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Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education

Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education

Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Implementation Roadmap

NYSED Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Roadmap Introduction

For more than a century, education providers throughout the United States have strived and struggled to meet the diverse needs of American children and families. A complex system of biases and structural inequities is at play, deeply rooted in our country’s history, culture, and institutions. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has come to understand that the results we seek for all our children can never be fully achieved without incorporating an equity and inclusion lens in every facet of our work (see also New York State’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan). This understanding has created an urgency around promoting equitable opportunities that help all children thrive.

The New York State Board of Regents and State Education Department published the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education Framework in 2018 and have now published a guide for implementation: the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Implementation Roadmap (K-12). The CRS Framework and Roadmap are committed to encouraging equity and inclusion for all the students and families in our state.  This Roadmap, developed by a Strategy committee that includes classroom teachers, educators, community partners, and higher education representatives from across New York State, includes action steps and links to free resources for school districts and community groups as they do this very important work. As more resources are developed, the Department will continue to expand the resources section of the Roadmap and website.

The CR-S Framework marks our journey forward and begins the evolution toward leveraging difference as an asset. The framework is grounded in four key overarching principles:

  • Welcoming and Affirming Environment
  • High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction
  • Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment
  • Ongoing Professional Learning

The NYS CRS Implementation Roadmap has been designed to assist and support districts and educators with the implementation of these important key principles and the CRS Framework. The Roadmap links to pertinent guidance and resources that are provided throughout the roadmap. Based on a need assessment, districts are encouraged to tailor the suggested implementation activities to meet their specific district level needs during the transition process.

The NYSED CRS Roadmap is organized into three Phases, with key action steps and notes for local implementation and customization:  

  • Phase I: Raise Awareness and Support for the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework.
  • Phase II: Build Capacity for the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework
  • Phase III: Full Implementation of the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework

Since local training, professional development, and curriculum decisions are all locally decided, this Roadmap and the associated resources can be customized based on local needs.