Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 

March 30, 2023

Kentucky Department of Education Celebrates Black History Month

The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)Team hosted its first Black History Month Read-In. Participants shared text, art, music or other media that speaks to them individually and reflects the rich experiences and voices of Black/African-Americans.

This event was a "drop-in" style, voluntary event for participants and colleagues to come and go as they were available. Participants reflected on the challenges Black/African-Americans have overcome and the persistence, innovation, healing and joy of the Black/African-American community.

KDE's DEIB Team believes literature, the written word and art play a vital role in fulfilling our mission, which is to create and deepen partnerships to remove long-standing barriers to equity by providing support in developing an equity lens (and mirror), elevating student and educator voice, and promoting inclusive, equitable and healing learning communities. Importantly, our DEIB vision is for each student and educator in Kentucky to feel a sense of belonging.

The event was a huge success and all participants enjoyed sharing at KDE's Black History Month Read-In.

Celebrating Women's History Month

Women’s History Month is celebrated every year during March to recognize the contributions and achievements women have made throughout history.

Women’s History Month originated as a national celebration in 1981, when Congress passed Public Law 97-28, which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.” Throughout the next five years, Congress passed joint resolutions designating March week as “Women’s History Week.”

In 1987, after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the president to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month.

Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate women's contributions to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made throughout American history in various fields. The Library of Congress has provided these resources on Women's History Month. Check them out! 

Equity Playbook: Cohort 3 Application Now Open 

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Team has partnered with the 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 centered around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging competencies and pillars.

Each coaching conversation's goal is to discuss a competency selected by the person being coached and develop strategies to show growth in those identified competencies. Based on a foundation of trust and open communication, equity playbook coaches become thought partners with participants in addressing equity challenges.

To join the 2023-2024 cohort, complete this equity playbook cohort 3 interest form and a member of our team will reach out to provide more information.

DEIB Events Highlights and Upcoming Events

• March 1: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Barren County
• March 7: DEIB Team supports Conway Middle School with empathy interviews (Jefferson County)
• March 8: DEIB Team facilitates A1 and A2 training to Campbell County
• March 9-10: DEIB Team supports Women of Worth Conference (Jefferson County)
• March 13-14: DEIB Team supports the Men of Quality Conference (Jefferson County)
• March 15-16: DEIB Team creates podcast with Hazard Independent
• March 16: DEIB Team facilitates training on Addressing Race-Based Trauma to Clark County
• March 21: DEIB Team facilitates training on DEIB in the Arts alongside the Kentucky Education Development Corporation
• March 22: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Fleming County
• March 22: DEIB Team supports and facilitates training on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy to Boone County 
• March 28: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Ludlow Independent
• March 30: DEIB Team supports Women's History Month event at Smyrna Elementary (Jefferson County)
• April 10: Equity Coalition meeting with Pritchard Committee 
• April 11: Regional coordinators meeting at Central Kentucky Special Education Cooperative
• April 14: DEIB Team participates in career fair at Maryville Elementary (Bullitt County)
• April 20: DEIB Team supports consolidated monitoring in Graves County
• April 28: DEIB Team participates in Unified Champion Schools Invitation