Culturally responsive practices affirm students’ diverse backgrounds and perspectives. These practices center traditionally marginalized communities in classroom instruction and result in all students developing impactful critical thinking skills that support not only their academic success but also their lifelong learning.
In this overview, we use culturally responsive practices as an umbrella term covering culturally responsive pedagogy and culturally sustaining pedagogy, as well as culturally responsive or relevant teaching. Although there are nuances in this terminology, the practices have similar goals based on research that builds on each other.
The Framework of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) was introduced by Gloria Ladson-Billings in the 1990s, when she theorized that the reason Black children were not achieving to the same degree as white children was not due to “deficiencies,” a widely held belief at the time, but rather due to the ways education systems traditionally teach. Ladson-Billings researched teachers who exhibited excellence in teaching Black students and from these observations distilled three pillars of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: student learning, cultural competence, and critical consciousness. Respectively, these emphasize prioritizing students’ intellectual growth; affirming and appreciating students’ cultures of origin while also developing fluency in at least one other culture; and teaching students how to identify, analyze, and solve real-world problems. (Ladson-Billings, 1995)
Building upon Ladson-Billings’ work, Geneva Gay coined the term “Culturally Responsive Teaching.” In 2000, she wrote:
“When academic knowledge and skills are situated within the lived experiences and frames of reference for students, they are more personally meaningful, have higher interest appeal, and are learned more easily and thoroughly.”
Gay’s research surfaced five critical components to effectively engage in culturally responsive teaching: educators must exhibit a strong knowledge base about cultural diversity, prioritize culturally relevant curricula which should connect to students’ prior knowledge, hold high expectations for all students, make a concerted effort to understand and appreciate different communication styles, and use multicultural examples in the classroom. (Gay, 2000)
Culturally relevant practices can help students make connections and build on prior knowledge, both of which are critical to encoding. They also help foster a sense of belonging and reduce the risk of identity threats that are shown to impede focus and flood working memory (Charlot et al., 2021). When culturally relevant practices are utilized effectively and consistently in the classroom, educators see not only better academic outcomes but also stronger social and emotional outcomes. More specifically, studies suggest incorporating culturally responsive pedagogical practices in the classroom leads to an increase in attendance, credits earned, and GPA, as well as a reduction in high school dropouts (Dee & Penner, 2017).
Culturally responsive practices might look like:
Outside any single classroom, culturally responsive practices are most effectively implemented when fundamental beliefs in the pillars of CRP are demonstrated at a school- and system-wide level with investment in full-scale structural change.
A critical component of CRP is holding high expectations for all students. CRP utilizes culturally affirming curricula and instruction to support all students in meeting these high expectations in meaningful ways.
CRP leverages curricula and instruction that are relevant to students’ lives and encourages deep and meaningful engagement with content and a continued development of critical-thinking skills.
CRP encourages students to examine, identify, and analyze real-world problems and consider potential solutions to contribute to a more equitable society.
A variety of models on the Innovative Models Exchange support the implementation of Culturally Responsive Practices in schools to create affirming learning experiences for students.
The Anti-Bias Education model targets biased attitudes through curriculum, classroom practices, and deep community building to transform communities to be more just, equitable, and connected.
Roots ConnectED addresses systems of oppression at the root. Their Anti-Bias Education model uses curriculum, classroom practices, and deep Community Building with all stakeholders to identify and dismantle the thinking and ideology that contributes to bias and discrimination before it gives way to harmful acts of oppression. The Anti-Bias Education model is centered on identity and inclusion, and acts as a means for transforming communities to be more just, equitable, and connected. The framework and its tools are holistic and intended for longterm integration throughout the curriculum and environment.
The Anti-Bias Education model seeks to build towards a new reality, where all feel seen and accepted as their authentic selves, and systems are equitable and enable access across differences. A dual process of personal and collective transformation supports students and adults in developing the attitudes and behaviors that dismantle oppression and sustain hope for a new reality. Dual Process for Change Tree of Love
While it is too early to measure outcomes from Roots ConnectED’s 22 coaching partnerships, satisfaction data is promising. They offer various professional development through coaching, institutes, and online workshops to schools interested in implementing the model.
Bridges to Academic Success supports newcomer students with building language, literacy, and mathematical skills to access rigorous content and thrive in school.
Bridges to Academic Success is an innovative, multidimensional approach to supporting the academic achievement of newcomer students. The Bridges model is grounded in the belief that newcomers bring valuable resources, such as life experiences, home language, and cultural knowledge that enrich schools and communities. The model is designed for students who have been in US schools for three years or less, are multilingual learners, and may have had interrupted or inconsistent schooling in their home country.
Bridges curricula and frameworks are informed by extensive research on language, content knowledge, numeracy skills, and literacy development for newcomer students and Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) with developing literacy and numeracy skills. All components of the model are designed to meet newcomer students’ language, literacy, academic, and social-emotional needs.
