governance consortium september 9, 2016 3:30 5:30 pm · 9/11/2016 · 3:30 – 5:30 pm agenda...

Lane Early Learning Alliance

3171 Gateway Loop

Springfield, OR 97477

tel 541.741.6000

fax 541.726.4150

earlylearningalliance.org

GOVERNANCE CONSORTIUM

GUSTAVO BALDERAS

Eugene 4J School District

MARIAN BLANKENSHIP

PacificSource Health Plans

NOREEN J. DUNNELLS

United Way of Lane County

DEBI FARR

Trillium Community Health Plan

LESLIE FINLAY

Early Learning Stakeholders

Relief Nursery

KAREN GAFFNEY

Lane County

TINA GUTIEREZ-SCHMICH

Bethel School District

TODD HAMILTON

Creswell School District

ALICIA HAYS

Lane County

LIZ JAQUA

Parent Representative

JOHN LIVELY

Oregon State Representative

KATHY MOXLEY-SOUTH


University of Oregon

JUDY NEWMAN

Early Childhood CARES

SUE NORTON

Lane Community College

CHRIS PARRA

Bethel School District

DARCY PHILLIPS

Cornerstone Community Housing

Lane Early Learning Alliance Governance Consortium

September 9, 2016 3:30 – 5:30 pm

AGENDA

Meeting Objectives:

Celebrate Preschool Promise implementation

Review and discuss formation of our parent engagement plan

Discuss impact of the election

1. Welcome and Introductions, 10 minutes

2. Public Comment

3. Consent Agenda, 5 minutes

Approval of August 12, 2016 meeting notes (action required)

4. Updates, 20 minutes

Early Learning Stakeholders, Leslie Finlay

Innovation Teams, Anetra Brown and Judy Newman

Social Innovation Fund, Lindsey Hayward

Systems of Care Wrap Around Facilitator, Judy Newman

NOVA and University of Oregon "Two Generation" Office of Head Start Grant, Annie Soto

Connected Lane County

5. Preschool Promise, 15 minutes, Judy Newman Update on Preschool Promise implementation and celebrate the upcoming first day of school for 175 preschool children!

6. Parent Engagement Plan, 25 minutes, Taylor Ludtke

Presentation and discussion on our parent engagement plan in recognizing the importance of parent voice at the center of our work.

7. Impact of the Election, 40 minutes Discussion on how the election is having an impact on children and families and what supports are needed.

8. Governance Consortium Meeting Feedback, 5 minutes Vote on your preference for future meeting topics.

Upcoming Meetings/Events

September 15 – United Way Community Leaders Breakfast: 7:30-9:00 am at Valley River Inn

September 16 – NOVA School of the Future: 9:00 pm on PBS

September 22 – Early Learning Stakeholders Meeting UO Brain Development Lab Presentation: 3:00-3:45 pm at United Way

October 28 – Rescheduled Governance Consortium Meeting: 3:30-5:30 pm at Lane ESD


3171 Gateway Loop


tel 541.741.6000

fax 541.726.4150



Governance Consortium August 12, 2016

3:30-5:30 Lane ESD (1200 OR-99, Eugene, OR 97402)

NOTES

Present Gustavo Balderas, Eugene 4J School District Marian Blankenship, Pacific Source Health Plans Noreen Dunnells, United Way of Lane County Debi Farr, Trillium Health Plan Karen Gaffney, Lane County Government Tina Gutierez-Schmich, Bethel School District Liz Jaqua, Parent Representative Todd Hamilton, Creswell School District Alicia Hays, Lane County John Lively, State Representative Judy Newman, Early Childhood CARES Darcy Phillips, Cornerstone Community Housing John Radich, Department of Human Services Sue Rieke-Smith, Springfield School District Annie Soto, Head Start of Lane County John Stapleton, PIVOT Architecture

Absent: Leslie Finlay, Early Learning Stakeholder/ Relief Nursery Kathy Moxley-South, Early Learning Stakeholders/ University of Oregon Sue Norton, Lane Community College Chris Parra, Bethel School District George Russell, George Russell & Associates, LLC Larry Sullivan, Lane ESD Jennifer Wilks, Parent Representative Staff: Anetra Brown, United Way of Lane County Lindsey Hayward, United Way of Lane County Michelle Sheng-Palmisano, United Way of Lane County Taylor Ludtke, United Way of Lane County Public: No members of the public present

