Equity Expansive Technical Assistance for Schools

Kathleen A. King Thorius is an associate professor at Indiana University School of Education–IUPUI and executive director of the Great Lakes Equity Center. Her books include Sustaining Disabled Youth: Centering Disability in Asset Pedagogies and Ability, Equity, and Culture: Sustaining Inclusive Urban Education Reform.

• ContentsAcknowledgments  ixIntroduction and Overview of the Book  1Part I: The Quest For Equity And Theory In Partnerships To Eliminate Racial Disproportionality In Special Education1.  Disproportionality—A Cultural–Historical Problem in Search of a Cultural–Historical Solution  13Meeting the Moment With Equity Assistance  13Sorting Through the Research: An Introduction to the Problem of Disproportionality  15Reading the Research: A Synopsis of What We Know About Disproportionality's Root Causes  18Disproportionality as a Contested Phenomenon: Illuminating and Obscuring Systemic Racism and Ableism  27Policy and Practice Approaches to Eliminating Disproportionality  30Researcher-Led/Research on Approaches to Eliminating Disproportionality  36Implications of Existing Research on Technical Assistance Approaches to Remediating Disproportionality  382.  Technical Assistance as Cultural–Historical Activity  42Enhancing Technical Improvements With Contextual Analysis and Application  47Considering Context in the Development and Design of Evidence-Based Practices: Equity Cannot Be "Implemented"  493.  Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Equity Expansive Technical Assistance  53PART II: Facilitating Critical En/Counters: The Application Of Equity Expansive Technical Assistance Partnerships To Reverse Racial Disproportionality In Special Education4.  Equity Expansive Technical Assistance  61Technical Assistance Organized by Duration and Intensity  61The Defining Elements of Equity Expansive Technical Assistance  66From Top-Down Expert to Critically Conscious Partner  67Expanding and Enhancing Technical Solutions With Contextual and Critical Analysis and Systemic Transformation  79Process-Based Conceptualization of Systemic Transformation Informed by Expansive Learning Theory  90Critical Tools for Encountering and Expanding Policies and Practices  93Revisiting the Goal of Equity Expansive Technical Assistance: Something for Everyone  1065.  Equity Expansive Technical Assistance for Reversing Disproportionality  108Equity Expansive Learning Cycle(s) of a Technical Assistance Partnership to Eliminate Disproportionality  109Step 1: Analyzing the "Dispro Status Quo"  109Step 2: Evoking Systemic Tensions, or Framing and Naming the Impact and Relationship of Racism and Ableism  120Step 3: Introducing Equity Resources as Mediating Artifacts, or Defining the Elements of Equitable (Special) Education, Curriculum, and Instruction  129Step 4: Equity Expansion of the Object Through Innovative Activity Models, or Expanding the Object to a Coordinated System of Equitable Education Practice, Policy, and Contributing Belief Systems  132Step 5: Testing out and Refining Innovations, or Engaging in Critical Praxis  132Steps 6 and 7: Reflecting on and Refining the New Activity Model and Disseminating the Model Through Distributed Activity Systems, or Distributing Equitable Practice  1346.  The Florence Unified School District  135Reframing Perceptions of Isolated Incidents to Understand and Remediate a Pervasive Negative Climate for People of Color  137The Primary Contradiction: The Epistemic Question of How We Can Have Two Truths  138The Double Bind: We Are Here Because We Want to Help/We Are Not Your Charity  140The Tertiary Contradiction: Seeking Resolution Through Trauma and Harm Reduction  142Refining the Activity Model: Who Does What, When, and How  1427.  Representative SEA Center Partnership  145Background for the Partnership  145Site and Participants  147How the Partnership Led to the Study  148Data Collection and Analysis Processes  148The Initial Object of Collecting and Distribution of "Best Practices": Seeking "Critical Friends" to Layer Equity on Technical Acontextual Solutions  149Artifacts and Contradictions Expanding the Initial Object of Activity: "Oh My, What Are We Going to Do Now?"  150Modeling New Solutions: From Technical Strategies to Transformative Asset Pedagogies  1588.  Ongoing Cycles and Continued Vigilance  161Implications of the Approach  162References  167Index  191About the Author  197