Menu

FOCUS

Equity standards give us the power to transform ourselves and our schools

By Amy Colton and Virginia Winters
Categories: Facilitation, Learning communities, Reaching all students, Standards for Professional Learning
June 2022
At a time when it is unpopular to publicly stand up for equity, diversity, and inclusion, Learning Forward demonstrated its unwavering commitment to ensure equitable outcomes for all students by centering equity in its newest iteration of Standards for Professional Learning. The standards articulate the foundational truth that “equity is both an outcome and aspect of professional learning” (Learning Forward, 2022, p. 8). Together, the standards challenge us to think of professional learning as a vehicle for transformation. The three equity standards push professional learning facilitators to re-examine the content (Equity Practices), the learning processes (Equity Drivers), and the conditions for learning (Equity Foundations) of effective adult learning. The equity standards, in conjunction with the other eight standards, bring to the forefront the key concepts

Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.

Log In
   

References

Brookfield, S.M. (2012). Teaching to critical thinking: Tools and techniques to help students question their assumptions. Jossey-Bass.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Bloomsbury Academic.

Harro, B. (2000). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. Hackman, M.L. Peters, & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 27-34). Routledge.

Howard, G.R. (2015). We can’t lead where we won’t go: An educator’s guide to equity. Corwin.

Learning Forward. (2022). Standards for Professional Learning. Author.

Radd, S. & Macey, E.M. (2013). Equity by design: Developing critical consciousness through professional learning. Great Lakes Equity Center.


Amy Colton
+ posts

Amy Colton is a senior consultant for Learning Forward and executive director of Learning Forward Michigan.

Virginia Winters
+ posts

Virginia R. Winters (virginia.winters01@att.net ) is school equity consultant at Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency in Wayne, Michigan.


Categories: Facilitation, Learning communities, Reaching all students, Standards for Professional Learning

Search
The Learning Professional


Published Date

CURRENT ISSUE


Recent Issues

LEARNING WITH AI
February 2026

Generative AI can be a powerful tool for professional learning design and...

WHAT STUDENTS NEED NOW
December 2025

For all students to thrive, we need to understand who they are and what...

LEARNING COMMUNITIES FOR LEADERS
October 2025

Leaders need opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with peers just as...

MAXIMIZING RESOURCES
August 2025

This issue offers advice about making the most of professional learning...

×

Register your interest

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.