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Project: Supporting Tennessee Educators Through Equity Learning Modules and Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Resources

Tennessee

Scope

The Region 5 CC team is supporting the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) in designing and developing a virtual professional learning series to support increased understanding and appreciation for a more comprehensive approach to advance educator equity aligned with the TN Leaders for Equity Playbook. The Region 5 CC team is also assisting with the design, development, and collection of a body of culturally responsive teaching and leading (CRTL) resources to inform the state’s vision for providing high-quality CRTL professional learning for its educators.    

High-Leverage Problem

TDOE is seeking to re-envision, reimagine, and redesign both equity and culturally responsive teaching and leading professional learning. TDOE and the Region 5 CC team share a meaningful, ongoing partnership. This collaboration project will support the development of a well-designed equity virtual professional learning series to increase knowledge of the importance of viewing teaching and leading from an equity lens, build capacity to support state and local equity goals, and increase stakeholders’ knowledge in deeply understanding a comprehensive approach to advance educator equity aligned with TN’s Leaders for Equity Playbook. In addition, TDOE also seeks to provide a virtual culturally responsive teaching and leading (CRTL) professional learning training series, which will serve as a CRTL resource for TN’s educators. TDOE and the Region 5 CC team will collaborate to develop the CRTL online resources and sample professional learning series. 

Approach to Capacity Building Services

Through the project, the Region 5 CC team and TDOE will work collaboratively to provide ongoing professional learning opportunities aligned with the state’s Leaders for Equity Playbook which helps its stakeholders to identify ways to support both SEA and LEA equity goals. TDOE has been working in collaboration with the Wallace Foundation through the TN ESSA Leadership Learning Community (ELLC) to develop and offer an equity training series. In addition, TDOE has sought to develop a CRTL training series that will serve as a resource to its educators to activate CRTL practices to better support 21st century teaching and learning. This collaborative project will support TDOE to accomplish these equity goals and implement the deployment of the training and resources with fidelity for years to come.