Leading for Racial Equity

• In Event: 79.014 - Leveraging Collaborative Strength to Develop District Racial Equity Leadership

Abstract

This paper will share the design, implementation, and initial outcomes of an 18-month leadership development fellowship. The program, the Racial Equity Leadership Network (RELN), was designed to strengthen the will, skill, and capacity of district executive leaders and advance racial equity in educational opportunities and outcomes. RELN provides leaders with effective practices, coaching, and equity-centered learning experiences to advance substantive and enduring systematic districtwide changes; create a supportive, equity-focused community of practice and learning network; and elevate an equity-driven transformational leadership model.

There is a small but growing literature on the role of district leadership in equity-oriented change. This research underscores the role of executive leaders as key actors in any effort to create more equitable and inclusive schools (DeMatthews et al., 2017; Larson & Barton, 2013; Maxwell et al., 2013). The curriculum framework driving RELN is based on a thorough review of the extant literature on equity-oriented leadership, as well as qualitative accounts from seasoned education practitioners. The framework articulates the essential levers for equity-centered leadership and system transformation.

RELN adheres to a double-helix leadership development model. One thread focuses on individual leadership—sharpening the racial equity lens of district leaders, while providing tools and strategies to enhance their capacity to influence policy and practice. The second strand focuses on systems change—providing models of districts engaged in equity work and supporting fellows to address a specific policy or practice in their districts that they want to change.

In addition to having research-based best practices undergirding the curriculum, researchers are conducting ongoing investigations to understand how the fellowship contributes to fellows’ growth and fellows’ progress in establishing equity-oriented policies and practices. Data sources include verbatim notes from all fellowship meetings; written feedback from each day the fellowship meets; interviews with fellows about their districts, equity goals, strategies, challenges, and successes; and interviews with fellowship designers.

Findings from the first cohort suggest that after concluding the program, fellows are using their positional power to address historic, racial disparities in their systems and beginning to realize a vision of educational equity for every student. All fellows have initialized a district-level design team focused specifically on racial equity. While the progress of those design teams varies, many have made important policy moves. One, for example, has created an equity report card so that district decisions explicitly address the gaps identified in data. Another has created a mission statement focused around racial equity.

The scholarly contribution of this work reaches research, practice, and policy. RELN demonstrates that when coached and provided equity-centered learning experiences, district leaders can build systems in which student success is not predetermined by student race. It provides proof that it is possible to shift the narrative around school equity and incite a bold shift in educational leadership and practice. The documentation and research on this fellowship will support future endeavors to build leadership development programs focused on improving racial equity and can inform policy decisions aimed at creating sustainable, systemic change in racial equity outcomes at the district level.

Author

• Kenita T. Williams, Southern Education Foundation, Inc.