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 3:38 PM

II. Welcome and Introductions

Lindsey Hayward welcomed the group and everyone introduced themselves. The group welcomed

our newest members, Darcy Phillips, Executive Director of Cornerstone Community Housing and Liz

Jaqua, our newest parent representative. Also, the Early Learning Stakeholders voted for Leslie

Finlay, Program Director of Relief Nursery for a two year term and she will attend our next meeting.

III. Public Comment

No members of the public were present.

IV. Consent Agenda

June Meeting Minutes

Action requested: Motion to approve, accept or ratify items listed on consent agenda as submitted.


3171 Gateway Loop


tel 541.741.6000

fax 541.726.4150


Motion: Karen Gaffney motioned to approve the consent agenda. Support: Noreen Dunnells seconded the motion to approve the consent agenda. Ayes: Gustavo Balderas, Marian Blankenship, Debi Farr, Karen Gaffney, Tina Gutierez-Schmich, Todd Hamilton, Alicia Hays, Liz Jaqua, John Lively, Judy Newman, Darcy Phillips, John Radich, Sue Rieke-Smith, Annie Soto, John Stapleton, Nays: None Abstentions: None

V. Updates

Work Groups/Innovation Teams o Early Learning Stakeholders

The June Meeting was a focus group discussing the current barriers and future opportunities for professional development for early learning professionals in our community facilitated by our hub facilitator, Tab Dansby. Out of this discussion, the group made recommendations for opportunities that the Early Learning Division will advocate for on behalf of the early learning hubs. Some of the barriers mentioned were:

access to local high quality trainings costs associated with hosting/sending staff to trainings opportunities to pursue higher education loan forgiveness for early childhood professions consistency from the state around ORO and the acknowledging the value of the step

process During their July Meeting, the EL Stakeholders had a conversation about parent engagement and

what it could look like in the Early Learning Alliance’s work. Similarly to the Governance

Consortium, they gave great feedback. Some key takeaways were that there needs to be several

ways for families to get plugged into the work. Also that if we are asking parents for their time, the

experience should be meaningful and affect a change in the system.

o Home Visiting Innovation Team (HVIT) The HVIT is continuing to work on the coordination of home visiting efforts within the MIECHV programs and the broader home visiting network. Each agency in the group will now submit a program capacity check in at each meeting with the intentions that as program volumes fluctuate, the agencies can work together to get families served in other places rather than sitting on a waiting list. Also the Trauma Informed Training has been temporarily cancelled. Summer/fall scheduling made it difficult to find a time that would work for each agency. Instead, each agency will devote staff meeting time to practice some of the skills gathered in the past trauma informed trainings.

o P3/P8 Work Group The P3/P8 Work Group met jointly with Connected Lane County to discuss the purpose and structure of the group. The group’s most recent focus has been on the kindergarten transition with


3171 Gateway Loop


tel 541.741.6000

fax 541.726.4150


efforts like the Kindergarten Survey and the Getting School Ready booklet. In the future, the P-3/P-8 work group will continue to have this focus but will meet quarterly with early elementary leaders to discuss the needs for students at and beyond kindergarten. Anetra and Judy are working closely with Heidi Larwick to redevelop the structure of this group and will share more as it develops.

Business Initiatives

The Financial Stability Partnership is hosting a business social solutions forum in mid-October.

The initial conversations around this opportunity came from the ALICE report which noted that

23% of the costs of the family survival budget typically go towards childcare. This will be a great

opportunity to engage the business community around the issues that families face related to

care. John Stapleton is also working with a group of businesses to develop an innovation hub that

will support local startups. In this business space, will be a child care facility for the staff working

in the building. They are working with and learning from EWEB to develop a childcare model for

this site.

Connected Lane County (CLC) There was a regional collaborative convening for Early Learning Hubs, STEM Hubs, and Regional Achievement Collaboratives. It was a great opportunity to connect with all of the regional collaborative work happening in the state. It raised a great opportunity for the Lane County efforts to continue to regularly coordinate, as many of the efforts support each other.

