"Equity in the classroom is re-engineering learning opportunities to maximize the assets of our students." - Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge

Students in the Everett School District are getting ready for a lesson created for them by their teachers during CSTP's Culturally Responsive Teacher Residency.

Register now for one or both Camp CSTP sessions July 27-29, 2022 in North Bend, WA. These intimate sessions are expected to fill quickly. Reserve your spot by June 10 to take advantage of our early bird pricing!

This session will make connections between common PLC questions and/or structures, the six themes of CRE and the five planning questions outlined in Culturally Responsive Education in the classroom by Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge. Rooted in CSTP’s Teacher Leadership Framework it will also highlight the ways all teachers can elevate their leadership skills in order to work together for all students in all classrooms. Work with your team to explore how you and your PLC can leverage planning to make your classrooms more culturally responsive.

Questions? Contact Erin@cstp-wa.org.

Pending funding for the 2022-2023 school year, we are looking for schools/districts across Washington state who are interested in participating in a Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) in the Classroom Residency. If your school might be interested in participating in the upcoming school year, please fill out our interest form and we will contact you when the application and details for the 2022-2023 school year are released.

The Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) in the Classroom Residency is a unique and intensive professional development experience in which team receives coaching, facilitation and technical assistance from Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge, author of “Culturally Responsive Education in the Classroom.”

Residencies are designed based on the need of the educators and their students, and include 18 hours of in person learning, coaching and technical assistance around the mental model that serves as the foundation for a culturally responsive classroom. Generally the 18 hours are covered in a three-day sub release model. The dates and schedule will be determined once your team is selected and approved. We anticipate selecting up to 24 schools or districts for this one of a kind professional development training.

Visit our website for more information or sign-up for updates on the 2022-23 application.

Congratulations to 2022 Washington State PAEMST finalists:

Learn more about Washington's finalists and the PAEMST program on OSPI's website.

The State Board of Education has launched a Stakeholder Survey to collect feedback from students, parents, educators, and community members on Washington State’s graduation requirements (specifically graduation pathway options). Share your view about high school learning opportunities, planning tools (High School & Beyond Plan), and how well graduation pathway options prepare students for life beyond high school. The Board uses feedback from the public to help develop recommendations to the Legislature.

Please take the survey at your earliest convenience and by the deadline of July 1. The survey is available in Spanish (disponible en español).

You can also sign up to participate in a focus group if you’d like to share your story and discuss suggestions. See this blog post for more information.

Washington's OSPI and Department of Health have released a survey for those working in Washington schools to share experiences and thoughts about COVID testing in schools during the 2021-22 school year and how those systems could be improved next year. Please fill out their survey by June 20, 2022 to participate.

The COVID-19 pandemic and current racial justice movements have presented challenges and opportunities to students and families across Washington state. The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has been uniquely impacted by discrimination in recent years. To learn more and provide support, League of Education Voters believes in authentic engagement with the AAPI community.

In their free webinar on Thursday, June 9 at 12:30 pm, a statewide panel of AAPI students, community leaders, educators, and advocates will share their perspectives on current events and what works to effectively educate AAPI students in an equitable way.

The Special Education Technology Center (SETC) webinar series addresses technology tools and strategies to support inclusive learning environments.

Check out SETC's website for more resources and professional development.

SETC offers consultation services for early childhood teachers and teams: Do you need assistance implementing communication supports for a student with complex communication needs? Reach out to Sarah.Kinsella@cwu.edu to learn more about scheduling a consultation with our team of experts.

WEA offers over 50 asynchronous courses on a variety of inclusionary practice topics for Washington educators throughout the year. In addition, Asynchronous STEM courses are also available through Canvas in:

Collaborative Learning Solutions is a member of the statewide professional development cadre for the Inclusionary Practices Project with OSPI. They are offering free training, resources and supports to educators, students and schools to create conditions for all learners focused on restorative practices and equity emphasizing the educational and social-emotional needs of all students. The training they are offering is comprised of distinctive targets including Restorative Practices, Community of Equity and Inclusive Practices, and Restorative Justice Centers. The target audiences for their trainings are district leaders, school leaders, teachers, counselors, parents and students. Learn more and register.

Also, check out their weekly SEL lessons.

Ed4all WA is a collaborative project with the CEEDAR WA team and Washington Educators. Ed4all WA provides educators in the State of Washington with resources and online professional development opportunities to help strengthen their profession as an educator.

Check out the Ed4all website for educator resources to help support growth in awareness surrounding best practice to use with students of all ages.

If you meet any of these criteria and are interested in registering for Jump Start at a reduced rate of $25, please do not use the registration links above. Please fill out this link and you will be contacted within a week of your submission.

Questions? Contact Arlyn Palomo.

Are you a NBCT who is interested in operating a National Board support cohort?

To ensure consistency across the state, NBCTs are asked to participate in Facilitator Training prior to hosting a cohort group. Additionally, OSPI will only approve cohorts that are facilitated by trained facilitators. This training hones facilitation knowledge and skills, provides a deeper understanding of the revised National Board process, as well as develops skills in working with adult learners.

This year, training is entirely online and free of charge and clock hours are available. Training dates and times are listed below:

Please indicate the date you'd like to attend in the pre-registration form. Registration for either session will close approximately 2 weeks prior to the start of training.

For any questions about Facilitator Training, please contact Steven Mueller or visit the OSPI website for more information.

Interested in expanding your accomplishments as an NBCT to the rest of your region and statewide National Board network? If so, you might consider the upcoming opening for OSPI National Board Regional Coordinator contracts, soon to be posted on the OSPI procurements webpage. All Regional Coordinators are current NBCTs working in K-12 schools, contracted with OSPI to support candidates, NBCTs, cohort facilitation, and outreach on behalf of the state National Board network.

While OSPI is currently accepting applications from NBCTs in all regions of the state, for the 2022-2023 school year we are currently looking for Regional Coordinators to support ESDs 105, 113, and 171. Please review the description, qualifications, and proposal content requirements within the informal solicitation at the link above. Any comments or questions on this opening can be directed to contracts@k12.wa.us.

Are you considering earning your national certification or working towards your renewal? National Board for Professional Teaching Standards offers free informational webinars including Introduction to National Board Certification, Preparing for Your National Board Journey, and Introduction to Maintenance of Certification.

The latest posts from CSTP's teacher bloggers on www.storiesfromschools.org.

"There’s an even bigger change, though, in terms of academics. Until the early 2000s, I used to say that the American education system valued independence, creativity, and results. And we got independence, creativity, and results."

"So, as we wrap up the school year, the third tainted by the pandemic, I hope some of these reminders help you refocus and practice some self care. Remember, you can’t win ‘em all, go easy on yourself, take your time, and have fun!"

He was still confused. “But where is the front of the room?”

I walked around the room a bit, his head swiveling to look at me, and replied, “Wherever I am!”

We asked our bloggers to tell us about their experience with culturally responsive teaching. We asked them:

Happy summer break! We have a few CSTP staff recommendations for books, podcasts, and TV shows to add to your summer to-do list.

Your gift ensures that CSTP continues to support student achievement through a focus on teaching excellence. With you as a partner in CSTP’s mission, you directly make a difference in the lives of youth across Washington State schools. Donations are tax deductible and essential as CSTP works to support educators navigate unique models of student engagement during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Liking and sharing our posts on social media is another way you can support CSTP during these times. Thank you for sharing our message.