The Leadership for Equity Institute consisted of 3 cohorts of 15 principals each, representing 6 different school divisions in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Our mission is to provide K-12 school leaders and university faculty the opportunity to explore a deeper understanding of Leading & Teaching for Equity. The institute is collaboratively designed by Dr. Jennifer Clayton, 3 district administrators, and 1 principal. Our sessions included: General Overview & Authentic Introductions, Evaluating for Equity: Using Audit Data to Drive Professional Growth and School Improvement Planning Initiatives, Establishing & Sustaining an Equitable School Culture, and Practical Strategies that Promote Equity – Share Session. One participant noted, “This is the most powerful professional learning experience I have had in my 25 years in education.”
The LEI focuses on professional learning that sees the leader as a key instrument for change. As such, the work is done through reflection and self-analysis of inherent biases, strengths and areas for growth, and personal storytelling as a mechanism to explore systemic issues of inequities. We use problems of practice and sharing of solutions to create a professional network grounded in mutual trust and vulnerability. Leaders leave with both a set of practical strategies and protocols, but also a deeper sense of their own ongoing journey to challenge personal inequitable thinking.
The Leadership for Equity Institute, Region 2 Equity conferences and Region 2 Equity Chats (2020-2021) have provided thousands of administrators, teachers, and counselors in Superintendent Region 2 of Virginia and beyond the opportunity to engage in challenging and growth oriented conversations regarding excellence through equity. The social unrest in our country coupled with the ravaging challenges of COVID-19 on our communities only magnifies the need for this work.
If you would like to contact us, please email r2equity@gwu.edu.
Meet Dr. Jennifer Clayton
Dr. Jennifer K. Clayton has served as a Professor in Educational Leadership with The George Washington University since 2010. Prior to her roles in higher education, Dr. Clayton taught and led at the middle and high school levels. Dr. Clayton earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Old Dominion University, Master’s in Educational Administration at Rutgers University, and B.A. at James Madison University. Her research interests include leadership development and professional learning for school leaders and has resulted in more than 40 publications, in addition to national and international presentations.
Meet the Leadership for Equity Institute design team and cohorts.