Racial Justice in Education Framework

Three Elements of the Framework

The Framework Core

AWARENESS

Goal: Develop and strengthen our collective awareness and understanding of the

causes and impacts of systemic (institutional and structural) racism in education and the necessity for racial justice and the centrality of racial justice in achieving NEA’s mission.

• Build racial equity awareness and analytical capacity across our Association.
• Fostering understanding of key concepts such as systemic (institutional and structural) racism, implicit bias, racial equity and multiracial systemic solutions.
• Develop shared knowledge and conceptual clarity that supports normalizing explicit and constructive conversations about race.

CAPACITY BUILDING

Goal: Equip and prepare members and leaders with skills to use the strategies to take action to advance racial justice.

• Equip members, leaders, staff and partners with the skills, tools, strategies, resources and relationships to be effective leaders and advocates in the fight for racial justice in education.
• Develop tools and resources to support organizational and cultural change through policy, practice, and behavior changes.

ACTION

Goal: Equip members and stakeholders with tools and skills to advocate, organize

and mobilize to disrupt institutional racism and advance racial justice in education.

• Engage and activate members, leaders and stakeholders in on-the-ground efforts to combat institutional racism and advance racial justice.
• Support external organizing efforts to advance changes in our schools and communities.
• Support internal opportunities to implement equitable practices that positively impact the
• Association’s work and promote culture change.

Analysis & Intervention

Critical to transformational change is developing a sharp analysis of systems within institutions, including decision-making and policy creation. A thoughtful analysis prepares us to identify interventions and sustainable solutions that can be strategically implemented. This framework is designed to offer elements of analysis to accurately target these interventions and identify appropriate actions to meet the challenges.

The framework core elements are the first layer and, to deepen the analysis, we must identify on which organizational levers and dynamics we will focus. The Wheel of Change, a systems approach to organizational change and impact, adapted from the Rockwood Leadership Institute, can aide our ability to do that.

• Hearts & Minds: Purpose, Vision, Values, Beliefs, Emotions, Feelings, Community, Analysis
• Behaviors: Norms, Practices, Skills, Communications, Measures & Outcomes
• Structures: Strategies, Structures, Core Competencies, Budgets, Policy Change

Used together, the three elements of this framework give us the opportunity to ensure complete review and analysis of complex systems, and to identify components to leverage for systems change. 

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE & IMPACT LEVERS

• ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE (OC): Shared values and beliefs (National, State and Local Affiliates)
• LEARNING CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT (LC&E): Development and investment in staff and leader capacity. (National, State and Local Affiliates)
• DATA, ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION & STRATEGIC RESEARCH: Comprehensive strategy to develop assumptions, test, assess and evaluate outcomes. (National, State and Local Affiliates)
• SENIOR STAFF LEADERSHSIP (SL): Individuals in formal staff leadership roles (NEA, State Affiliates and Local Affiliates)
• GOVERNANCE—OFFICERS/EC/BOARD OF DIRECTORS/COMMITTEES, COUNCILS, CONSTITUENCIES & CAUCUSES (GOV): Governance structure of the organization (National, State and Local Affiliates) 
• MANAGEMENT (MGMT): Staff that oversee the operationalizing of budgets, programs and teams. (National, State and Local Affiliates)
• MEMBERS (MEM): Association members, across all categories
• COMMUNITY/PARTNERS/ALLIES/CO-CONSPIRATORS (CPAC): Education and community stakeholders (National, State and Local Affiliates)

Measuring Impact

Organizational Progress To Change

Based on the choices and decisions we make as an organization, we can measure and  monitor how we move through phases of becoming a racial equity and justice focused organization. It should be:

Organizational Systems Change