Building a Foundation of Equity: Evaluating Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Strategies in P-12 and Higher Education

We aim to create anti-racist educational organizations from preschool to higher education. Educators need to develop the right skills, knowledge, and attitudes to make this philosophy a reality. This requires self-reflection and assessment to see how committed they are to change. It can be disheartening to read about anti-racism efforts that don’t show real results.

To help with this, we introduce the Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Fidelity Assessment Scale from the Center for Research on Inner City Health. While it wasn’t designed specifically for schools, it’s still very useful. The Center notes that this tool can assist organizations looking to implement anti-racist and anti-oppression frameworks by providing essential criteria, guiding questions, and clear examples.

We’ve tailored the 12 assessment criteria for academic settings while staying true to the idea of fidelity, which means being loyal to these principles. The tool was created using a thorough examination of anti-racist and anti-oppressive literature, interviews with experts, and community feedback.

Key Criteria for Evaluating Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression in Education

Here’s a simple way to assess a school or university’s commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression, based on a 5-point scale:

1. The school/university has not integrated anti-racism/anti-oppression into its mission.
2. There is at least one management level person accountable for anti-racism/anti-oppression efforts.
3. The school/university has either a dedicated budget for these activities or a written plan with clear objectives and strategies.
4. There is both a dedicated budget and a comprehensive written plan with clear objectives and strategies.
5. The school/university actively monitors and implements its anti-racism and anti-oppression commitments.

Each of these criteria helps guide educational institutions to become more committed to anti-racist practices. Our modified version, depicted in a chart, outlines the 12 criteria applied specifically to schools and universities.

Final Thoughts

As the title suggests, fidelity is crucial. Our students from Black and minoritized backgrounds deserve to see real commitments to anti-racism in all areas of education. When schools just pay lip service, it undermines their efforts. The specific criteria in the Fidelity Assessment Scale provide clear guidance for becoming anti-racist and anti-oppressive. This shift can reduce unfair practices like excessive suspensions, misplacement in special education, and underrepresentation in advanced courses. To improve these situations, schools must regularly assess their progress and address barriers. Educators should prioritize this ongoing evaluation to be accountable to all students and families.

Dr. Donna Y. Ford is a Distinguished Professor at The Ohio State University.

Dr. Erik M. Hines is a Professor at George Mason University.

Dr. Tanya J. Middleton is an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University.