Equitable and Culturally Responsive Practices

Loudoun County Public Schools is committed to increasing equitable and culturally responsive learning experiences for all students, including applying equitable classroom and discipline practices. Click here to learn more about equity in LCPS.

What is Culturally Responsive Instruction?

5-point Intervention to Enhance Equity in School Discipline

1. Use engaging instruction to reduce the opportunity (Achievement) gap

2. Implement a behavior framework that is Preventive, Multi-tiered and Culturally Responsive

a) Proactive instructional approach and Teaching/Modeling of behavioral expectations

b) Increase positive student-teacher interactions, build connections

c) Clear guidelines for office referrals and reduce ambiguity in discipline codes (Defiance, Disrespect, Disruption)

3. Collection, use, and reporting of disaggregated student discipline data

a) Referrals, PBIS Data App and Discipline Disproportionality Calculator

4. Develop policies with accountability for disciplinary equity

5. Teach strategies for Neutralizing Implicit Bias in Discipline Decisions

a)Recognize vulnerable decision points, implement Neutralizing Routines

McIntosh, K., Girvan, E. J., Horner, R. H., Smolkowski, K., & Sugai, G. (2018). A 5-point intervention approach for enhancing equity in school discipline. OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

Assessing PBIS System and Practices for Equity

School teams assess the implementation of their PBIS framework using the Culturally Responsive Tiered Fidelity Inventory. This inventory, completed one time per year, was developed to guide PBIS leadership teams and schools in examining how to cultivate strategies and practices into their existing schoolwide positive behavioral framework to increase responsiveness to the cultures and communities they serve and align practices with the LCPS Culturally Responsive Framework. This fidelity tool reflects expected practices that support LCPS systemic equity goals. The CR-TFI is part of a 5-point intervention approach for enhancing equity in student outcomes within a Schoolwide PBIS approach.

Equitable Classroom Practices Observation Tool

An observation tool of research-based equitable classroom practices adapted by Louisiana State Personnel Development Grant from “A Resource for Equitable Classroom Practice” 2010, Montgomery County Public Schools. Research supporting these practices and examples/non-examples may be found here.