Step Six: Prepare for Implementation

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Overview and Purpose

Any Ethnic Studies program to be implemented should be approved by the local governing board based on local processes in place. However if the program is a locally developed program, it must come before the local board twice before final approval is given, with an opportunity for public comment in between as stated in AB101, Chapter 661:

(IV) A locally developed ethnic studies course approved by the governing board of the school district or the governing body of the charter school. The proposed course shall first be presented at a public meeting of the governing board of the school district or the governing body of the charter school, and shall not be approved until a subsequent public meeting of the governing board or governing body at which the public has had the opportunity to express its views on the proposed course.

Adopting an Ethnic Studies program is one thing; implementing it effectively is another. Because of the sensitive nature of subject matter, it is critically important for:

parents and families to become familiar with the course before instruction begins;
community members to be cognizant of the content and purpose of the course;
school leaders to be prepared to respond to questions and concerns; and
teachers to have the content knowledge of the subject matter and pedagogical expertise to deliver instruction in a respectful, effective manner.

The purpose of Step Six is to provide guidance for developing and implementing a plan to inform families and community members of the ethnic studies course to be implemented, a communications plan to respond to questions and concerns, and professional development and support mechanisms for teachers to deliver instruction effectively.

Resources and guidance for instructional materials adoptions from the California Department of Education can be found at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/imagen.asp Links to an external site..

Action Steps

The actions steps described below should be thoroughly planned and executed before instruction begins.

Action Step 6.1 Parent/Guardian Preview Night
Action Step 6.2 Communications Plan
Action Step 6.3 Teacher Training

Action Step 6.1: Parent/Guardian Preview Night

Like other topics that may be perceived as controversial, the content of ethnic studies courses may generate questions and concerns from parents and guardians. And though there is no “opt out” option for students, it is wise to familiarize parents and guardians with the purpose, content, and pedagogy to be delivered to provide full transparency and hence, minimize issues that may arise once the course is begun. Below are recommendations for conducting a preview night that is informative, productive, and responsive to concerns:

Virtual vs. in-person: there are advantages and disadvantages to each format. Virtual formats will allow presenters to minimize interruptions or disruptions during the presentation. In-person presentations allow time for more interaction and networking.
Pre-registration: Require participants to pre-register for a virtual event. This will enable organizers to know in advance who will be in attendance and limit participation to the intended audience.
Expectations and Procedures: Provide background information on the intent of Ethnic Studies, the legislative mandate, and the guidelines of the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Allow time to review materials, explain the pedagogical approach, describe expectations of students, and respond to questions.

Task 6.1a Organize and Conduct a Preview Night of Materials for Parents/Guardians

Families will likely be interested and perhaps have questions about the ethnic studies course their student will be taking. For the sake of transparency, districts are advised to conduct a Preview Night, either virtual or in-person, for parents/guardians to learn about the purpose of the course, the content, and pedagogy to be utilized.

Below are recommendations to assist you with organizing an informative, safe, productive event.

Important Note: Provide disclosure statement to all registrants.

Tips for Organizing an In-Person Event:

Schedule the Preview Night after your school board has approved the curriculum and instructional materials.
Notify parents/guardians of the event by email, robocall, or other methods.
Organize the Preview Night as a closed meeting for parents and families of students in ethnic studies course(s). The Brown Act need not apply, hence you are not required to allow others to attend.
Be sure to have a school site and/or district administrator present to oversee and monitor the event and respond to any issues that may arise.
Consider including security personnel at the event.
Secure appropriate translators to be present.
Require all attendees to sign in upon arrival. Ask each attendee to write their name, name of student(s), grade level(s), and the school attended by student(s). Pre-registration is advised but not required.
Do not allow attendees to record the meeting.
Reach out to your local county office of education to assist with facilitating and/or planning the event.

