Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 

February 16, 2023

Celebrating Black History Month and More 

Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. Black History Month was created in February 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries worldwide, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history. Today, Black History Month continues the discussion of Black people and their contributions through activities such as museum exhibits and film screenings, and by encouraging the study of achievements by African Americans year-round.

The Kentucky Department of Education's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIEB) Team encourages educators to implement culturally sustaining practices year-round. We encourage you to acknowledge and extend beyond monthly events (which continue to be very important) and celebrate year-round.

In our diverse world, people from many cultures contribute to our lives every single day, yet we do not hear enough about these narratives, struggles and successes that meaningfully impact our communities, state, country and world. Below are some revised excerpts from ResponsiveClassroom.org with ways educators can intentionally use culturally sustaining pedagogy year-round:

• Reach Out to Community Partnerships: Community partnerships that support and affirm the identities of students can be wonderful resources for creating vibrant learning experiences throughout the school year for your students. Libraries, museums, historical societies, educational organizations and publishers often house a wealth of primary and secondary sources that provide culturally diverse perspectives on historical and contemporary lifestyles.
• Celebrate Your Students’ Unique Backgrounds in the Classroom: Allowing your students to regularly share what is special about their backgrounds empowers them to listen and learn from each other. One of the DEIB team's goals is to elevate student voice. Hearing from students allows their peers to empathize, understand and appreciate their lived experiences. It helps us co-learn with our students as well! Morning meetings, advisory meetings and closing circles provide daily opportunities for students to share their cultural traditions, celebrations, stories, entertainment and customs.
• Make Room for Cultural Appreciation: Encourage the appreciation of various cultures year-round by providing opportunities for children to share their cultures and learn more about their classmates’ cultures. These opportunities can occur through deeper learning, project-based learning and so much more. Finding innovative ways to allow students to learn about these backgrounds deepens their understanding of others and offers a way for all of us to embrace the unique differences and similarities we share.

The Student Equity Advisory Committee at Paducah Tilghman High School was created in 2022 as a way to ensure student voices were at the forefront of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging work in the district.

Student Equity Advisory Committee (SEAC) Paducah Tilghman High School

Paducah Tilghman High School (Paducah Independent) is elevating students through the creation of the Student Equity Advisory Committee (SEAC), which is led by the district's Chief Equity Officer, Shonda E. Hollowell-Burrus, and teacher sponsors Erin Morehead and Taylor Sprouse-Boyd.

SEAC was created in 2022 as a way to ensure student voices were at the forefront of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging work in the district. The mission of the committee is to advocate the student voice by fostering inclusivity for all demographics. These young people are spearheading change within their schools, district and community.

Equity Playbook - Personalized Coaching Feedback

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Team has partnered with education consulting firm engage2learn and Kentucky’s regional educational cooperatives to lead Kentucky’s Equity Playbook.

The Equity Playbook is an initiative for district and school leaders, administrators and teachers to address equity through personalized coaching on evidence/research-based practices, content and resources to address opportunity gaps in one or more of the five equity pillars: student achievement, culture and climate, disproportionality relative to student discipline, high-quality instructional resources and utilization of funding and resources.

What does personalized coaching look like?

As participants of the Equity Playbook, personalized coaching occurs one-to-one, in person and virtually, throughout the school year. Engage2learn coaches, regional DEIB coordinators and KDE DEIB Team members work with participants on growing competencies related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Each coaching conversation's goal is to produce a competency selected by the person being coached and develop strategies and a plan to grow the competencies. Based on a foundation of trust and open communication, Equity Playbook coaches become thought partners with participants in addressing an equity challenge.

Scott County Schools has been excited to begin the engage2learn coaching process. The team has implemented a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging survey to receive feedback during the Scott County New Teacher Induction Process (SCIP). When the SCIP teams come together to discuss progress and growth areas, extra time is used to reflect on meeting the diverse needs of the classrooms. The feedback helps mentors, mentees and administration intentionally reflect on the importance of creating a diverse learning environment for all students. 

Scott County also has implemented panels to uplift students' voices in the district. These panels allow students to lead discussions on current barriers in their educational setting and assist in creating ways to eliminate them. Currently, both high schools in the district facilitate these panels. The county's goal is to include one at each middle school and for 4th- and 5th-graders at the elementary schools. 

According to Scott County educators, the coaching they've received thus far has encouraged the district to dream big for the good of its students. Superintendent Billy Parker always shares that Scott County is the best place to live and learn for everyone! Scott County is working hard to ensure this is always the case.  

DEIB Events Highlights 

• Jan. 10: DEIB regional coordinators meeting at Southeast South Central Educational Cooperative 
• Jan. 11: DEIB team to Paducah Tilghman High School and board meeting 
• Jan. 13: Equity Playbook engage2learn instructional coaches and counselors training, Conway Middle School (Jefferson)
• Jan. 14: DEIB Team facilitates workshops for the P3 EdCamp Conference
• Jan. 19: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Bardstown
• Jan. 25: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Meade County
• Feb. 1: DEIB Team presents to State Advisory Council for Gifted and Talented Education
• Feb. 9: Equity Playbook engage2learn Training, Fayette County 
• Feb. 9: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Burgin
• Feb. 14: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Bracken County
• Feb.17: DEIB Team participates in Black History Month program, Mill Creek Elementary (Jefferson County)
• Feb. 22: DEIB Team participates in Black History Month program, Engelhard Elementary (Jefferson County)