Creating Culturally Matching Learning Environments: A Research-Practice Partnership Approach to Equity

• In Event: Using and Developing Research-Practice Partnerships in Educational Improvement

Abstract

Interdependent racial minority and low-income students often experience cultural mismatch in mainstream U.S. educational settings, which promote independence. This mismatch undermines students’ academic outcomes and contributes to educational inequality. The current paper describes findings of a district-level intervention that used a culture cycle approach to help district leadership create culturally matching learning environments in a predominantly low-income, racial minority K-12 district. Analyses of district leadership, teacher, and student survey data demonstrate that the intervention improved 1) district leaders’ understanding of their role in educating diverse students, 2) teachers’ understanding of and interactions with diverse students, and 3) students’ academic experiences. Results suggest that this top-down approach to changing school cultures creates more equitable educational experiences for historically marginalized students.

Authors

• Laura Brady, University of Michigan

• Stephanie Fryberg, University of Washington

• Camilla Mutoni Griffiths, Stanford University

• Hazel Markus, Stanford University