ADVANCING

RACIAL EQUITY

IN EARLY LEARNI

NG

In Washington, we work together so that all children start life with a solid foundation for success, based on strong families and a world-class early learning system for all children prenatal through third grade. Accessible, accountable, and developmentally and culturally appropriate, our system partners with families to ensure that every child is healthy, capable and confident in school and in life.

― Washington Early Learning Plan

WA Early Learning Plan Vision

Opportunity Gap: Evidence of the opportunity gap can be seen in children less than a year old

WaKIDS: When looking at 2012 WaKIDS results by racial groups, the range of students with the characteristics and skills of entering kindergartners in cognitive development spanned from 62% to 80%

State Testing: In 3rd grade reading, white and Asian/Pacific Islander students outperformed Black, Hispanic and American Indian students by 21-27 percentage points on the 2011-12 state examRacial Inequities Begin Early

The Opportunity Gap is Evident in the First Few Weeks of Kindergarten

4

Social Emo-tional

Physical Language Cognitive Literacy Math0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Percentages of Students Who Demonstrate Characteristics of

Entering Kindergartners by Race

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Hispanic

Native Hawaiian

Two or More Races

White

Not Provided

Our Demographics are Rapidly Changing

The number of people of color in WA is

expected to grow from 1-in-5 in 2000 to1-in-3 by 2030.

Among the largest and most quickly growing

groups are Asian Pacific Islander,

Hispanic/Latino, and those identifying as “two or more races.”

Nearly 20% of WA's children, ages 5 to 17,

speak a language other than English at home.

In 2000, WA had about 1.5M children under

age 18. Of the estimated 29%

increase in the number of children from 2000

to 2030 (about 450,000), 81% will be

children of color.

Washington State Early

Learning Plan

Knowledge of Racial

Inequities

OPPORTUNITY to Eliminate Race as a

Predictor of Progress and Success for

Children Birth to Age 8

Willing to be Disturbed

Racial Equity v Equity

Data across multiple indicators show that – from day one – children of color in Washington are more likely to be poor and further from opportunity

Statewide attention to income equity is long-standing, while attention to closing the opportunity gaps related to race has been more limited

Reframing our work through a racial equity lens engages us in courageous conversations that help us: Learn from our

experiences Foster healing Uncover policies,

practices and behaviors that sustain unequal outcomes for children

Individual

Institutional

Structural

Forms of Racism

Using a Racial Equity Lens

This approach supports the needs of a particular group while reminding us that our fates are linked.

Targeted Universalism

Developed from April 2012-March 2013

Input from about 150 individuals who participated in 7 statewide conversations

Why it matters:o Provides collaborative vision and

approach for all levels of WA’s early learning system

o Identifies and helps us act on what we know about the best way to implement the policies, practices and cultural perspectives to realize the outcome we envision for children of color

o Articulates how individuals, organizations and institutions can take both individual and collective action to reduce the opportunity gap

Racial Equity Theory of Change (RE-TOC)

Building Blocks of the RE-TOC

Increase community voice and influence for those furthest away from opportunity

Inform practice with diverse measures and diverse stories

Make decisions that genuinely meet the requirements of communities of color

Design and implement systems that respond to children’s diverse situations

Community of Practice

Advancing Racial Equity Grants through Thrive by Five Washington

Putting the RE-TOC in Practice

Slow Down Listen Be curious about your community and work

to understand your role in it Create space for conversation Ask powerful questions that generate

curiosity and invite creativity Think about who is not at the table and how

to get them there … or how to be invited to their table

Consider different partners for your workYOU Can Make a Difference

“While early childhood education has the proven potential to prevent educational inequity, if not dramatically improved, it will do the reverse and perpetuate it.”

― Sharon Lynn Kagan, “American Early Childhood Education: Preventing or Perpetuating Inequity?” Equity Matters: Research Review No. 3, April 2009