Equitable communication ensures that all voices—not just the ones of the most involved parents, of the racial majority or of the traditional decisionmakers—are heard; everyone’s opinion is valid and valued. Equitable communication also means that the dialogue about school, students, achievement, progress and next steps is ongoing; it is never too late for anyone to join the conversation.
In effective small schools, staff, students, parents, and the community regularly address issues of race, language, socioeconomic status, power and their relationship to teaching and learning, leadership development, and the structure and culture of the school. Norms of, and expectations for, equitable communication become ingrained; they move beyond theory (what is posted on a sheet of paper in the school’s main office) and become practice (how school staff relates to and seeks out the diverse opinions of all its members).
The personalized environment of successful small schools is safe and inclusive. Old notions about communication (parents of students of color are not interested, teachers know best, students are not mature enough to contribute to the conversation, businesses don’t know anything about schools) are discarded, and everyone is invited to the table.
What are some strategies for creating equitable communication?
- Free lines of cultural communication. So many of the world’s problems can be attributed to a breakdown in communication. In schools, problems in cross-cultural communication may be caused by lack of knowledge about other cultures and the subtleties of cultural issues. Opening lines of communication requires acknowledging and understanding the wide range of cultural differences in the school community, which may relate to race, ethnicity, social status, profession, income level or disability. The first steps are for stakeholders to understand their own culture and be conscious of the dynamics inherent when different cultures interact. Then they need training and support to learn about the personal and professional cultures of fellow stakeholders, and how to work productively in a diverse group.
- Shared, continuous ownership. Equitable communication cannot be mandated; it evolves as diverse members of the school community come together to solve problems, learn skills and exchange ideas. Students, parents, community members and school staff need to engage in different types of dialogue—informal conversations, committee meetings, school-wide forums, professional development retreats—to build relationships and cross-cultural understanding. Equitable communication is never “done.” Once the school community has established a safe and inclusive dialogue, it needs to continually reach out to newcomers (in-coming students and their families, recent staff hires, new businesses in the area). And as the community grows and changes, schools need to recognize that the conditions for equitable communication also may need to change. For example, an increase in the number of Latino families might necessitate translators and more in-person parent interactions. An increase in demand among students to be involved in school governance might require new forums for students to voice their ideas. Because the needs, interests and diversity of a school can shift from year to year, it is important to maintain a dialogue that is not only open to all but that remains relevant to the lives and experiences of everyone in the school.
- Mutual respect everywhere. Equitable communication is not limited to site council meetings, parent-teacher conferences and public forums; it happens wherever students, families, community members and school staff interact. In the classroom or the hallways, at basketball games or standing in line in the cafeteria, everyone regards each other with mutual respect and dignity. Equitable communication is not a special behavior reserved for certain types of school activities; it is what people do, it is how they engage one another.
- New approaches to communication.To engage parents and community members from all cultural, racial, ethnic, linguistic, special needs and socioeconomic backgrounds, schools need to use new strategies to create open and explicit dialogue regarding issues of student achievement, equity, diversity and empowerment. Home visits, forums, town hall meetings and visits to community organizations and events are approaches to reach out to, train and empower underrepresented groups. Translating all school written documents and public meetings into the languages of the stakeholders is essential in establishing equitable communication.
Review this element on the Oregon Small Schools Initiative School Change Rubric Self-Assessment Tool.
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