Skip Navigation
IES    
REL
Regional Educational
Laboratory Program
Menu
Search NCEE

Home REL Mid-Atlantic About REL Mid-Atlantic Using Measurement and Evidence to Promote Racial Equity in the School District of Philadelphia

Using Measurement and Evidence to Promote Racial Equity in the School District of Philadelphia

Acknowledging persistent disparities in student outcomes and a history of structural racism in the district, in 2021 the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) announced its goal to become a more equitable school district by examining and disrupting inequitable processes and practices.

Through the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), SDP seeks to address institutional practices, policies, and procedures that contribute to disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes and make progress toward its goal of improving equitable opportunities and outcomes for students. REL Mid-Atlantic is partnering with SDP to assist its efforts to use evidence to inform, monitor, and refine its equity initiatives to enable more equitable opportunities and outcomes for all students.

Partner organization: The School District of Philadelphia


The TCTS project will build the capacity of SDP’s Offices of DEI, Research and Evaluation, and Academic Support to monitor the progress of the CLIF initiative as well as improve its design and implementation. The REL’s technical support will begin in June 2022 and continue through July 2023. The project will include the following activities: a review of existing DEI-related data collection instruments, production of a landscape analysis, and collaboratively determining how existing measures could be adopted or adapted to monitor CLIF implementation; co-developing and supporting SDP’s pilot of test measure(s); and co-designing survey items, conducting cognitive interviews, and leading a technical support session to refine survey items.

This TCTS project will include coaching for central office staff involved in leading and supporting the Equity Partners Fellowship. Coaching will begin in August 2022 and continue throughout the 2022/23 school year to help SDP leaders in the DEI office refine the program and strengthen the supports it will offer to future Equity Fellows, particularly around their action research projects. Coaching will also include modeling the data collection process to support ongoing data informed continuous improvement of the program.

No projects at this time.

SDP CLIF: Review SDP’s Existing DEI-Related Data Collection Instruments, and the Results of Landscape Analysis to Determine CLIF Monitoring Measures, Session 1A
The team will facilitate a two-part technical support session to brief SDP on the results of our analysis of the DEI measures landscape. During Session 1a, we will collaboratively select items from existing measures that SDP could adopt or adapt to monitor...

SDP CLIF: Review SDP’s Existing DEI-Related Data Collection Instruments, and the Results of Landscape Analysis to Determine CLIF Monitoring Measures, Session 1B
The team will facilitate a two-part technical support session to brief SDP on the results of our analysis of the DEI measures landscape. During Session 1b, we will collaboratively determine the number, format (such as annual districtwide survey items...

REL Mid-Atlantic Logic Model (129 KB)

REL Mid-Atlantic Logic Model