Preschool Promise o All of our start up and operating costs were approved by the state. We received letters of intent

from the state and the partners have been able to begin hiring staff. We ordered the majority of the new classroom’s furniture as a group to expedite the process.

o We are still waiting to set final contracts from the state and once we receive them will be able to write subcontracts for each of the preschool sites.

o The enrollment committee meets next week and will begin placing families. So far we have received contact information from over 200 families who are interested in the program. Enrollment committee developed criteria based on:

Age eligibility—3 years old on or before September 1st; does not turn 5 years old before

September 1st

Income eligibility—200% or below the FPL If a family is 100% or below the FPL, we ask if they have applied to Head Start and

encourage them to do so. Families may choose not to for varies reasons. Race other than white—2 points English Language Learners—2 points Child has a disability—1 point 4 years old w/ no previous exposure to preschool—1 point Homeless—1 point In foster care—1 point

Social Innovation Fund (SIF) o There was a KITS training in June for all of the staff who are implementing the program. There

were over 100 district staff members who attended the training focused on the broader overview


3171 Gateway Loop


tel 541.741.6000

fax 541.726.4150


of the program. The kindergarten readiness group training had 62 staff participate, and 25 staff participated in the parent group training.

o PSU is collecting data from the families enrolled in the program. There has been about an 80% participation rate.

o United Way is working on a funders collaborative to work together to make asks to foundations. At this point, the priority is to raise funds for year 2 to support United Way’s match as well as the education foundations.

o There was a site visit from CNCS last week to share about compliance of the program and to get feedback about how the program is being implemented.

o There will be a learning collaborative on Monday which is an opportunity for districts to come together to problem-solve about program issues and to begin initial conversations about next year’s program.

VI. Celebration of 2015-16 Successes and Accomplishments Lindsey Hayward shared with the group about 2015-2016 key accomplishments and reasons to celebrate. The document outlines accomplishments by outcomes, as related they relate to our strategic plan. (Please see attached pdf) Some major highlights from the group were:

o An acknowledgement of how quickly the work has grown o The opportunity to leverage resources to bring funds into the community (SIF, Preschool

Promise, etc.) o Strong partnerships have been developed or solidified over the last year o Influx of new programs and resources to offer all families (Vroom, Triple P, GSR booklet, etc.) o Increase in capacity to do the work with more staff focused on particular projects o Overall commitment from the Governance Consortium to being dedicated and providing

thoughtful leadership to this work

VII. Work Plan Presentation (Please see attached pdf) Equity Engagement Strategies

o The equity strategies are a byproduct of the racial equity self-assessment process. The intention of them was to take the information gathered during that process and operationalize how we use equity to inform our work. The strategies are related to:

creating policies and practices that encourage racial equity in our funded programing and everyday operations

working with community partners to promote professional development opportunities focused on equity

understanding and addressing the individual needs of the families that we are serving using multiple data sources to tell our county’s story and ultimately use that data to

inform our decision making

Rural Engagement Strategies o Partnership with Trillium’s Rural Advisory Council and 90x30’s Regional Leadership Teams

provide major opportunities for rural outreach and engagement. o Family Resource Centers will be another way to connect with families living in rural

communities.


3171 Gateway Loop


tel 541.741.6000

fax 541.726.4150


Parent Engagement Strategies

o After receiving feedback from the Governance Consortium and Early Learning Stakeholders, we have decided to focus parent engagement strategies through our existing channels. We will be piloting a parent group model with our cohort of Preschool Promise families with the hopes that what we learn through them could be used in the broader network of families.

Other Comments from the Group: o One of the challenges that the group posed was related to increase in QRIS programs and

the effects it has on the costs of care. How can we avoid the ripple effects of high quality and high costs because they will continue to marginalize those families who cannot afford it.

o Some of the barriers to the well child visit metric are: If a family moves out of the county and completes their visits elsewhere there is no

way to track it Only scheduled well child visits count towards the metric, not unplanned visits to

address illness and such

VIII. Governance Consortium Meeting Feedback, Lindsey led a discussion about Governance Consortium meetings and where there are opportunities for improvement in the future. Some future meeting topics that were mentioned by the group were:

o Trauma informed care—and how it related to ACES work o Social/emotional supports for families and the role that the early learning hub can play in

supporting the system o What does the current research say about early learning? Is there anything that we should be

doing differently or at least considering? o P-20 efforts and how to better connect with the other regional collaborative work in the county o CHIP update and presentation o Updated research on how to best reach families, particularly families who are harder to reach

through the traditional channels o Common understanding about what equity means o Discussion around implications of the Affordable Care Act 1557 as it relates to the increased

need for interpreters and language lines o Professional development for early learning work force o Upcoming presidential election and the impact it will have on the families we serve and the

early learning system with a focus on: how are we a part of the conversation, how can we provide some leadership and specific language around supporting families who feel even more marginalized, and how can we support positivity.

IX. Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at 5:33 PM

Early Learning Division | 775 Summer St NE, Suite 300, Salem, OR 97301

Phone: 503-947-2516 | Fax: 503-947-1955

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Kate Brown, Governor

NEWS RELEASE

March 16, 2016

Media Contact: Karol Collymore, (503) 930-1434

Early Learning Council Announces Public Preschool Awardees

Early Learning Hubs Will Implement Preschool Promise in September

(Salem, Ore) – The Early Learning Council, overseeing body for the Early Learning Division, announced

which Early Learning Hubs would receive funding awards to implement Preschool Promise. Preschool

Promise is Oregon’s mixed delivery preschool pilot that will support children and families living at 200%

of the poverty level.

In 2015, Oregon Legislature enacted House Bill 3380, the creation of a new, publicly-funded, high quality

preschool system. The model leverages high-quality, local and culturally-relevant early child care and

education programs. By incorporating a “mixed delivery” approach, the preschool model, now referred

to as Preschool Promise, will provide opportunities for families to access and choose the preschool

program which best meets their needs. The Early Learning Division was tasked with developing the

model, the implementation process, and working with community partners to create access for children

to preschool.

“None of this would have been possible without four years of building an early learning system focused

on kids and families,” said Pam Curtis, chair of the Early Learning Council. “We are moving to the next

frontier of quality preschool for children that are furthest from opportunity.”

After a thorough community engagement process and work with the Early Learning Council, the

preschool model, rules, and implementation process were solidified. The Early Learning Hubs applied in

early 2016 to implement Preschool Promise and recommendations were presented to the Early Learning

Council for their vote at the March meeting. The five regional hubs selected are as follows:

Marion Polk Early Learning Hub


Southern Oregon Early Learning Services

South Central Oregon Hub

Northwest Regional Hubs

o NW Regional

o Early Learning Multnomah

o Early Learning Washington County

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Kate Brown, Governor

o Clackamas

Preschool Promise will reach approximately 1,300 children in Oregon.

###

Lane Early Learning Alliance Governance Consortium August Meeting

2016-17 Work Plan

LANE EARLY LEARNING ALLIANCE VISION

The Lane Early Learning Alliance’s vision is a community in which all Lane County

families, organizations, and neighborhoods are unified in an effort to ensure that all

children are safe, healthy, cherished and enter school ready to learn.

Our goals are to ensure that children are ready to succeed in school, that families have

the resources and tools to create nurturing homes for their children, and that services

and programs work together to efficiently and effectively provide what children and

families most need.

Definition and Intention

Racial Equity Organizational

Self-Assessment

Our Process:

Step 1: Developed Organizational Self-

Assessment Core Team

STEP 2: Conducted a series of 4-5 meetings

to answer the self-assessment questions

STEP 3: Completed a 2 page assessment

summary document and identify 3-4 domains,

from the protocol of Culturally Responsive

Organizations, as growth points by June 31,

2016.

STEP 4: Developed a work plan that will

address your identified 3-4 domains into your

work and strategic plan

• Step 5: Complete structural racism training

sometime during July-December 2016.

• Step 6: Completed equitable data analysis by

June 30, 2017.

