Pyramid Model Practices to Address Inequities in Discipline: Culturally Responsive Tools #2069 Jolenea Ferro, University of South Florida Background Pyramid Model Tools - System Tools – Classroom Practices Boys are 54% of preschool population but 78% of those suspended African American preschoolers are 3.6 times more likely to be suspended than White peers African American boys represent 19% of male enrollment but 45% of those suspended African American girls are 20% of female enrollment but 54% of girls suspended *Office of Civil Rights 2013-2014 Data Program-wide Benchmarks of Quality Elements Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool Program-wide effort to support the social competence of all children and effectively address challenging behavior Enhanced Coach Equity Reflection Do learning centers and activities include materials, songs, and visuals that are aligned with the cultures and interests of children? Do the posted schedule, expectations, and rules use the children’s home language? Are all adults in the classroom respectful to each other and aware of differing cultural backgrounds? Are all adults working towards creating an impartial, inclusive and positive learning environment? Leadership Team includes Family and community members Staff understand and support culturally responsive practices Families are engaged in a meaningful manner in planning and decision-making Program-wide expectations are compatible with cultural norms of community and include family input Supports for Pyramid Model Practices are implemented Family members are included in process of identifying and responding to individual child behavior needs Professional development includes information and discussion of culturally responsive practices and implicit bias Data decision-making examines implementation and outcomes and includes data on discipline disproportionality Tertiary Intervention Few A Framework of Evidence-Based Practices Secondary Prevention Some Universal Promotion All Implicit racial bias is one of the critical factors that promote racial and ethnic inequality in American society. It is important to understanding the causes of implicit racial bias and intentionally work to bring it to the conscious level in order to mitigate the negative consequences Questions during Coaching When you examine the data, do you see any patterns that you want to discuss? What are some of your classroom practices that are culturally responsive? Pyramid Equity Project Enhance Pyramid Model with explicit emphasis on Culturally responsive practices and implicit bias Tools: Program-wide Benchmarks of Quality Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) Behavior Incident Report Leadership Guide Coaching Guide Behavior Incident Report Identify patterns in the response to incidents of challenging behavior Identify patterns in classroom data versus program data Tools – Classroom Practices Implicit bias Unconscious process Supports stereotypes Mental process resulting in feelings and attitudes about people based on race, age, marital status, appearance etc. Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool Assessing Key Classroom Practices