Leadership for Equity and Excellence

It brings into focus the many aspects of equity and equality in one source. It makes an excellent base for some meaningful discussion of these issues by those working with aspiring educator leaders as well as those already in the field.Deborah A. Drugan PrincipalGeneral John J. Stefanik Elementary School Chicopee MAWhen true equity prevails all students can be successful students!Do you dream of success for every student? Do you dream of raising achievement for each and every child to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act? Historically underserved studentschildren of color children from low-income families English language learnersall deserve to live this dream. Creating an equitable learning environment in which all students thrive is possiblewith this guide you can turn dreams into reality for your school.Leadership for Equity and Excellence encourages school leaders and teachers to develop creative strategies for student advancement using tools such as accountability equity audits and proactive redundancy. Scheurich and Skrla demonstrate how deeply held beliefs manifest as biases preventing educators from unlocking their students potential. The authors also examine the U.S. education achievement gap and suggest several concepts for overcoming this gap such as:Eliminating cant from your vocabulary Using creativity perseverance and persistence Envisioning educators as civil rights workers Moving beyond harmful but entrenched biases Understanding the cultures and backgrounds of each studentChildren of color excelling in school . . . children from low-income homes thriving academically . . . classrooms communities and even a nation of people becoming truly equalthis is the living dream of todays educators.