Leading For Equity   

Leading for Equity builds leadership from the inside out through an experiential learning approach to developing leadership and collaboration skills, emotional intelligence, communications, cultural competence, and racial equity in education. This signature National Equity Project service is grounded in retreat-style institutes where teams deepen their personal commitment, connections, and efficacy while working toward common equity goals. Participating teams leave with concrete plans for their change efforts.

Participants learn:
• The impact of racism and other biases on education policies and practices.
• How to move equity to the center of planning and practice.
• Concrete skills for leading change in challenging contexts.
• How to improve working relationships and build teams and alliances in diverse settings.
• Research, tools, and other resources for equity-focused leadership development.

How to participate in Leading for Equity programs:

1. Open registration Leading for Equity institutes are offered annually in February in the Bay Area for teams. Institute dates and on-line registration are provided on this web site.  Please join our mailing list to receive updates via the link at the top of this page. 
   
   
2. Customized Leading for Equity coaching engagements are available for teams from schools, districts, or nonprofits working on educational and racial equity issues. Coaching engagements include an initial full or multi-day institute for 20-100 people, carefully designed with project leaders. We assess current strengths and challenges, identify learning needs, and ensure institute relevance for all participants. We provide follow-up coaching and consultation to ensure implementation of institute learning and achievement of equity goals.
   

A full Leading for Equity engagement typically lasts 4-12 months including pre-institute research and planning with project leaders, the initial institute and debriefing sessions, follow-up coaching and institutes, and additional services, including strategic planning support, data support, individual coaching, meeting facilitation, reporting or other communications.

Recent LFE Clients

• A central office and its network of high schools to clarify equity goals and leadership development strategies.
• A city-wide collaborative effort to eliminate race-based achievement and health gaps (city council, school board members, district leaders, parents).
• A Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program examining equity issues.
• A charitable foundation team working to fund programs that foster racial equity and concerned about race and power differences.
• A university education program preparing teachers to work in urban schools.

Client Testimonials

Over 90% of participants agree that as a result of Leading for Equity programming they are able to:

In my role as County Superintendent, I attend many conferences and training sessions. Many are good. Few are life-changing. The [Leading for Equity] training was one of the few. You challenged my assumptions and caused me to examine what I truly believe about educating all children. You provided me with knowledge and gave me skills in developing leaders and teams who can change the conversation and transform instruction in our schools. Thank you for a creative, visionary approach to training. 
- Mary Jane Burke, Marin County Superintendent of Schools

Anti-racist approaches to education leadership require constant learning and re-training. I do not know of a more effective, progressive, and professional organization from which to draw practical learning on this topic that can be used "real time" in the field.
- Salomé Portugal, School Support Manager, New Leaders New Schools

It is so wonderful to work with facilitators who really know what it is like to work in schools. Gentle leadership with brilliant strategies. They are helping us make our district better for kids.
- Whitney Hoyt, Assistant Principal, San Rafael High School

Read more client testimonials.

Download a PDF about our Leading for Equity Programs. 

For more information about working with us in a Leading for Equity engagement, please contact Sara Brown, Marketing & Outreach Manager, at 510-208-0160 x315 or email sbrown (at) nationalequityproject.org.