Tips for Organizing a Virtual Event:

Schedule the Preview Night after your school board has approved the curriculum and instructional materials.
Notify parents/guardians of the event by email, robocall, or other methods.
Require all interested attendees to pre-register.
- Name of attendee
- Name of student(s)
- Grade level of student(s)
- School Site of student(s)
- Email address
Screen all registrants to be sure only families of students enrolled in ethnics studies course are confirmed to participate.
Do NOT send the Zoom link out in advance. Send Zoom link only to confirmed participants the day before the event.
Secure appropriate translators
Schedule a practice run-through of presentation with translators.
Do not record the session.
Recommendations for using Zoom
- Utilize the webinar format to prevent use of video screens of presenters and attendees.
- Close the Chat option. Instead, utilize the Q&A option for participants to ask questions.
- Do not allow participants to share documents.
- Mute all participants throughout the presentation.
- Ask a staff member to act as a “co-pilot” during the presentation.
- Secure appropriate translators to be present.
- Set up breakout rooms for participants needing translators. Send participants to appropriate translator breakout rooms, if needed.

Action Step 6.2: Communications Plan

Develop a communications plan to describe the purpose, intent, and content of your Ethnic Studies Course. Be sure to anticipate difficult questions that may be challenging to your program. A FAQ may be useful to share.

Task 6.2a Establish a Mechanism to Share Information and Respond to Questions and Concerns

Steps to develop a communications plan:

Research

Define your goal and/or intended outcome
Be aware of your audience

What languages do they speak?
How do they receive and access information (digital or print)?
Who do they communicate with (teachers, pick-up/drop-off supervisors, principal, counselor, after-school childcare, etc.)?
What current social or political issues are relevant to the community?

Plan
1. Key messages
  1. Consistency is key. Before you begin sharing anything with audiences, define the key messages or the main points of information you want your audience to hear, understand, and remember. Note that key messages should describe and define what it is. For example,
    1. Ethnic studies is a state graduation requirement signed into law in 2021
    2. Ethnic studies is the study of...
  2. If the governing board has adopted a resolution in regard to ethnic studies, ensure that key messages are consistent with the language used in the resolution when applicable.
2. Talking points
  1. After you’ve identified your key communicators (the staff that will field questions i.e., classroom teachers, front office receptionists, etc.) create a document that anticipates frequently asked questions and provides recommended responses
3. Timeline
  1. Define a timeline during which you will be actively disseminating information and providing opportunities for input, make sure to be aware of all audiences and all communications channels
    1. If creating opportunities for input, ensure diverse and relevant representation of voices. Make sure to include parent and student groups that will be enrolled in the course upon implementation.
    2. Maximize opportunities for two-way communication
    3. Build time into your timeline for content creation (copywriting, graphics, etc.)

Implement

Content creation
1. Continuously refer to audience and key messages to ensure consistency in all messaging
2. Write for your different audiences
  1. School staff are more accustomed to jargon than parents and/or community members. Make sure to tailor your communication for the intended audience
  2. Language (translate materials when possible and necessary)
3. Keep it simple
Distribution
1. Communicate from the inside out
  1. Lead with internal communications (leadership and school staff) so that they can be a part of your communications team and share a unified message across the district
2. Media outreach
  1. Know your community. Media outreach can be used to share the message with the larger community but be mindful of the socio-political climate in your area.
3. Social media
  1. Existing social media platforms may be used to share information with a wider audience; consider the goal of your communication efforts and whether the information is intended for a wider audience
  2. Refer to your district policies and procedures regarding appropriate use of social media
Make it accessible
1. Consider the makeup of your community and what might be most accessible
  1. A mix of virtual and in-person events may be more accessible to working parents, parents of multiple children and/or families with limited technology access
  2. Ensure that any in-person gatherings are not limited to a single time of the day i.e., always during the school day when some parents may be working and/or always in the evening when parents working late shifts may be unable to attend
  3. Translation services when possible

Action Step 6.3: Teacher Training

Task 6.3a Provide Time and Resources for Teachers to Be Prepared

Topics and issues in an Ethnic Studies course are important to explore but may be perceived as uncomfortable or even controversial by some. Unlike traditional courses, the Ethnic Studies course may, therefore, be especially challenging for teachers to deliver. It is important for teachers to be equipped with background knowledge and the necessary skills to achieve the goals of the ethnic studies course.

