Culturally Responsive Anti-racist Equitable (CARE) - Initiating

Professional Development > Learning Paths > School Mental Health Readiness

In a culturally responsive school or district, students’, families’, and educators’ cultures are included in all aspects of supports and services that promote well-being and mental health. Anti-racist policies and practices promote equity and oppose racism and other forms of oppression. Equitable schools and districts provide the climate and resources that enable all students and educators to perform at their highest level. Culturally responsive, anti-racist and equitable (CARE) schools and districts embrace cultural differences and assets; use cultural knowledge to promote wellness and academic success;  mediate power imbalances based on cultural identities; and work to dismantle systems of injustice. 

The resources below are recommended for schools or districts starting in this work. Your school or district may be exploring this work and wondering where to begin. 

This assessment from the National Center of School Mental Health is recommended for all stages of readiness in this work. This assessment contains five domains: 1) Teaming and Collaboration; 2) School Climate; 3) School Discipline; 4) Curricula and Teaching; and 5) Professional Development. Each indicator includes a few ways schools or districts may demonstrate success in each area. The examples included in the assessment are not exhaustive, but illustrative, and ratings in each domain can be used as a starting place for quality improvement initiatives. This assessment tool provides suggestions for action planning that can be tailored to meet your school’s needs. A team approach with broad and diverse participation in this process ensures meaningful assessment, successful planning, and implementation. 

These four short courses provide a solid foundation for districts, schools and teams wanting to expand their understanding of the intersection between trauma and racism. The courses are broken down into the three levels of racism described in Dr. Camara Jones’ framework: Institutional, internalized, and personally mediated. Each course provides a deeper dive into the impact of racism on trauma, as well as strategies schools and districts can put into place. Start with the course, “Laying the Foundation for Strategies.”

When addressing trauma, racism, and equity the key lies within the racial consciousness and equity-centered approaches of district and school leaders. Use this guide to help teams reflect, ask questions, and explore where you are on this journey. This guide provides questions to ask and actionable steps to step to move this work forward. Check out the complementary video, which highlights a panel of school leaders in Illinois that can be viewed in team meetings or individually to prompt additional reflection. 

This book by Zaretta Hammond helps educators promote authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Build team learning around these concepts, which include a transformative approach that recognizes and leverages the power of students’ cultural backgrounds to enhance learning. Use in schoolwide or grade-level staff book clubs or team meetings for shared learning experiences. 

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