DEI in schools doesn’t have to be controversial, or political. It’s just good academic practice. Research shows that students who attend schools that are culturally aware perform better.
Dr. Luvelle Brown
Create a Culture of Love. Dr. Brown uses this mantra to facilitate conversations that result in transformative shifts in school culture and achievement. A leading voice on equity & inclusion, Dr. Brown challenges school teams at every level to face down tough questions en route to driving change.
Recommended reading
#1 The power of DEI in K-12 schools
#2 Why most DEI programs don't work
Before you can put DEI to work in your schools, it’s important to understand the reasons it doesn’t work today — and make some meaningful changes. Only then can you have a better conversation.
#3 What schools can do to fix it
Ready to move your team from the relative safety of head nods and talking points to the gritty, impactful process of results-driven DEI in schools? Every plan should include these 5 key pillars.
“Inclusion is not bringing people into what already exists; it is making a new space, a better space for everyone.”
- George Dei, Professor
FAQs
What is RocketPD?
RocketPD is a nationwide community of education leaders dedicated to connecting K-12 school districts and their teams with the world’s top thought leaders on the topics that matter in K-12 education.
Every RocketPD thought leader creates professional learning content designed to inspire and empower teachers, administrators and staff through a process of learning and doing.
Each of our interactive, multi-part professional learning programs features sessions that are:
- Standards-aligned
- Practical and applicable
- Job-embedded and
- Measurable and sustainable
How can I (or my team) participate?
Pick the topic (or topics) that interest you and choose your thought leader.
Spend a few seconds on the page to learn about their philosophy and program.
Like what you hear?
We typically offer three types of experiences:
- Multi-month cohort experiences. Here, your team can meet with RPD thought leaders and collaborate with other educators in your region or nationally. Cohorts represent an efficient, easy to manage, and cost-effective way to give your team access to nationally recognized authors and educators from anywhere. Cohorts are great for large districts that want to test concepts before rolling them out more broadly, or for smaller districts that want to give their teams access to higher-quality thought leaders, without the high sticker price.
- Fully customizable district-led experiences. Have a large team? Ready to do this work on your own with colleagues? Every RPD thought leader is available to lead customized district-wide implementations of their courses or content. Just ask about our fully customized district-led experiences.
- Keynotes and self-paced courses. Want to learn more before signing up for a full cohort. Ask about our available keynotes or individualized self-paced courses. Most of our thought leaders are available to deliver keynotes, either virtually in-person, and many offer self-paced courses for individuals.
What approach is right for me?
The short answer? It depends. Our cohort model offers a great way to explore a topic with a small group before deciding to roll it out to a full team or across an entire district. Our fully customized district experiences provide flexibility for larger groups and our keynotes and self-paced courses are a great way to get to know our thought leaders and their work before deciding to make a larger financial commitment.
How can I invite my team?
In most cases, you can sign up for programs offered by any of our RPD thought leaders directly through the RocketPD website. You can choose to name additional participants when you sign up, or simply add them later. If you prefer not to use the form, and want to sign up over the phone, that option is available in all cases.
What’s the best way to get started?
Take a few minutes to explore the RocketPD website. If you see a thought leader or program that piques your interest, sign up directly via the form on the page — or contact us to learn more.
At RPD, we believe our thought leaders are among the best anywhere in their area of expertise. If you would like to meet with any of them individually before signing up a team or district, we’d be happy to make an introduction. We’ll schedule a meeting to help you learn more about their approach and decide what’s best for you and/ or your team.
Our Topics
Get our Ultimate Guide to K-12 PD
featuring 7 ways K-12 professional learning is broken – and how to fix it
