[Podcast] Hiring and Sustaining Teachers of Color feat. Tiffany Brunson

Tiffany Brunson, superintendent of Elementary School District 159 in Illinois, reflects on a time when she was the only person of color on a school staff. She talks about addressing issues that often make people uncomfortable.  Brunson asks school leaders to think about minority students and their experiences in school. It’s the primary reason that students […]

[Video] Women of Color in the Top Seat (2:13)

A panel of speakers detailed the necessity of having women of color in leadership positions and the difficulties they face. This story was produced by Lyla Kelley at the 2024 AASA National Conference on Education in San Diego, Calif.

[Video] Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (2:56)

A workshop dedicated to learning about how school districts are integrating diversity, equity and Inclusion (DEI) hosted by Lee Teitel. This story was produced by AB Ross at the 2024 National Conference on Education in San Diego, Calif.

Reclaiming the Narrative of What Public Education Delivers to Students Takes Diligence, Thought Leader Panel of Superintendents Testifies 

First, the bad news. A recent UCLA survey asked school principals across the country if school boards and the public had opposed the teaching of any subjects. Race and racism? 50 percent said yes. LGBTQ issues? 48 percent had seen that. Social and emotional learning? 39 percent had seen that too. And guess what? “This […]

How Superintendents Relate to Their DEI Coordinators Will Dictate What Progress is Possible in School Districts

Within the past few years, diversity, equity and inclusion has become a national hot topic for local school districts and their communities. Consequently, many school administrators have created DEI leadership positions within their districts, but this has not made progress any easier. At an AASA conference session on Thursday about the relationship between superintendents and […]

New Hampshire Panel Details the School District’s Tack for Countering Opposition to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Work

The AASA conference panel “Introducing, implementing and sustaining DEI in Predominately White School Communities” on Friday afternoon offered advice on how to include more attention to diversity, equity and inclusion in school districts, even in places where there is some opposition to the work. The session was led by three employees of New Hampshire’s School […]

[Video] Interview: Ryan, Mejia and Andreski on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (9:45)

District leaders led interactive conversations surrounding how to implement diversity, equity and inclusion. Watch this in-depth interview with Andres Mejia, Christopher Andriski and David Ryan on implementing DEI in predominantly white school communities. This story was produced by Angelina D’Elia at the 2023 AASA Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Read more.

[Video] Paul Freeman on the Challenges of White Superintendents Confronting Racism in School Communities (3:40)

Paul Freeman, superintendent of Connecticut’s Guilford Public Schools, shares best practices on how white superintendents can learn together about the critical issues of race, racism and equity. Freeman led the session “Personal, Professional and Practical Challenges for White Superintendents Confronting Racism” at AASA’s National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn. (Video produced by Selah Oden)

Suburban Oak Park District Details Its Route to Diversifying the Teacher Applicant Pool

Carol Kelley, superintendent of Oak Park Elementary School District 97 in Oak Park, Ill., called for more significant recruitment of racial and ethnic diversity among teachers nationwide at Saturday’s AASA national conference session, “Recruitment and Hiring for Diversity and Equity.”