5 Questions PLCs Should Ask To Promote Equity

Learning Forward

Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.

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5 questions PLCs should ask to promote equity

By Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and John Almarode

October 2019

Vol. 40, No. 5

How might the work of professional learning communities (PLCs) focus on the changes necessary to ensure that all students are engaged, inspired, and successful? Despite current efforts, some groups of students are not making expected progress to meet grade-level standards and achieve at the highest levels. PLCs present a rich opportunity to improve instruction, as there is evidence that teacher teams, collaborating together, impact the learning outcomes of students (e.g. Reeves, 2010). But PLCs may not be fulfilling the promise of equity, especially for students who continue to face opportunity gaps and those who have historically been marginalized. How can we light the path to equity by refocusing PLCs so that they are more than a series of meetings and result in real change for

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Authors

Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Almarode

Douglas Fisher (dfisher@sdsu.edu) is professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High in San Diego, California. Nancy Frey (nfrey@sdsu.edu) is professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High in San Diego, California. John Almarode (almarojt@jmu.edu) is associate professor at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Defining equity

We do not limit our thinking about equity to achievement gaps. In fact, we have argued that equity is more expansive than what tests can measure (e.g. Smith, Frey, Pumpian, & Fisher, 2017). We have set our sights on ensuring that all students are engaged, inspired, and successful.

Our definition, developed in partnership with leaders from San Diego Unified School District, Chula Vista Elementary School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, and San Diego State University, specifies that equity in education:

Recognizes that every student comes to school with a unique identity profile that is too often impacted by racism, bias, or bigotry;
Occurs as a result of sensitive, courageous, and creative conversations and actions;
Requires the distribution and redistribution of resources and initiatives based on individual and group needs derived from multiple sources of qualitative and quantitative data; and
Leads to engaged, inspired, and successful learners.