Equity Scholar in Residence Program
For K-12 Schools
"Each of us must come to care about everyone else's children. We must recognize that the welfare of our children and grandchildren is intimately linked to the welfare of all other people's children. . . . The good life for our own children can be secured only if a good life is also secured for all other people's children."
- Lilian Katz
Our work in K-12 education is so all children and staff can learn and thrive in school, as who they are and are becoming, and behave in ways that allow others to do the same.
That is how we define equity. Because human beings never stop changing, we believe that equity is expressed in the character and direction of change, rather than as a final destination.
The challenge for schools and school communities is to sustain that change, on balance with responding effectively to acute incidents and threats to all children and staff thriving and learning.
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The ILI helps schools meet this challenge with an innovative Equity Scholar in Residence program that combines:
embedded support for teachers and other educational staff, and for school and district leaders;
restorative, compassionate relationship;
learner-centered professional development;
resources and information in response to the questions, opportunities and challenges of educators and the school community.
Despite the best efforts of many educators, historically under-served learners continue to struggle to learn and thrive in school, indicated by test scores, disciplinary records, and anecdotal data.
At the same time, educators struggle to balance ongoing demands of their work with emerging understandings about how to drive equity, respond to school and community-specific equity challenges, and teach and lead in the context of fast-changing cultural contexts.
In response to these challenges, the ILI has developed the Equity Scholar in Residence model, and conducts ongoing evaluation-research to document the capacity of both individual educators and school systems to drive and sustain equity.
The Equity Scholar in Residence model combines genuine relationship and learner-centered pedagogy with restorative approaches and responsive scholarship.
In practice, the program embeds a uniquely prepared, independent contractor — an Equity Scholar in Residence — in a school or small district community. With oversight from school leaders, the ESR has a workspace in the school, attends staff meetings and school events, and works responsively with educators to support their efforts to address equity opportunities and challenges unique to their school community
The following links will lead you to information for schools and districts considering the Equity Scholar in Residence Model. Please feel free to download and share.
Information about the Equity Scholar in Residence Model
The Equity Scholar In Residence Model - Full Description
The Equity Scholar in Residence Model - Summary Page
2022-2023 ESR Core Services and Costs
Template: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
If you do not see the information you’re looking for, or would like to have a conversation about how this program could work in your school or district, please reach out to ILI Director Lucinda Garthwaite:
lgarthwaite@liberatoryinstitute.org | 802-522-9129