Needs Assessment: Before implementing an ethnic studies course, survey teachers to determine their confidence and competence in the areas listed below. If there are perceived gaps, be sure to provide professional learning opportunities to equip teachers with the necessary skills and resources to effectively implement the course.
- Background knowledge of the content of the course.
- Ability to understand, recognize, and respond to explicit and implicit bias of curriculum resources, individuals, and groups.
- Ability to create a “safe” space for students and teachers to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences.
- Ability to facilitate student dialogue that is safe, civil, and respectful of different points of view regarding topics that may be sensitive or controversial.
- Ability to engage students in civic engagement opportunities with policymakers to address ongoing compelling issues surrounding equality, equity, and social justice.
Professional Development: Based on the experience and needs of teachers, develop a plan to provide professional development needed for teachers to effectively deliver the ethnic studies course. Consider the following elements:

Foundational Training: Before diving into the content of the ethnic studies course, equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to:
- understand, recognize, and respond to explicit and implicit bias;
- create “safe spaces” for students to freely share ideas, perspectives, and experiences;
- facilitate dialogue about controversial/sensitive issues that is safe, civil, and respectful; and
- engage students in civic engagement opportunities with policymakers to address ongoing compelling issues surrounding equality, equity, and social justice.
Training on Materials: Allow sufficient time to acquire the necessary instructional materials to implement the ethnic studies course. Equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to:
- acquire and understand the subject matter content of the course;
- introduce lessons;
- deliver instruction in ways that are engaging and accessible to all students;
- provide open spaces for dialogue;
- utilize formative and summative assessment measures to guide instruction.
Technical Assistance and Support: Ongoing technical assistance and support is essential for teachers delivering challenging curriculum. Consider the following ways to support teachers:
- Organize professional learning communities for teachers implementing ethnic studies courses.
- Identify mentors in the school or district who have experience teaching ethnic studies courses.
- Reach out to experts in other school districts.

Before implementing an ethnic studies course, survey teachers to determine their confidence and competence in the areas listed below. If there are perceived gaps, be sure to provide professional learning opportunities to equip teachers with the necessary skills and resources to effectively implement the course. Below are areas to consider for preparing teachers with local resources for professional learning, if needed.

Areas of Focus	Resources
Background knowledge of the content of the course.	Facing History and Ourselves Links to an external site.
Ability to understand, recognize, and respond to explicit and implicit bias of curriculum resources, individuals, and groups.	Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Links to an external site. Los Angeles County Office of Education Implicit Bias Training Center for History-Social Science Education Links to an external site. Los Angeles County Office of Education Implicit Bias Training in the History-Social Science Classroom
Ability to create a “safe” space for students and teachers to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences.	Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Links to an external site. Los Angeles County Office of Education Social Emotional Learning Center for History-Social Science Education Links to an external site. Los Angeles County Office of Education Restorative Practices Social Emotional Learning Facing History and Ourselves Links to an external site.
Ability to facilitate student dialogue that is safe, civil, and respectful of different points of view regarding topics that may be sensitive or controversial.	California Democracy School Initiative Links to an external site. Los Angeles County Office of Education Structured Academic Controversy Philosophical Chairs Socratic Seminar Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Links to an external site. Los Angeles County Office of Education Courageous Conversations
Ability to engage students in civic engagement opportunities with policymakers to address ongoing compelling issues surrounding equality, equity, and social justice.	California Democracy School Initiative Links to an external site. Los Angeles County Office of Education Resources to Support Civic Engagement Links to an external site. California Department of Education

Step One
Establish a Committee

Step Two
Develop the District Lens

Step Three
Investigate Course Options

Step Four
Consider Specific Curriculum Options

Step Five
Make Decisions

Step Six
Prepare for Implementation

The Ethnic Studies Adoption Toolkit was developed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education Links to an external site.