This presentation will provide for an interactive session where participants will focus on serving students and building staff capacity through professional development with an equity lens. Participants will also have an opportunity to participate in a reflection of the history of public education in the United States as well as their role in perpetuating and closing educational gaps. They will also have an opportunity to reflect on their definition of equity while brainstorming with colleagues the practical steps that they can take to better meet the needs of underserved students and close educational gaps through effective professional development. An overview of ACSA's Equity Institutes will be shared as an example of research based professional development focused on changing educator practice as evident in closure of educational gaps.
