California Safe and Supportive Schools

Introducing and Operationalizing Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education

Stronger Connections

Introducing and Operationalizing Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education

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Culturally responsive practices centers unique student experiences, supporting educators to build learning partnerships that result in increased student engagement and ownership of learning. During this session, participants will be introduced to foundational concepts related to educational equity and culturally responsive and sustaining education. Participants will consider different components of educational systems (e.g., environments, curriculum, instruction, relationships), explore what culturally responsive practices might look like in each.

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View the recording transcript.

Presenters:

David Lopez is the Director of Equitable Systems with WestEd’s Culturally Responsive and Equitable Systems team. In this role, Lopez delivers technical assistance (TA) and expert consultation, develops research-and evidence-based tools and resources, and provides research and policy support to state education agencies, district leaders, and school-based educators focused on creating culturally responsive and equitable systems through comprehensive equity audits.

 

John Jacobs is a Senior Technical Assistance Specialist at WestEd. Jacobs is a skilled facilitator in the areas related to culture and identity (e.g., race, ability, gender, social class) and an experienced collaborator who has worked to embed equity and cultural responsiveness throughout district and state level policies and programs (e.g., Coaching, MTSS, PBIS, SEL) as remedies to systemic inequities

Comprehensive School Safety Planning: Legislative Updates and Best Practices for School-Based Behavioral Threat Assessment

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California recently revised state legislation regarding comprehensive school safety plans, some of which pertains to schools’ responses to threats. As leaders consider how to meet the required mandates for school safety planning, evidence-based best practices on behavioral threat assessment can provide insights into how schools can protect students and school personnel while also supporting mental health and well-being.

Join experts from the California Department of Education and WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center to learn about the recent changes to state legislation, as well as practical, evidence-based components of behavioral threat assessment.

Watch the session recording:

View the recording transcript.

View the session resources:

Presenters:

Tom Herman is an Education Administrator with the School Health and Safety Office in the Whole Child Division at the California Department of Education. He oversees state and federal programs related to health and safety, crisis response, school climate, restorative practices, harassment and bullying, and alcohol and other drugs (ATOD) prevention. Dr. Herman also oversees areas of comprehensive sexual health and reproduction, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), and the California Healthy Kids Survey. Also, the LGBTQ+ State-Wide Advisory Task Force is in the School Health and Safety Office. A former Principal and Vice Principal, Dr. Herman is committed to student academic success and the physical and emotional wellbeing of all students.

 

Curtis Herring is a School Safety Technical Assistance Specialist with the WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center. He supports local, regional, and state education agencies in their implementation of evidence-based violence prevention strategies. His work has included several notable projects, such as the development of a campus mindfulness room, the introduction of processes and procedures related to Behavioral Threat Assessment, the development of a campus-based mentorship program, and the institution of school counseling data collection and analysis methods.