first step for the development of effective educational practices for migrant students and their families. The cultural proficiency framework can inform staff development models for working effectively with migrant students and their families.

General approaches to multiculturalism run the risk of overlooking an increasingly diverse student population that deserves special consideration and attention: students from immigrant backgrounds whose families toil the fields in order to provide better educational opportunities for their children. This book's purpose is to guide educators to think deeply about their roles and responsibilities in the education of children of farmworker families in our nation's schools. Readers will view their classrooms, schools, districts, and the migrant programs they lead in a broad and inclusive manner through the lens of cultural proficiency. The initial steps when embracing cultural proficiency entails thinking reflectively about one's own values and behaviors and the school's policies and practices toward children of farmworker families. Cultivating a willingness, openness and commitment to meeting the challenges and opportunities of this often-invisible aspect of diversity is an important first step for the development of effective educational practices for migrant students and their families. The cultural proficiency framework can inform staff development models for working effectively with migrant students and their families.

The ultimate collection for building a world-class professional learning program! This groundbreaking 7-book series, co-developed by Learning Forward and Corwin, closes the "knowing-doing" gap by guiding educational leaders through the process for implementing the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning. Each volume tackles an individual standard, providing: Original essays written by leading experts in the field to promote deeper understandings of the meaning of each standard An array of templates, tools, and protocols to help you design and delivery quality professional learning in your own district or school Case studies of districts "getting it right" and educators who have realized the promise of effective professional learning

Through a rich combination of analysis, activities for team and individual study, and a case study, this book guides educators in using the lens of Cultural Proficiency as basis for creating school-wide conditions that make the Common Core accessible to all students, including those groups that have been historically underserved. The book includes a number of reflective and professional learning dialogic activities, tools, and case stories to guide educators and school leaders to understand their own assumptions, know their values relative to equitable issues, create change within their own practice, and create teaching and learning environments that are relevant and rigorous for all learners.

In this third edition, the authors invite you to reflect on how you influence what goes on in your classroom and how you engage with your colleagues as a community of learners. Each chapter contains reflective activities and group work to guide readers. A well-documented case study provides an opportunity for readers to experience cultural proficiency in practice. This best-seller has been extensively revised to include:New case stories and references Updated discussion of standards-based education Conceptual framework chart Expanded discussion of barriers and the microagression concept

Help your English learning students achieve academic success! U.S. demographics are quickly shifting, and it is more important than ever to reach and teach English learning students. Designed to empower educators to become agents of change in their classrooms, schools, and communities, this guide introduces the principles of Cultural Proficiency and how they can help improve educators' ability to effectively teach English language learners. This book features: Activities that build core Cultural Proficiency skills and promote personal transformation A chapter-by-chapter rubric for working effectively with English learning students A conversation-starting case story featuring the River View School District Strategies for using action research to improve the success of English learning students By focusing on Cultural Proficiency-and the underlying causes of EL achievement gaps-educators can uncover ways to break down academic barriers and use students' cultural background as educational assets.

Equity expertise from premier educators''''''''''The Best of Corwin series showcases key chapters from''critically acclaimed Corwin publications for a powerful compilation of''perspectives on important education issues and topics. The Best of Corwin: Equity features a variety of stellar authors''who believe in making education accessible and successful for all students and''ultimately creating a stronger democratic society. Offering a unique''perspective on overcoming barriers to student achievement, these authors share academic''research, creative ideas, and concrete, practical strategies. Key topics''include:''''''''''The tools of cultural'' proficiencyCourageous conversations'' about raceHow to analyze data to'' uncover and eliminate inequities Equity auditsPowerful classroom'' strategiesReflecting on'' practice''''''''''This book is aimed at all educators, with particular''emphasis on teachers and those who support teachers. Learn from the best as you''strive to make our schools places of excellence where all students have the''same opportunity to learn.''

Focused on providing readers with the knowledge and skills to maximize the educational opportunities for children raised in low socio-economic conditions, Culturally Proficient Approaches to Conditions of Poverty provides a context for helping teachers and school leaders understand school equity issues that are related to social class. The authors frame this timely subject within the lens of cultural proficiency-a perspective that emphasizes how one works with people different from one's self in a non-judgmental, pro-social manner to help ensure effective practices. This strengths-based approach contrasts with previous deficit models that have targeted what isn't working and what doesn't exist for the child, rather than building on children's strengths, regardless of their socio-economic status.

"What is best about this remarkable book is its constant reminder that the courage to do what is just and right for the 'underserved' comes to those who face the 'brutal facts,' listen to the difficult questions, and seek support and guidance from educators in the field. This book is an inspiring companion needed now more than ever." -Sidney Morrison, Principal Howard Wood Elementary School, Torrance, CA "Provides the information and tools needed to create powerful learning communities in which the academic and co-curricular needs and the well-being of all students are addressed through purposeful inquiry and culturally proficient practices. This text is a must-read for educational leader preparation programs and for all educational leaders who want to make a difference." -Linda Purrington, Director, Educational Leadership Academy Pepperdine University Use inquiry to promote equity and transform your school's educational environment! Imagine improving student and teacher performance and enriching the culture in your school while implementing deeper goals for educational equity and long-term success. Using the lens of cultural proficiency, the authors lead practitioners through the process of gathering and analyzing data to meet the needs of historically underserved students. This book provides educators with a critical evaluation process and rubrics to examine why some students are not being educated to their full potential. The chapters carefully guide readers through the steps of analyzing and using data to: Encourage discussions about promoting educational equity for all students Create a realistic picture of the cultural and economic diversity of your school Initiate authentic systemic change Effectively respond to NCLB legislative mandates With a CD-ROM of tables and spreadsheets for data entry, Culturally Proficient Inquiry provides a model for framing professional conversations and making data-based decisions to ensure that all children receive the education they deserve.

The first edition of The Culturally Proficient School was designed as a brief guide for school leaders on implementing the principles and practices of Cultural Proficiency at the building level. Unlike the Lindsey's first book, Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders, which is summative in nature, this book was meant to be more 'how-to.' The authors describe it as a 'handbook' for building level leaders (including teacher leaders) who are 'seeking opportunities to have meaningful conversations about developing culturally proficient practices.' It was also assumed that the majority of readers of The Culturally Proficient School had already read Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders. The first edition (and proposed second edition) incorporate many of the hallmark features of other titles in the CP series including a running (composite) case study and numerous reflective prompts. The book is lighter on foundational material such as historical background and heavier on skills, e.g., a full chapter on the 'Art and Science of Conversation.' This second edition is designed to bring forward the authors' latest learning about individual and institutional efforts to close access and achievement gaps. It will include the Cultural Proficiency Framework -- a more recent conceptual model that the authors have used in their latest publications. It will also include the most up-to-date version of the Guiding Principles of Cultural Proficiency (from 5 to 9 principles), new material on the art and science of conversation and its critical importance in the health of organizations, and significant updating to the running case study to better reflect the current accountability climate and new trends in policy and practice.

An introspective response with LGBT communities for positive change A Culturally Proficient Response to LGBT Communities is a guide for educators to collaboratively combat issues of discrimination, inequity, and bullying through the review of current policies, practices, and deeply held assumptions about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered (LGBT) communities. This inside-out approach carries readers through a personal journey of reflection to action by using the Tools of Cultural Proficiency to examine their values, beliefs, and assumptions about how LGBT communities are served educationally. Creating safe and welcoming schools includes both setting effective and appropriate policies and the inside-out analyses of one's own beliefs and values. Resulting cultural proficiencies, steeped in self-reflection, boost empathy and improve learning environments. On this simple, powerful premise, readers will find: Inside-out growth through personal stories and case-studies Reflection through activities and prompts appropriate for individuals and teams Insight into current responses to bullying Using this first step for positive systemic change, school leaders can elevate understanding and propel schools toward safe and diverse-friendly environments