Leading Together: A Collaborative Equity Audit of Representation, Access, and School Culture

• In Event: Inquiry as Leadership: A Cross-Boundary Dialogue on Teacher-Led Equity Audits in High-Poverty Schools

Abstract

Objectives
This collaborative inquiry examines how two Black women teacher leaders used equity audits to interrogate disparities in representation, opportunity, and school climate across their respective secondary schools. Their goal was to uncover the ways in which race, gender, and power intersect to shape access to leadership, advanced coursework, and responsive student supports in Title I contexts.
Theoretical Framework
Their work is grounded in Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2000), which centers the lived experiences and intellectual traditions of Black women navigating systems not designed for them. Together with culturally responsive leadership theory and Scanlan and Theoharis ’s (2015) equity audit framework, the presenters explore how their intersectional identities inform their analysis and advocacy.
Methods, Techniques, or Modes of Inquiry
Using the above frameworks as a guide, the presenters conducted coordinated audits of their schools’ disciplinary records, student enrollment in advanced courses, faculty demographics, and leadership representation. They also analyzed school climate data and patterns of adult decision-making to identify systemic exclusions.
Data Sources, Evidence, or Materials. Data sources included public demographic data, disaggregated discipline records, AP and dual enrollment rosters, and internal staffing reports. The audit also incorporated student and faculty survey responses and observations from professional learning and leadership meetings.
Preliminary Results
Findings across both sites revealed consistent underrepresentation of students of color in advanced programs and overrepresentation in disciplinary actions. In both schools, leadership and faculty demographics failed to reflect the student population. These disparities were compounded by institutional habits, such as closed hiring networks and rigid course recommendation policies, that re-inscribed exclusion.
Implications for Practice
The collaborative nature of the inquiry enabled both teachers to see shared patterns across schools and to deepen their understanding of how race, gender, and professional role shape leadership influence. Their work calls for equity audits not just as data tools, but as acts of collective leadership, particularly when grounded in the lived knowledge of Black women educators. Together, they propose practical steps for diversifying school leadership, expanding access to high-quality learning, and cultivating inclusive school cultures through sustained, teacher-led equity work.

Authors

• Micah Ducre-Toomer, Cobb County School District

• Myra Bodrick, Gwinnett County Public Schools