Facilitating Critical Conversations to Advance Equity: R.A.I.S.E. as a K-12 Leadership Tool in Polarizing Times

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 4:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership for Resilience and Equity in Rural and International Contexts

Abstract

Often, K–12 school leaders are expected to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in polarizing times without practical tools that bridge policy and practice. This practitioner-led qualitative study addresses that gap by introducing R.A.I.S.E.—a reflective, non-evaluative, dialogic tool field-tested in Ontario, Canada, across five dimensions: Representation, Amplification, Inspiration, Support, and Empowerment. Drawing on data from five education leaders (2023–24), thematic analysis revealed five core themes: humanization, leadership support, unification, capacity building, and system alignment. Participants found R.A.I.S.E. accessible, adaptable, and effective for initiating EDI dialogue in resistant contexts. The study contributes to equity literacy research and answers AERA’s 2026 call to unforget histories, imagine futures, and lead educational transformation through a hard reset in today’s divided landscape.

Author

• Paul Nalli, Arizona State University