Education Equity Conferences
The Virginia Department of Education hosts several convenings to facilitate statewide discourse and professional development focused on the public policy levers, evidence based practices, and preparation necessary to ensure that Virginia educators are empowered and equipped to advance equitable outcomes for ALL students. Beginning with the Virginia is for ALL Learners Education Equity Summer Institute in 2018, the Department hosts an Equity Conference annually each summer.
2021 Education Equity Summer Institute
The Virginia Department of Education hosted the Virginia Education Equity Summer Institute in combination with a statewide conference on Teaching African American History virtually June 15-16, 2021. The event was free of charge and open to all K-12 teachers and division personnel.
The conference focused on culturally responsive and inclusive educator practices and teaching African American History through culturally sustaining pedagogies. Breakout sessions and keynotes provided professional development to support Virginia’s recently expanded History and Social Science standards and the implementation of the new elective course in African American History for high school students that launched Fall 2020. Sessions also advanced culturally responsive practice at four critical levels (school, educator, leadership, and teaching/pedagogy) in alignment with new legislative mandates in culturally responsive practice.
This conference will convened over two days:
June 15-Teaching African American History Through Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies
June 16-Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Education Practices
All breakout sessions were recorded and will be made available at a later date through #GoOpenVA.
All inquiries regarding the joint conference may be directed to the Office of Equity and Community Engagement at EdEquityVA@doe.virginia.gov or Christonya Brown, History and Social Science Coordinator, at 804-225-2893, or Christonya.Brown@doe.virginia.gov.
2020 EdEquityVA Week Symposiums
Governor Ralph S. Northam proclaimed November 30-December 4, 2020 as EdEquityVA Week in the Commonwealth. EdEquityVA Week is an opportunity to recognize the efforts of Virginia educators to advance equity outcomes for all Virginia students. In recognition of EdEquityVA Week, the Department hosted the EdEquityVA Week Virtual Symposiums (December 1 & 2, 2020):
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy featuring a Keynote Address by Dr. Gloria Ladson Billings.
Closing Opportunity Gaps featuring a Keynote Address by Dr. John King.
EdEquityVA Virtual Summit 2020
In lieu of the annual Education Equity Summer Institute, the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Equity hosted an #EdEquityVA Virtual Equity Summit.
The 2020 #EdEquityVA Virtual Summit brought together educators and leaders from across the state to explore the implications of institutional racism in public education and raise state discourse and action around courageous teaching and leading, equity, and the principles of anti-racism. All sessions provided focused on building an educator workforce that is positioned for anti-racism and cultural proficiency to ensure that Virginia’s public education system is one that maximizes the potential of all students
Day One: Educators – Courageous Teaching
Invited: Teachers, Principals, Instructional Specialists, Equity Coordinators & Division Level Equity Chiefs
Welcome
Topic |
Presenter |
Keynote: We Want To Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching |
Dr. Bettina Love, Professor, Author, and Speaker |
Break Out Sessions
| Topic & Recording | Presenter |
| Anti-bias Curriculum: Auditing Your Curriculum for Bias | Kenya Wallach, Director of Mathematics, Discovery Education |
| Anti-racism 101 | Dr. Andrew Daire, Dean & Professor, VCU School of Education Dr. Joshua Cole, Director of Strategic Engagement, VCU School of Education |
| Courageous Teaching: Race, Bias, & Racism | Maria Burgos, Supervisor of Global Learning & Culturally Responsive Instruction, Prince William County Schools |
| A History of Racism in America | Dr. Donald Grant, Jr., Executive Director of the Center for Community & Social Impact, Pacific Oaks College |
Day Two: Leaders – Courageous Leadership
Invited: Superintendent Teams, Administrators, School Board Members, Division level Equity Chiefs/Directors
Break Out Sessions
Topic & Recording |
Presenter |
Dr. James Lane, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commonwealth of Virginia |
|
|
Dr. Jennifer Piver-Renna, Director of the Office of Research, Virginia Department of Education
Dr. Kenneth Anderson, Professor and Associate Dean in the School of Education, Howard University Michael Gregory, Virginia Tiered Systems of Support (VTSS) Specialist, Virginia Department of Education |
|
Dr. Toya Barnes-Teamer, Principal, HCM Strategies |
|
Deborah Keys Write, Board Governance & Equity Consultant |
2019 Virginia is for ALL Learners: Education Equity Summer Institute
The Virginia Department of Education, in collaboration with Virginia’s Secretary of Education and VCU’s School of Education provided this conference for Virginia educators, school leaders, education policymakers, and other invited stakeholder group representatives.
2018 Virginia is for ALL Learners: Education Equity Summer Institute
