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Home REL Midwest About REL Midwest Supporting Inclusive and Diverse Educator Environments

Supporting Inclusive and Diverse Educator Environments

Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest is partnering with school districts across Minnesota to cultivate and sustain school culture and working conditions that increase the retention of teachers of color and Indigenous teachers. To achieve this goal, the Supporting Inclusive and Diverse Educator Environments (SIDEE) partnership will provide training to school leaders and staff on cultural proficiency, offer continuous leadership coaching on building an inclusive school culture and supporting teachers of color and Indigenous teachers, provide teacher peer support through affinity groups, and develop connections between teachers and mentors of the same racial/ethnic background.

Current Projects

REL Midwest will coordinate with state and district staff to cultivate and sustain working conditions and school cultures that increase the retention of Indigenous educators and educators of color. This work will focus on areas of cultural proficiency training identified through REL Midwest–facilitated needs assessments and co-design planning meetings with state, district, and school personnel. Support will entail schoolwide training, leadership coaching, mentor coaching for Indigenous mentors and mentors of color, and affinity groups for Indigenous educators and educators of color. Each of these components will also incorporate resources focused on topics elevated by the schools.
REL Midwest will examine the usability, feasibility, and acceptability of SIDEE’s four intervention components designed to improve school climate for Indigenous educators and educators of color. REL Midwest will conduct surveys and interviews with participants in up to four schools during 2 academic years, with the data collection and reporting sequenced throughout the school years to inform continuous improvement. The purpose of the study is to ensure the final intervention is aligned with the needs of Minnesota districts and schools and can support the state’s educator diversification goals.

REL Midwest is conducting a study to identify factors that are associated with the completion of traditional four-year undergraduate teacher preparation programs to address teacher preparation needs in Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota. REL Midwest is using administrative, survey, and interview data to examine how demographic and academic characteristics differ between those who complete and don’t complete these programs, and what personal and contextual factors are associated with program completion.

No completed projects at this time.

Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: August 09, 2024
Red Lake Elementary Complex in Minnesota is committed to creating a learning environment that celebrates students’ Ojibwe language and culture. Learn how school leaders partnered with REL Midwest on a yearlong professional learning series designed to...
Event Type: In-person Event | Event Date: April 18, 2024
Time: 8:00 a.m.-9:45 a.m. CT Location: Minnesota Indian Education Conference 2024, Hinckley, MN Description: The Minnesota Department of Education’s State Professional Development Grant (SPDG) focuses on increasing the graduation rates of American Indian...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: December 18, 2023
Time: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. CT Location: Virtual Description: In this training session, pre-K through grade 2 educators at Red Lake Elementary Complex in Red Lake, Minnesota will discuss tools for developing cultural proficiency, learn competencies for...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: October 23, 2023
Time: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. CT Location: Virtual Description: This session will engage educators at Red Lake Elementary Complex in Red Lake, Minnesota in a series of activities and discussions to support development of their shared understanding of the...
Event Type: In-person Event | Event Date: October 23, 2023
Time: 2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m. CT Location: Minnesota Administrators for Special Education Conference 2023, Brainerd, Minnesota Description: Evidence shows that all students benefit from a diverse educator workforce. What steps can administrators take to build...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: May 10, 2023
Time: 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Location: Virtual Description: School leaders, teacher leaders, teachers, and mentors will participate in a series of professional learning sessions on cultural competence and proficiency. The sessions will be broadly...
Event Type: In-person Event | Event Date: April 19, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. Central Time Location: Minnesota Indian Education Association Conference 2023, Prior Lake, MN Description: Evidence shows that students, especially Indigenous students and students of color, benefit from a diverse educator workforce. REL...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: April 19, 2023
Time: 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Location: Virtual Description: School leaders, teacher leaders, teachers, and mentors will participate in a series of professional learning sessions on cultural competence and proficiency. The sessions will be broadly...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: March 15, 2023
Time: 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Location: Virtual Description: School leaders, teacher leaders, teachers, and mentors will participate in a series of professional learning sessions on cultural competence and proficiency. The sessions will be broadly...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: February 22, 2023
Time: 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Location: Virtual Description: School leaders, teacher leaders, teachers, and mentors will participate in a series of professional learning sessions on cultural competence and proficiency. The sessions will be broadly...
Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: February 08, 2023
With the start of 2023, we begin the second year of REL Midwest’s current five-year cycle of work.
Product Type: Resource | Publication Date: January 2023
The Supporting Inclusive and Diverse Educator Environments (SIDEE) partnership is working with school districts in Minnesota to cultivate and sustain school culture and working conditions that increase the retention of teachers of color and Indigenous...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: January 11, 2023
Time: 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Location: Virtual Description: School leaders, teacher leaders, teachers, and mentors will participate in a series of professional learning sessions on cultural competence and proficiency. The sessions will be broadly...
Event Type: Training Material | Event Date: December 14, 2022
Time: 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Location: Virtual Description: School leaders, teacher leaders, teachers, and mentors will participate in a series of professional learning sessions on cultural competence and proficiency. The sessions will be broadly...
Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: December 12, 2022
This blog details how REL Midwest hosted training and coaching sessions on cultural proficiency with staff at Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School in Minneapolis.
Product Type: Blog | Publication Date: July 12, 2022
Students of color who have teachers from the same racial or ethnic background experience important social, emotional, and academic benefits...
Product Type: Resource | Publication Date: June 2022
REL Midwest works with educators in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin to support the use of evidence and data to improve student outcomes. In particular, REL Midwest seeks to address priorities related to the needs and...

REL Midwest Logic Model (File pending)

REL Midwest Logic Model