Culturally Responsive Schooling

Parents / Caregivers Rubric

Individual Version

Instructions: Use the guiding questions below to estimate where (begin italics) you (end italics) think your school falls overall on each element of the rubric. Be candid – this activity is most valuable as a formative learning experience. We recommend spending about 20 minutes on the rubric. Save your notes and ratings for future discussions.

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Progression of Engagement

Exploring

Cultural Responsiveness is in its initial phase

Growing

Cultural Responsiveness is practiced in some situations

Utilizing

Cultural Responsiveness is practiced in most situations 

Transforming

Cultural Responsiveness is continuously practiced and promoted

Welcoming and Affirming Environment

A Welcoming and Affirming Environment reflects the physical and social climate of the school where all cultural identities (including race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, language, religion, socioeconomic background) are affirmed and valued.

Welcoming and Affirming Environment

School Environment

Guiding Questions:

What do I see in the school (in common areas, offices, and classrooms) that connect to the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community? Do I see materials that students created and that celebrate the identities of all students? How often are these displays updated?
Exploring

The school environment does not reflect the languages, cultures, and identities of the community.

Growing

The school environment reflects some of the languages, cultures, and identities of the community.

Utilizing

The school environment reflects most of the languages, cultures, and identities of the community.

Transforming

The school environment integrates all of the languages, cultures, and identities of the community and displays are regularly updated. 

Selected Rating: None
Welcoming and Affirming Environment

Home Communications

Guiding Questions:

What are some of the ways that the school communicates with me? Do they communicate in a language that I understand and in ways that are easy for me to access?
Exploring

The school rarely communicates with me in a manner and language that I can understand. 

Growing

The school sometimes communicates with me in a manner and language I can understand. 

Utilizing

The school often communicates with me in a manner and language that I can understand.

Transforming

The school always communicates with me in a manner and language that I can understand.

Selected Rating: None
Welcoming and Affirming Environment

Welcoming Families

Guiding Questions:

How much do I feel valued and acknowledged in interactions with school staff? Am I treated as a partner in my child’s education?
Exploring

I rarely feel valued in interactions with school staff. 

Growing

I sometimes feel valued and acknowledged by school staff.

Utilizing

I always feel valued and acknowledged in interactions with school staff.

Transforming

I always feel valued and acknowledged in interactions with school staff and I am treated as a partner in my child’s education.

Selected Rating: None
Welcoming and Affirming Environment

School Rules & Expectations

Guiding Questions:

How clear are the school’s rules and expectations? Are the expectations fair to all students and families? Am I able to share my ideas for changing the rules and expectations with school staff and do they listen to my ideas and make changes?
Exploring

I am unaware of the expectations and rules at my child’s school. 

Growing

I know the expectations and rules at my child’s school, but the reasoning for them is unclear. 

Utilizing

I understand the school’s expectations and rules and their enforcement is consistent and fair.

Transforming

I understand the school’s expectations and rules and their enforcement is consistent and fair and I have opportunities to discuss necessary adjustments with teachers and administrators. 

Selected Rating: None
Welcoming and Affirming Environment

Encouraging Family Involvement

Guiding Questions:

How welcome do I feel to come to the school and participate in events and activities? Do I just show up for planned events, or do I actively participate in them? Do school staff and administrators encourage me to be involved in creating events and activities? 
Exploring

The school makes little effort to encourage my attendance at school wide events.

Growing

The school makes an active effort to encourage my attendance at school wide events.

Utilizing

The school makes an active effort to encourage me to be involved in the planning of and participation in school wide events. 

Transforming

The school makes an extensive effort to encourage me to be involved in the  planning of and participation in school wide events and they pay particular attention to involving traditionally marginalized families. 

Selected Rating: None

High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction

High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction creates learning conditions that are academically challenging and intellectually demanding, while also considering the different ways that students learn. Instruction includes opportunities to use critical reasoning, take academic risks, and leverage a growth mindset to learn from mistakes. Messages encourage positive self-image and empowerment to succeed.

High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction

Children's Interest in School

Guiding Questions:

How interested is my child in what they learn at school? Are they able to make connections at home to what they are learning in school?
Exploring

My child is disinterested in what they learn at school. 

Growing

My child is interested in some of what they learn at school. 

Utilizing

My child is interested in most of what they learn at school. 

Transforming

My child is interested in most of what they learn at school and they make connections at home to what they learn in school.

Selected Rating: None
High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction

Sharing Feedback on Student Learning with School Staff

Guiding Questions:

How do I communicate with school staff about my child’s learning? Do staff work together with me to make changes when needed?
Exploring

I am unsure of how to communicate feedback about my child’s learning to staff at the school.

Growing

I give feedback about my child’s learning to school staff and they seem to accept it.

Utilizing

I share feedback about my child’s learning with school staff and they welcome it and take action.

Transforming

I exchange feedback about my child’s learning with school staff and we all work together to make adjustments.

Selected Rating: None
High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction

Expectations for Parents/Caregivers

Guiding Questions:

Do school staff want me to be involved in my child’s education and experiences in school? How do they let me know that I should collaborate with them? Do they only reach out when my child is behind or do they include me in all aspects of my child’s school experiences?
Exploring

School staff do not expect me to collaborate with them in regards to my child’s performance.

Growing

School staff encourage me to collaborate with them only when my child is underperforming.

Utilizing

School staff encourage me to collaborate with them to support and enhance my child’s academic performance.

Transforming

School staff encourage me to collaborate with them to support and enhance my child’s performance in both academic and nonacademic areas.

Selected Rating: None

Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment

Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment

Opportunities to Give Input on Learning Content and Assessments

Guiding Questions:

What opportunities do I have to give input on learning content and assessments? When I give input, do teachers and administrators listen and take it seriously?
Exploring

There are few opportunities to give input on learning content and assessments.

Growing

There are some opportunities to give input on learning content and assessments.

Utilizing

There are frequent opportunities to give input on learning content and assessments.

Transforming

There are frequent opportunities to give input on learning content and assessments and I feel that my input is taken seriously.

Selected Rating: None
Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment

Partnering with Parents/Caregivers and Community to Improve Curriculum & Assessments

Guiding Questions:

How much do school leaders partner with me to increase the relevance of the curriculum and assessments for my child? 
Exploring

School leaders rarely partner with me to increase the relevance of the curriculum and assessments for my child.

Growing

School leaders sometimes partner with me to increase the relevance of the curriculum and assessments for my child.

Utilizing

School leaders regularly partner with me to increase the relevance of the curriculum and assessments for my child.

Transforming

School leaders regularly partner with me to increase the relevance of the curriculum and assessments for my child and continually seek ways to expand the partnership to include community members.

Selected Rating: None

Ongoing Professional Learning

Ongoing Professional Learning

Information and Support for Academic and Social Emotional Learning

Guiding Questions:

What information and support does the school provide to me that is specific to both academic and social emotional learning? 
Exploring

The school provides limited general information and support for parents/caregivers. 

Growing

The school provides some general information and support for parents/caregivers.

Utilizing

The school provides some information and support specific to my child’s academic experiences. 

Transforming

The school provides abundant information and support specific to both my child’s academic and social emotional learning. 

Selected Rating: None

Submitter Details

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