Equity Strategies

Summary

• Creating policies and practices

that support culturally responsive

programming, with a focus on

racial equity

• Working with community partners

to support more opportunities for

culturally responsive professional

development and community

engagement

• The voice of our children and

families in our priority populations

are at the center of our work

• Using the best available data to

inform our work

Rural and Parent

Engagement Strategies

• Leverage Momentum created by

Preschool Promise parent

engagement requirements to develop

a parent advisory group.

• Create opportunities for parents to be

involved in the ELA’s planning,

implementation, and decision making

processes.

• Regularly interface with the CCO’s

Rural Advisory Council (RAC) and

Community Health Improvement Plan

(CHIP) rural strategies

• Partner with 90by30 Regional

Leadership Teams to align regional

plans and leverage ELA initiatives in

rural communities.

Goal 1: Children experience quality

early learning and literacy

development.

• QRIS- Focused Childcare Networks

• Preschool Promise

• Early Literacy

Outcome #1: Children are

Ready for Kindergarten

Goal 2: Families have the tools and

support to ensure children’s healthy

development and success in school.

• LaneKids – Parenting Education Series

– Trainings

– Website and Social Media

• Triple P

• Family Resource Navigation

Innovation Team



Goal 3: Connect and align early

learning programs, elementary

schools, and families in support of

children’s kindergarten readiness.

• P-3 Innovation Team

• Kids in Transition to School (KITS)

• Family Resource Centers



Goal 4: Children receive at

least one developmental screen

prior to school entry and are

connected to appropriate

services.

• Pediatric Advisory Committee

• Home Visiting Innovation

Team

• Referrals to Services

Outcome #2: Families are

Stable and Attached

Goal 5: Children have a stable,

healthy care giver and home

environment.

• DHS – Differential Response

– TANF Case Workers

– Child Abuse Prevention

• Employment Related Day

Care


Stable and Attached

Goal 6: Children have a

medical home and access

medical care.


Stable and Attached

Goal 7: Services for children and

families are aligned and

coordinated.

Goal 8: Performance is

measured and data is used to

learn, adjust and innovate.

• Home Visiting Innovation Team

• Data and Evaluation

• United Way Allignment

• Trauma Informed Care

• Affordable Housing Systems

• Blend/Braid Resources

Outcome #3: Services are

Coordinated and Effective

• Where do you see your role in

each strategy?

o Your role from the perspective of

the organization you represent?

o Your role as a ELA Governance

Consortium member?

• Is there anything critical missing?

• What strategies would you want a

deeper dive for future meetings?

ELA Strategic Plan

Discussion

LANE EARLY LEARNING ALLIANCEU

NITED

WAY O

F LAN

E COU

NTY

GOVERNANCE CONSORTIUM

ADVISORY GROUP

Data & Evaluation

ADVISORY GROUP


ADVISORY GROUP

Equity

ADVISORY GROUP

Pediatrician

ADVISORY GROUP

Parent

INITIATIVES

KITSSocial Innovation Fund

INITIATIVES

Preschool Promise

INITIATIVES

LaneKidsParenting Education Hub

INITIATIVES

Triple PPositive Parenting Program

INNOVATION TEAM

Home Visiting Innovation Team

INNOVATION TEAM

P3 Innovation Team

Early Literacy

Cornerstone Housing

Grant

INNOVATION TEAM

Business Leader Partnership

INNOVATION TEAM

Family Resource Navigation

• Parenting Skills Ladder – given to parents towards the end of the online program• Video calls – optional for parents to give feedback about the program• Phone Support – parent educators provide additional support for online program• Universal Communications Campaign – Radio ads, bus ads, posters, flyers, social media, magazine ads

• 12-session workshop for parents that focuses on 3 Ways to increase early literacy skills at home. 3 Establishing school routines to help with transition to kindergarten. 3 How to become involved with their children’s s chooling. 3 How to encourage positive behaviors at home and school. • PSU KITS evaluation parent surveys

