000004758216_bw

Getting Ready

What you need to know to get ready for your events, from selecting a site, to creating a local network and getting resources.
Steps 1-3
Steps 4-7
Resources


1 Start with the End in Mind

State your goal, such as “Revitalize the culture of expectations to encourage students’ graduation and transition to higher education.” It is important to build on local strengths and organizations that are already in place, with individuals across sectors and race who are committed to sustaining your vision and the effort entailed in accomplishing your goal.

Helpful Tip:

Partners can also help plan for publicity and play a major role with local media.


2 Use a Cross-Section of Local Community Partners

Identify your personal circle of support and key contacts who will help you convene a successful Blueprint Dialogue planning forum and sustain the work beyond the event.

  • Identify local partners – leaders across sector and race – to co-host the event.
  • Tap known connections and networks: funders who may also provide contacts and education and community leaders at the local, state and regional levels.
  • Design a task force composed of key stakeholders representing both the community and schools, who will develop a vision and strategic plan and plan for a kick-off event.
Helpful Tip:

A local community center, centrally-located conference room or hotel can work well when selecting a site.


3 Gather Information about Your Neighborhood Schools

Identify data and materials to describe the local context for the dialogue. There are several ways to do this. You can research information online (our community web site has links to online datasets). You can enlist a volunteer or workgroup in your community to gather data or hire a consultant. In any case, it is helpful to create a “Quick Facts” sheet to provide your participants with at-a-glance data that can create a grounded and much richer conversation. We recommend that this factsheet include: recent demographic information and statistics on local graduation rates, teacher quality, college readiness, etc., that will inform the dialogues and blueprint process.

Helpful Tip:

Create a space to listen to one another and plan.

4 Select Site

The location you select will help set the tone for building trust and joint planning. Be sensitive to the politics and dynamics of the community.

  • Select a neutral site in a relaxed and comfortable setting, easily accessible to invitees and with sufficient space where representatives from the community will feel comfortable in engaging in deep listening, conversation and collaborative planning.
  • Plan your budget to include light refreshments for the community reception and dialogues.
Helpful Tip:

See the sample letter to invitees and agendas for the community gathering and dialogue event on the resource CD. Use the community web site to encourage participants to join the online community after the event.


5 Select and Prepare a Student Group for Reception Presentation

Contact schools to identify a group of students who will speak at the community reception. The group should include up to 10 juniors or seniors who are currently enrolled in school and who represent a cross section of Latino and African American male and female youth from diverse socio-economic perspectives.

Acquire written parent permission prior to working with students, including media releases and any school or district clearances.

Provide the students information about the two court cases and the initiative, and discuss application in the local context. Ask students to prepare a 30-minute presentation, individually or in teams, for the reception.


6 Select and Invite Participants

Since this initiative strives to foster joint leadership and action across race and sector, it is important to have comparable representation of African American and Latino (and other minority) adults who will take on collaborative leadership roles in executing the blueprint for action.

  • Invite key decision-makers, community leaders, parent representatives and cross-sector representatives, including business leaders, educators, principals, administrators, leaders of faith communities, policymakers, directors of non-profits who work with or serve youth and their families and higher education leaders.
  • Create two invitee lists, one for a community reception and the other for the blueprint planning day (a maximum of 50 people is ideal for the planning day).
  • Send out invitations and an agenda early, and set an RSVP date to help you to plan effectively for both the community reception and the blueprint planning day.
  • Be sure to invite the parents and family members of the students who will present at the reception, as their role in the process is critical.

7 Prepare Information Packets

The Big Picture:

What can we do together to create change for the common good?

Both guests of the community reception and designers of the community blueprints will need information to understand the initiative and do their work. Create two packets for your guests.

The first will be for the community reception with more general information that includes background about the initiative, the two court cases, and a link to the IDRA web site where they can learn more.

The second will be used for the blueprint planning process, including your factsheet about their schools and other resources that can be found online. Be sure to include name tags, media release forms for any photographs or taping you will do, and a media packet.

In helping students prepare their presentations, ask these questions:

  • What has been your experience in receiving support for graduation and college access?
  • What barriers have you or others experienced?
  • What recommendations do you have for schools to be more supportive of graduation and college readiness for minority students?

See “Engaging Student Voices” for details.

Resources for Getting Ready

The following materials also are available on the resource CD.

Getting Ready Resources

What’s Possible? (pdf)

Identifying Your Circle of Support and Key Context worksheet (pdf)

Planning Your Community Action Dialogue – Create a “To Do” List for Scheduling Your Community Dialogue worksheet (pdf)

Sample Invitation Letter for Reception and/or Dialogue Planning (pdf)

Sample Participant Response Form (pdf)

Sample Reception Program (pdf)

IDRA Media Release (English) (pdf)

IDRA Media Release (Spanish) (pdf)

Engaging Student Voices guide (pdf)

All of the above in Microsoft Word format (doc)


Context Resources

Community Blueprint Dialogues factsheet (pdf)

Six Goals of Educational Equity and School Reform flier (pdf)

The Goals of Educational Equity and School Reform workbook (pdf)

Courage to Connect – A Quality Schools Action Framework flier (pdf)

“A Quality Schools Action Framework – Framing Systems Change for Student Success,” by María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter (pdf)

“Fulfilling the Promise of Brown vs. Board of Education,” by María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter (pdf)

“Expanding Blueprints for Action – Children’s Outcomes, Access, Treatment, Learning, Resources, Accountability,” by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., and Bradley Scott, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter (pdf)

“Improving Educational Impact through Community and Family Engagement,” by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., and Abelardo Villarreal, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter (pdf)

“Promoting Student Leadership on Campus – Creating a Culture of Engagement,” by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., and Abelardo Villarreal, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter (pdf)

“Our Power is Now –Joint African American and Latino Leadership in Education,” by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., and Bradley Scott, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter (pdf)


Website Resources

A Promise to Fulfill the Legacy of Mendez and Brown
Intercultural Development Research Association

“Revisiting Our Past Brown v. Board of Education”
The Brown Quarterly

“A Family Changes History: Mendez v. Westminster”
Somos Primos

“We Always Tell Our Children They Are Americans Mendez v. Westminster”
The Brown Quarterly

“Teaching with Documents: Documents Related to Brown v. Board of Education”
U.S. National Archives

“Felicita ‘La Prieta’ Mendez (1916-1998) and the end of Latino school segregation in California”
CENTRO Journal (pdf)