Bridges to Academic Success, a project of the Center for Advanced Study in Education (CASE) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), consists of researchers and content developers, language and literacy teachers, and school administrators in secondary schools throughout New York State. To date, Bridges has served over 15,000 students and 1,800 educators. Bridges offers literacy, Spanish home language, math curricula, professional learning, and instructional coaching targeted at improved academic results for multilingual learners. Bridges Website
The liberatory project-based learning model at High Tech High consists of authentic, collaborative, hands-on experiences that help students develop the deeper learning competencies needed in life.
The liberatory project-based learning (LPBL) model at High Tech High (HTH) evolved from the belief that students should be actively engaged with ideas and creating new knowledge versus being passive consumers of information. By positioning students as the central agents in their education, LPBL serves as a vehicle for deeper learning that hones relevant academic, civic, and life skills and dispositions. The deeper learning experiences are intentionally created for and with students, so they can develop an expanding sense of identity and an expanded ability to pursue questions of importance with others.
As an equity-driven organization, HTH believes that students should have access to meaningful learning and engage in projects that matter to them in a context of a loving community. Equal Opportunity for Deeper LearningThe engagement in projects driven by questions that students generate is liberatory PBL—a liberation from constructs about school where learning only happens with books and the primary source of information is the teacher. Instead, it challenges the roles of teacher and student and thinks of disciplines as lenses to see the world. This work is driven by Paulo Freire’s philosophy that one needs to understand the full truth of one’s own reality, resist dominant narratives, and reclaim one’s true identity.
As an organization that is constantly reflecting and learning, the transformation of HTH has grown to include a network of charter schools, a teacher certification program, and a graduate school of education. This allows HTH insights into emerging questions about its unique approach to Liberatory PBL and the impact on the lives of its students.
The Calculus Project works to accelerate mathematics learning for students furthest from opportunity, beginning in middle school, in order to give them access to higher-level mathematics courses in high school and college.
The Calculus Project (TCP) is a grassroots-style initiative aimed at dramatically increasing the number of students of color and students from low-income backgrounds who complete Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus in high school. Its mission is rooted in the belief that if students that are furthest from opportunity have the skills and resources to access advanced mathematics it will decrease their need to take remedial mathematics courses upon entering college. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood of their graduating from college, open doors to STEM professions that would otherwise be hard to enter, and positively impact their future earnings.
TCP achieves its mission by disrupting widespread tracking practices and identifying Black and/or Hispanic students from low-income households to participate in higher-level mathematics learning acceleration beginning in the summer after 7th grade. During their work with students, TCP staff pre-teach upcoming topics and support students to excel in their mathematics coursework. The program is run in a cohort-style model that supports social and emotional learning (SEL) and peer teaching. Families, students, and their teachers are all involved in an ongoing manner to remain engaged with the students’ math learning.
TCP has served more than 10,000 students since 2009, with the majority enrolling in AP-level mathematics courses by their senior year of high school.
The Rites of Passage Program supports adolescents’ successful journey into adulthood by helping them define their values and by providing them with an intentional community, wraparound support, liberation education, and leadership development.
The Brotherhood Sister Sol (BroSis) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization that has been at the forefront of social justice, educating, organizing, and training youth and educators since 1995. Through unconditional love, around-the-clock support, and wraparound programming, it makes space for young people to examine their roots, define their stories, and awaken their agency as they develop into empowered critical thinkers and community leaders.
Core to the organization is the Rites of Passage Program (ROP). ROP is a long-term, transformative youth development model that provides multilayered support, guidance, and education to adolescents as they grow into adulthood. In this model, youth form self-identified, gender-based groups (called “Chapters”), each led by two adult Chapter Leaders who facilitate weekly sessions and serve as trusted mentors and confidantes for participants as they explore their identity and beliefs as well as life’s various challenges.
Together, Chapters of 12–18 youths form an intentional community, learning to embrace the ideals of brotherhood and sisterhood and to utilize restorative justice methods to resolve conflicts. All the while, they are strengthening their connection to their histories, their values, their world, and their voices.
While ROP was designed to support Black and Latinx youth, the program has been successful in many diverse communities. BroSis offers training and coaching for schools and community organizations to help them establish ROP programs that meet the unique needs of their youth. The Rites of Passage Program Overview and Rationale
The following resources can help deepen your understanding of Culturally Responsive Practices and support the design and implementation of a high-quality model, whether it’s one from the Innovative Models Exchange or one of your community designs.
This organization offers professional development opportunities for educators to deepen their learning and understanding of Culturally Responsive Teaching.
This organization offers trainings to empower educators to dismantle racism and injustice in school communities.
The BELE Framework equips educators with an evidence-based guide to redesigning school systems and creating long-lasting equitable learning environments.
The DARE tool presents a framework for district leaders to further advance and eventually achieve racial equity. The tool is primarily developed to assess current conditions, analyze data, drive policy and practice, and monitor progress.
The SPLC Learning for Justice Lesson Library is a resource bank of ready-to-use social justice and social emotional learning lessons searchable by grade level band, subject, or topic.
This resource provides a scorecard to support auditing your existing curriculum’s alignment with CRP and provides a resource bank of curriculum content and professional development opportunities for educators.
This resource provides a book list of culturally responsive read alouds with scripted lesson plans for grades K–8.