• 10-12 week parenting series• Social Media 3 Facebook: 1,580 followers – 1 post per day 3 Twitter: 461 followers – 1 post per week 3 Instagram: 160 followers – 1 post per week• Parent Survey – once per 3 years (last survey 2016)• Parenting Skills Ladder Survey – given to parents at the end of each parenting series• Community events – approx. 5 per year• Website 3 Activity Calendar 3 Blogs in English and Spanish 3 Community Resources 3 Triple P Online

• Vroom – materials given to each parent• Parent Advisory Council• Coordinated Approach to Child Health CATCH Program

• Raising A Reader Program – weekly parent/ child groups and book bag rotation• Raising A Reader Pre/Post Evaluation• LaneKids parenting series• Family Fun nights• STEM activities• Recruitment for KITS• Kindergarten Readiness activities• FRC Intake Forms• Parenting Skills Ladder

Family Resource Centers

• Family navigation services• Family Resource Nights

• Summer Reading Spots• Raising A Reader with 60 child care providers

• Kindergarten Readiness Booklets – 2,000• Kindergarten Survey – 749

• Direct services provided to parents at ELA partner agencies

• Parent representative

• Family navigation services provided to parents through ELA partner agencies

• Direct services provided to parents at ELA partner agencies

• Preschool Promise Pilot

DRAFT Fostering Civil Discourse in our Schools During and After the Presidential

Election Campaign Season

RESEARCH

In a recent article published by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Maureen B. Costello examines the results of an online survey conducted by Teaching Tolerance, which suggests that the campaign is (1) having a profoundly negative effect on children and classrooms, (2) producing an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of color and (3) inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom (Southern Poverty Law Center, The impact of the presidential campaign on our nation’s schools).

Further examination of the survey reveals that while some students are worried about being deported, others have been emboldened by the often divisive rhetoric in the campaign. Similarly, teachers reported an increase in bullying, harassment and intimidation of students whose races, religions or nationalities have been the verbal targets of candidates on the campaign trail. Ms. Costello reports that educators who participated in the survey are perplexed and conflicted about what to do. They reported being stymied by the need to remain nonpartisan and disturbed by the anxiety in their classrooms and the lessons that children may be absorbing from this campaign.

PRACTICE AND IMPLICATIONS

As political opinion grows even more polarized and extreme rhetoric becomes commonplace during this election, we must make a concerted effort in our schools to identify effective avenues in which all our staff and students, regardless of ideology or political affiliation, can respectfully engage in social and political dialogue.

As educational leaders-living in a democratic society, we share the moral imperative and the responsibility to model for our students how to conduct ourselves during the presidential elections and beyond. Along with our pursuit for educational equity, we wish to promote in all our schools a fair and open environment for the exchange of ideas through “civil discourse,” which requires something more than politeness, but rather high levels of standards of conduct towards others.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2JVjwyDd-0-cV84VnlGc2g2bE0/view?usp=sharing

The following are strategies we can all use throughout the year (not only during the presidential election) to ensure every student is welcome and supported in our schools.

1. Teachers and administrators provide students access to a variety of perspectives on topics-not just election topics. Historically marginalized and underserved students must see and experience positive and diverse representations of their identity. Majority students must see positive and diverse representations of historically marginalized and underserved students.

2. Teachers model and engage their students in civil discourse, which demands that as democratic participants we act respectfully towards each other.

3. Teachers create classrooms where students engage in healthy political discourse and where name-calling, threats and bullying language and behaviors are not acceptable.

4. Teachers avoid the pitfalls of binary arguments, “us vs. them.” Throughout the year (and not only during the elections), teachers teach and model how students can share different ideas and opinions, learn communication strategies, and research ideas and opinions, those which they agree or disagree.

5. Teachers teach and support the school policies on harassment and bullying language-not to punish, but to teach.

6. Teachers create opportunities for students to explore school and community issues and problems, not just current election topics.

7. Teachers engage students across the year in opportunities to develop citizenship skills such as identifying and analyzing public problems, deliberate with other people about how to define and address issues, take constructive and collaborative action, reflect on their actions, and follow the news and current events.

8. Teachers review the importance of democratic principles such as equality, freedom, liberty, and respect for individual rights for all people. This includes exploring who has access to these democratic principles and how these ideas impact the lives of people in underserved populations.

