JOURNAL OF CRITICAL ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE VOL. 12

It is our great privilege to be the editors of this journal. The opportunity to review the scholarly work of others and provide a forum for dissemination is important work. Three original pieces of research are included in this volume of the journal. Selected for originality and timeliness, it is our hope that some part of your educational practice might be informed. It is our goal to feature voices that might be considered outside of the expected or usual. What is your philosophy of education? One might ask if this is ever a serious question or rather just an academic exercise? Do you really want my philosophy or are you just looking to make sure my philosophy matches a certain litmus test? If the words diversity, inclusion and equity are central to the statement, will the test be passed? In her article, Dr. Tiffany Bates, raises the important issue of how a philosophy might inform practice. Can a philosophy be integral to our professional work? The implications for teacher training programs, as well as public schools, are included as part of this research. Rightly considered, discipline is something that you have rather than something that you do. The procedures that are used to establish and maintain discipline in a school or a classroom are critical to establishing a learning environment that is fair to the diverse populations that we serve. Can discipline be fair if the differences in our students are not important variables in how we structure our daily interactions? Dr. Jaime Welborn uses the lens of cultural proficiency to examine this issue. To what extent do norms and expectations match student groups and how does what we know about diversity drive our decision-making? It is a time-honored tradition in many classrooms to begin the day with what is called a morning meeting. This teacher-led meeting reviews the events of the day and might be topical about a current event or something the teacher considers important. If nothing else, students are reminded of the day of the week, date and year, and the weather forecast. Whether this is time well spent might deserve some attention. Dr. Christine Uliassi provides a case study that demonstrates how this meeting time can be a more meaningful exercise in social and emotional learning and one that might expand critical literacy skills. Should you be so inclined, please consider sharing any personal reflection or critical review of the journal’s content. We would like to consider a review feature in future editions of the journal. Best wishes for 2023

A Descriptive Study of the Case of Eaveston School District: Core Values from Deficit-Based to Asset-Based

A growing body of research has linked educational leadership and student achievement; however, the oppression of students of diverse race, ethnicity, and social class has perpetuated inequities and educational gaps for decades across the United States. Some educational leaders who care deeply about equity and social justice are examining their core values, behaviors, and beliefs, as well as their organization’s policies and practices to identify and implement knowledge and skills that disrupt the inequities producing educational and opportunity gaps. This article reports findings that are part of a larger qualitative descriptive case study that investigated the implementation and experiences of Eaveston School District’s intentional journey to become a culturally proficient school district. For this article, the authors included findings related to (1) how the implementation of the Cultural Proficiency Framework influenced change, and (2) the challenges educational leaders face while implementing the work of Cultural Proficiency. The findings and conclusions of the study suggest that educators can lead organizational change and increase equity, access, and inclusion for all students by using the Four Tools of Cultural Proficiency to cause shifts from deficit-based to asset-based mindsets about students

Equity Requires Action: Principals’ Use and Value of Culturally Proficient Educational Practice

This quantitative, descriptive study investigated K-12 public school principals\u27 perceptions regarding the degree to which they use and value practices related to cultural competence in their roles as school leaders. While an abundance of literature regarding leadership in education, disparities in educational outcomes, and school change exists, inequities in policy and practice perpetuate academic and social setbacks for some of our nation\u27s youth Using the lens of the Cultural Proficiency Framework, specifically the Essential Elements, this study aimed to address the research questions and add to the literature by examining (1) the school principals\u27 value in using culturally competent practices; (2) the school principals\u27 use of culturally competent practices; and (3) the differences in principals’ perceptions across urban, suburban, and rural locale. The study\u27s findings revealed the most important and most frequently used culturally competent practices to school principals were associated with valuing diversity. Conversely, the least important and least frequently used culturally competent practices to school principals were associated with assessing cultural knowledge. Conclusions suggest that applying the Essential Elements of Cultural Proficiency allows for paradigms shifts to praxis, where theory becomes practice through action towards equity and inclusion