Addressing Racial Bias in School Systems: Creating Inclusive & Equitable Learning Environments for System Involved Youth

Marya Wright, MSW, ASW

Training Description

This training provides an overview of racial bias within school systems and ways to address it. Participants will gain an understanding of what racial bias is, how it manifests in schools, and its impact on students, especially system-involved your who are disproportionately youth of color. They will also learn strategies for addressing racial bias in school systems and advancing for racial equity. The training will emphasize the importance of cultural competence training for educators. Overall, those who support system-involved youth will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to address racial bias within their school systems and create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students. The material will be delivered by PowerPoint presentation, short video clips, group discussion, breakout (small group) discussions and participant workbook (handout).

Learning Objectives

· Participants will be able to identify 2 examples of how racial bias manifests in school systems and explain its implications for system involved youth.

· Participants will be able to identify and explain at least 2 negative impacts of racial bias on academic achievement and overall well-being of system involved youth.

· Participants will acquire at least 2 actionable strategies to address racial bias within school systems, ensuring their applicability and effectiveness within current efforts to support system involved youth.

Agenda

10:00 - 10:05am  Welcome, Agenda, Objectives and Learning Goals

10:05 - 10:15am  Overview

10:15 - 10:20am  What is Racial Bias?

10:20 - 10:30am  Definition and Examples of Racial Bias in School Systems

10:30 - 10:40am  Effects of Racial Bias on Students

10:40 - 10:50am  Understanding Implicit Bias

10:50 - 11:05am  BREAK (CE Hours will not be offered for this time)

11:05 - 11:10am  Examples of Implicit Bias in School systems

11:10 - 11:25am  The impact of implicit bias on academic achievement

11:25 - 11:35am  Addressing Racial Bias in Schools

11:35  - 11:45am  Strategies for addressing racial bias in school systems.

11:45am - 12:00pm  Building an inclusive and equitable learning environment

12:00 - 1:00pm  LUNCH (CE Hours will not be offered for this time)

1:00 - 1:10pm  Creating a culturally responsive curriculum

1:10 - 1:20pm  Fostering meaningful relationships between educators and students

1:20 - 1:35pm  Cultural competence training for educators

1:35 - 1:45pm  The importance of cultural competence training for educators

1:45 - 2:00pm  BREAK (CE Hours will not be offered for this time)

2:00 - 2:15pm  Strategies for developing cultural competence among educators

2:15 - 2:30pm  How to implement cultural competence training programs in schools

2:30 - 2:45pm  Advancing Racial Equity in Schools

2:45 - 3:00pm  The importance of advancing racial equity in schools

3:00 - 3:15pm  Strategies for advancing racial equity in school systems

3:15 - 3:30pm  Creating an anti-racist school culture

3:30 - 3:45pm  Call to action for educators to implement strategies to address racial bias in   schools

3:45 - 3:50pm  Questions/Answers

3:50 - 4:00pm  Wrap-up & Closing

Meet Our Trainer

Marya Wright, MSW, is a nationally distinguished social worker, consultant, educator, international trainer, and facilitator with experience in organizational leadership, child welfare services, and curriculum development. She is the President and CEO of Wright Community Services LLC, a company that strives to empower system-involved families through awareness, services, and education while also providing consultation, training, and system specific facilitation to the agencies that services these communities. She is a registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (#81167) with the Board of Behavioral Sciences working to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

Marya holds a Master’s in Social Work from California State University, East Bay with a focus on Child Welfare Policy and Research and a Bachelor’s in Social Work with a focus on Child Welfare Services and Motivational Interviewing from San Diego State University.

Marya is a qualified expert witness and private dependency investigator for children, youth, and family services as it relates to family law court, juvenile and dependency court. She is an elected Board of Director for the California Society of Clinical Social Work (CSCSW).

Marya has conducted considerable research on Child Sexual Exploitation, Foster Care, and published an article on the use of algorithmic decision-making in child welfare. In addition to her clinical social work, Marya is a seasoned lecturer. She has taught in the Sociology Department at Cal State East Bay since Spring 2020. Her course load includes Sociology of Sexualities, Child Welfare Policy, Sociology of Family, and Sexual Violence.

This course meets the qualifications for (4.5) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.