9. Teachers guide students in civic engagement to support and encourage attentiveness to multiple perspectives.

10. Teachers implement inquiry-based learning and acknowledge that students need the intellectual skill to recognize societal problems, ask critical questions, develop robust investigations, consider possible solutions and consequences, separate evidence-based claims from parochial opinions, communicate and act upon what they learn.

For more resources in “Civil Discourse”:

www.tolerance.org/publication/civil-discourse-classroom

http://www.tolerance.org/publication/civil-discourse-classroom

DRAFT Fostering Civil Discourse in our Schools During and After the Presidential

Election Campaign Season

RESEARCH

In a recent article published by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Maureen B. Costello examines the results of an online survey conducted by Teaching Tolerance, which suggests that the campaign is (1) having a profoundly negative effect on children and classrooms, (2) producing an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of color and (3) inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom (Southern Poverty Law Center, The impact of the presidential campaign on our nation’s schools).

Further examination of the survey reveals that while some students are worried about being deported, others have been emboldened by the often divisive rhetoric in the campaign. Similarly, teachers reported an increase in bullying, harassment and intimidation of students whose races, religions or nationalities have been the verbal targets of candidates on the campaign trail. Ms. Costello reports that educators who participated in the survey are perplexed and conflicted about what to do. They reported being stymied by the need to remain nonpartisan and disturbed by the anxiety in their classrooms and the lessons that children may be absorbing from this campaign.

PRACTICE AND IMPLICATIONS

As political opinion grows even more polarized and extreme rhetoric becomes commonplace during this election, we must make a concerted effort in our schools to identify effective avenues in which all our staff and students, regardless of ideology or political affiliation, can respectfully engage in social and political dialogue.

As educational leaders-living in a democratic society, we share the moral imperative and the responsibility to model for our students how to conduct ourselves during the presidential elections and beyond. Along with our pursuit for educational equity, we wish to promote in all our schools a fair and open environment for the exchange of ideas through “civil discourse,” which requires something more than politeness, but rather high levels of standards of conduct towards others.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2JVjwyDd-0-cV84VnlGc2g2bE0/view?usp=sharing

The following are strategies we can all use throughout the year (not only during the presidential election) to ensure every student is welcome and supported in our schools.

1. Teachers and administrators provide students access to a variety of perspectives on topics-not just election topics. Historically marginalized and underserved students must see and experience positive and diverse representations of their identity. Majority students must see positive and diverse representations of historically marginalized and underserved students.

2. Teachers model and engage their students in civil discourse, which demands that as democratic participants we act respectfully towards each other.

3. Teachers create classrooms where students engage in healthy political discourse and where name-calling, threats and bullying language and behaviors are not acceptable.

4. Teachers avoid the pitfalls of binary arguments, “us vs. them.” Throughout the year (and not only during the elections), teachers teach and model how students can share different ideas and opinions, learn communication strategies, and research ideas and opinions, those which they agree or disagree.

5. Teachers teach and support the school policies on harassment and bullying language-not to punish, but to teach.

6. Teachers create opportunities for students to explore school and community issues and problems, not just current election topics.

7. Teachers engage students across the year in opportunities to develop citizenship skills such as identifying and analyzing public problems, deliberate with other people about how to define and address issues, take constructive and collaborative action, reflect on their actions, and follow the news and current events.

8. Teachers review the importance of democratic principles such as equality, freedom, liberty, and respect for individual rights for all people. This includes exploring who has access to these democratic principles and how these ideas impact the lives of people in underserved populations.

9. Teachers guide students in civic engagement to support and encourage attentiveness to multiple perspectives.

10. Teachers implement inquiry-based learning and acknowledge that students need the intellectual skill to recognize societal problems, ask critical questions, develop robust investigations, consider possible solutions and consequences, separate evidence-based claims from parochial opinions, communicate and act upon what they learn.

For more resources in “Civil Discourse”:

www.tolerance.org/publication/civil-discourse-classroom

http://www.tolerance.org/publication/civil-discourse-classroom

governance consortium september 9, 2016 3:30 5:30 pm · 9/11/2016 · 3:30 – 5:30 pm agenda...

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