Equity encompasses far more than the philosophical beliefs embraced by a school’s staff. Equity involves the actions taken by a staff to ensure that all students receive the social and academic support they need for success. The idea of equity is often confused with equality, which typically results in treating all students in the same manner. Approximately 68 years after the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case, data still indicate that equal treatment is not equitable.   


Systemic problems can only be adequately addressed with systemic interventions that target the underlying complexities of the issues we face. Targeted professional learning followed by ongoing support is the most appropriate way to ensure that schools are prepared to implement and sustain equitable best practices. ULLC’s approach involves a comprehensive analysis of school culture, student achievement, and school-wide disciplinary practices that will result in a site-specific plan of action to implement equitable best-practices. Our process begins with a review of school data to ensure that our support meets the specific needs of the school’s student population. Following our data review, professional development and support are based on the ULLC SAME Framework. ULLC interventions around equity include, but are not limited to differentiated instruction, school climate and culture, community outreach, restorative disciplinary approaches, and trauma-informed best practices.

Culturally responsive teaching strives to increase the engagement and motivation of students who historically have been both unsuccessful academically and socially alienated from their public schools. (In Good, 2008). This work empowers teachers, students, and leaders at every grade level. Through the examination of self and the realization that students bring to the classroom different language, background, and culture, teachers can begin the work of creating deep culture in their classrooms.   

“No one teaching strategy works consistently to engage all learners. Motivation is inseparable from culture” (Wlodkowski and Ginsberg 2005). At ULLC, we know that teachers must establish learning environments that welcome and engage students who are historically marginalized in the traditional classroom. The landscape of classrooms is shifting; providing students with the skills they need to be learners is paramount in a world where the jobs of tomorrow do not yet exist today. Students must be deep thinkers. For this to occur, students must have classroom spaces where they are connected and valued. Building leadership and teachers must take time to examine their own culture, understand how their background influences the learning space, and how, through purposeful planning and work, they can shift the landscape of the classroom to meet students where they are and create growth opportunities.

ULLC will provide professional learning for district staff, administrators, instructional staff, and support staff on strengthening adult SEL. Early adopters of SEL have one common lesson: start with the adults (CASEL, 2019). Helping staff understand their own triggers allows them to create more effective structures, expectations, relationships, and instruction.   

Participants will utilize a rubric to identify areas of strength and areas for development. Then, ongoing professional development will occur to build the skills of administrators, instructional staff, support staff, and district staff to build student SEL skills. The sessions will focus on modeling and infusing social emotional learning across schools and classrooms. ULLC coaches will develop customized walkthrough tools to ensure application of professional learning and strategies. Administrators and staff will learn to use the walkthrough tools to support peer-to-peer learning. SEL walkthrough tools will provide data to identify ongoing supports such as: coaching, modeling, or professional learning.   


Using data, staff will use PLCs and/or planning time to debrief SEL strategies that are working in their classroom and identify next steps to support students. Administrators and members of school leadership teams will examine how adult and student SEL strategies support action steps in school improvement plans. School leadership teams will receive additional professional learning and support to ensure adult and student SEL remain a priority. A train-the-trainer model will be used to give staff the skills to conduct family engagement learning sessions on supporting SEL at home. ULLC coaches will model a session with families and equip staff to provide ongoing support.