National Louis University’s Leadership Summit: Re-Visioning Education for Equity
“Educational equity means that every child receives whatever they need to develop their full academic and social potential and to thrive every day. They are seen for who they truly are, and their unique interests and gifts are surfaced and cultivated.”
This working definition of equity was shared and discussed during National Louis University’s Leadership Summit: Re-Visioning Education for Equity on May 14, 2021. More than sixty education leaders from across the nation joined the virtual event to discuss the opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned in leading for equity through the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. The event included keynote speakers, seven breakout sessions with designated topics to explore, and a re-gathering to share the ideas discussed in those breakout sessions.
The summit began with NCE Dean, Rob Muller, introducing the faculty who spearheaded the event: assistant professor Ryan McCarty, associate professor Sophie Degener, and assistant professor Gloria McDaniel-Hall. He also walked through what participants could expect from the day and set the tone for the event, asking, “What does it mean to be a leader where equity is at the core of our work?”
Dr. McCarty then addressed the goals of the summit, which included but certainly were not limited to:
-Creating a network of leaders with a shared commitment to equity
-Providing leaders with an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned in leading for equity
-Generating a series of principles that will guide future work
-Planning for the coming year by synthesizing ideas and sharing them
Dr. McCarty stressed that this group of educators did not have all the answers right now, but how important it is to start these conversations to beget change.
Next, Dr. McDaniel-Hall led a thought-provoking discussion with keynote speakers Dr. Landon Brown (Director of School Quality, National Heritage Academies), Dr. Annise Lewis (Director of School Leadership, Academy for Urban School Leadership), and Dr. CJ Rodgers (Assistant Superintendent of Education and Enrichment, Harris County Department of Education). The conversation started with the panelists responding to a quote from Dr. Bettina L. Love (Associate Professor, Education Theory and Practice, University of Georgia):
“We must radically dream because (even) before COVID-19 closed our schools and dismantled our way of life, schools were failing not only children of color but all children...We cannot go back. We now have the opportunity not to just reimagine schooling or try to reform injustice but to start over. Starting over is hard but not impossible.”
From there, the panelists talked about seizing this moment and putting students at the center of learning. Dr. Brown encouraged listeners to leverage the pandemic as an opportunity to identify and admit educational shortcomings. If parents complain, for example, educational leaders can shift their mindset to view the complaint as coming from a place of high care, and then question what is and isn’t working to address the issue in collaboration with all stakeholders. Another example of inequity the panelists addressed is how some families choose income over education, allowing their children to work during the regular school day to mitigate pandemic-driven income loss. “It takes courage to express inequities,” said Dr. Lewis. She and the other keynote speakers encouraged attendees to engage with these kinds of difficult conversations. Both Dr. Rogers and Dr. Wilson also touched upon the creative thinking happening among students and stressed the importance for educators to follow suit rather than stick to old patterns.
The Leadership Summit differed from typical conferences. Everyone in attendance held a significant participation role in the idea-generating breakout sessions. Discussion topics included:
-Leading Professional Learning
-Increasing Equity through Family Engagement
-Promoting Equitable Digital Literacy
-Knowing about Equity Issues Isn’t the Same as Doing Equity Work
-Finding Bright Spots and Opportunities
-Building Community Partnerships
-Engaging Multilingual Families
Following the breakout discussions, attendees reconvened in the large group for share-outs, synthesis, and action planning led by Dr. Degener. The summit concluded with Dr. McDaniel-Hall reading “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman, a poem acknowledging that tribulations can create opportunities for significant change.
To support ongoing action planning to empower all students and lead with equity at the forefront of decision-making, Dr. Degener compiled equity resources referenced during the summit in this Wakelet. Additionally, Drs. Degener, McCarty, and McDaniel-Hall plan to assemble the collective ideas generated in a whitepaper.
The keynote panel discussion is now available on-demand. We encourage you to watch and share this inspiring conversation with your networks. View the recording.
