Mandatory staff training and professional learning strategy on anti-racism and racial equity issues
Background
Over the last few years, CPS has invested in professional learning focused on racial equity and cultural proficiency. Every school has also implemented a school-designed strategy to provide cultural proficiency training to their staff as part of their required School Improvement Plans.
At the district level, we have brought in external experts to provide training to administrators and to staff through our annual educator events. We’ve incorporated racial equity sessions into our new to CPS Orientation for teachers and paraprofessionals, professional learning “choice” courses, and the Educator Leaders 4 Equity program. Next, current efforts are developing along two lines:
- Foundational Anti-Bias Training (Online Training): As part of our ongoing Dynamic Diversity Development initiative, the 2019-20 budget included funding to support the implementation of EverFi, a digital platform containing professional learning modules focused on preventing harassment, discrimination and bias.This program is intended to clearly communicate organizational norms and expectations relative to race and gender-based interactions while establishing a common base of knowledge for combating bias.
- Comprehensive Anti-racism and Racial Equity Professional Learning (Core Curriculum): Building on the foundation established by EverFi, CPS is working to develop comprehensive anti-racism and equity professional learning for all educators and staff that includes differentiated learning opportunities based on staff members’ previous experiences, role in CPS, and racial and ethnic identities. Informally, this idea has been referred to as a “core curriculum” for CPS educators, that might include multiple modules of content that CPS staff engage with over time.
February 2020 Update
- Online Anti-bias Training: The Office of Human Resources is continuing to work on roll-out of EverFi, a new digital platform containing training tools and video modules focused on harassment and discrimination prevention and managing bias. Planning for a multi-phase, district-wide rollout is underway, with the goal of 100% of CPS staff members engaging in and completing this training by June 2021.
- Comprehensive Anti-racism Professional Learning: The initial working group, comprised of staff from human resources, professional learning, curriculum and instruction, and school leaders, has begun to define a set of equity competencies that will serve as the foundation for the course. A plan for engaging multiple educator stakeholders and community members in the development of this course is underway. Opportunities for feedback and involvement will be available in the upcoming months.
Action Plan: Online Anti-bias Training
- ✓ Purchase Everfi system and begin planning for implementation over two school years (Fall 2019)
- ✓ Everfi technological set-up, including establishment of individual staff, school, and departmental training accounts, program content by level, and test groups. (Winter 2019-2020)
- Establish and implement a schedule of training for Everfi roll-out to non-union staff members, supervisors, managers, and administrators. (March - June 2020)
- Establish, communicate, and implement a schedule of training for roll-out to new hires and existing union staff members (commencing Fall 2020)
CPS Lead for EverFi Anti-Bias Training: Barbara Allen, Executive Director of Human Resources.
Action Plan: Comprehensive Anti-racism and Racial Equity Curriculum
- ✓ Establish working group to establish initial questions for core curriculum
- ✓ Review existing CPS frameworks, resources, training, and instructional tools to identify an initial set of technical questions that will need to be expanded, explored, and answered as part of the design and development work. (Winter 2019-20)
- Solicit interest from educators, students, and community members interested in participating in working groups to work on the design and delivery of the core curriculum as well as the training and implementation strategy. (Spring 2020)
- Define equity competencies that will serve as the foundation for the curriculum and identify an initial set of technical questions that will need to be expanded, explored, and answered as part of the design and development work (Spring - Summer 2020)
- Review available content and technical assistance from equity-focused organizations and other districts across the country (Spring - Summer 2020)
- Develop a proposal for structure, content and phased implementation of this program including alignment with existing components of our professional learning system including hiring, onboarding, coaching, observation and evaluation. (Fall 2020)
- Begin phased implementation by the end of School Year 2020-21
CPS Lead for comprehensive anti-racism and racial equity training: Michelle Madera, Interim Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction.