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Christy Johnson shares the results from a panel discussion at the 2020 Project Ascendance Summit on how to foster inclusion in schools and the workplace.

The panel addressed:

Getting past assumptions and misperceptions about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

Getting the best return on investment (ROI) possible with investments in DEI

Taking the right first steps toward inclusion

Asking questions from a place of humble inquiry

Getting Past Assumptions and Misperceptions About DEI

Michael Meotti, Executive Director of the Washington Student Achievement Council, said that WSAC is a cabinet-level state agency that deals with all sorts of higher education issues. It runs a number of initiatives, including the state’s financial aid programs, which are meant to increase participation and success in higher education. WSAC is helping more Washington residents get some kind of educational credential.

We don’t think enough about what it means for the college to be a student-ready environment, Meotti said, and we need to relentlessly scrutinize the data on how students are doing. If an educational organization keeps seeing racial and ethnic disparities in enrollment, along with disparities in student participation and success, the model is systemically racist. Changing models requires taking a deep dive into how you operate.”

Key points discussed include:

• Changing systems and structures
• The solutions illusion
• Addressing systemic inequities in schools

Read the full article, How Revamping Systems and Asking the Right Questions Can Foster Inclusion in Schools and the Workplace, on ArtemisConnection.com.