Equity Improvement Cycle

The RIDES Equity Improvement Cycle brings together a key group of stakeholders (teachers, staff members, administrators and sometimes parents and students) to focus on a particular issue around equity at their school. Sometimes the focus is on classroom dynamics – what equity looks like in the relationships teachers have with students, how culturally connected the curriculum is, etc. The cycle can also focus on other equity issues, like disproportionate referrals of students of color for discipline, or difficulties a school or system has in hiring and retaining faculty of color.

The cycle is usually done over weeks or months (although it can be jump-started using the RIDES Three-Day Intensive, especially effective when partnering with students) and should always be part of ongoing systemic improvement work. Regardless of the length of the cycle or the topic, it is essential that the working group have a solid understanding and willingness to work on the personal and professional impacts of racism and develop the common definitions they need to guide the equity work and enough relational trust to be able to work together. We think of the development of Personal and Team Equity Culture as an initial and continuing requirement gets followed by six key steps that a well executed equity improvement cycle should provide.

 

To learn more and see how the Improvement Cycle can help your site disrupt inequity:

 

  • Watch an Equity Improvement Cycle Overview Video that provides an interactive self-assessment on how you and your colleagues can work smarter, not harder in working on equity improvement in your setting. Can be done solo, but particularly powerful if done with a team. Accompanying deck

 

  • If you are ready to pick an equity issue and start a cycle, watch

  • Read a summary of why the Improvement Cycle was developed, what it is, and how it can be implemented at your site here.

For details, please click here.

PTEC