Culturally-Responsive Recruitment & Retention

Megan Lagasse, MSW, LICSW, LSSW| Student Support Personnel Specialist

Equity Diversity Inclusion Center

Introductions

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At your tables:

1. Share your name and pronouns
2. Share your role and district

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Megan Lagasse, MSW, LICSW, LSSW

Student Support Personnel Specialist 

MDE EDI Center

• Joined MDE in May 2024
• 14 years as a School Social Worker
• Led SSW department and secondary SEB intervention for Anoka-Hennepin
• Previous MSSWA Region Representative
• Clinical and nonclinical social work supervisor

Ten Minnesota Commitments to Equity

1. Prioritize equity.
2. Start from within.
3. Measure what matters.
4. Go local.
5. Follow the money.
6. Start early.
7. Monitor implementation of standards.
8. Value people.
9. Improve conditions for learning.
10. Give students options.

EDI Center�Mission ◦ Vision ◦ Belief �

Mission

Our mission is to advance the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to create the conditions for building authentic cross-cultural communities where harm is eliminated, and every person’s humanity is acknowledged and valued.

Vision

The principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion are achieved within and across the state producing environments where practices of anti-racism and anti-oppression are embedded, representation and difference is normalized, and every person thrives.

Belief

We believe our work is both personal and collective requiring each of us to develop a critical consciousness that fosters beliefs, behaviors, and practices that eliminate harm, values our diverse human experience, and cultivates environments that dismantle racism and all oppressions.

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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10/12/23

Learning Targets

1. Increase understanding of cultural-responsiveness
2. Identify additional motivation for recruiting and retaining staff of color and/or indigenous
3. Identify strategies to incorporate into recruitment and retention efforts in your school/district
4. Reflect on your own recruitment and retention efforts and how today’s learnings can be incorporated

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What does "culturally-responsive" mean to you?��Turn & Talk – 2 minutes

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Why It's Important 

• Educators serve the most racially/ethnically diverse population in the US.
• MN has some of the largest OPPORTUNITY and ACHIEVEMENT gaps for students of color and those with a disability.
• Teacher and principal stress-level at TWICE the rate of the general working population.  
• Principals and teachers of color more likely to leave their jobs due to poor well-being and experiences of racial discrimination.

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

The Benefits of a Diverse Staff

When ALL students have access to a well-prepared and effective educator workforce,

• Safer, more inclusive, more supportive schools
• Fosters social understanding and perspective-taking, critical thinking & empathy
• Improved outcomes for ALL students  (attendance, test scores, college enrollment)

Black students in particular: more likely to attend, be engaged in school and graduate and less likely to be face exclusionary discipline when taught by a Black educator.

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

The Benefits of a Diverse Staff

Diverse teams outperform nondiverse teams:

• Increased productivity
• Increased satisfaction
• More flexible
• Open to change

Diverse mental health staff can improve relatability, accessibility, and reduce stigma.

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Hey Siri... how do I diversify my staff?

Know the why ✅ But how?

Not easy to recruit and retain

• Rural schools?
• Few applicants? No applicants?
• Unlicensed applicants?

Shortages across licensures – school psychs, clinical social workers, school nurses

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Need comprehensive, long-term efforts 

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Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Culturally-Responsive Recruitment

Compensation

Advocate for competitive wages for your staff!  (educators make $15-17k less than other college-educated workers)

• Scholarships to gain credits for lane change
• Offer additional stipends, hiring bonuses, step/lane credit, etc. for highly qualified Student Support Personnel (ex: Robbinsdale, Anoka-Hennepin, 916, 287)

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Culturally-Responsive Recruitment

Advertise your commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion

Multicultural content on websites

Specify in job descriptions desire for "bicultural" candidates and those with "experience working with diverse populations"

Explicit statements about diversity and equity

Questions in job interviews

Simplify application processes (cultural differences, multilingual applicants)

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Culturally-Responsive Recruitment

Partnerships

Partner with local higher ed programs for targeted recruitment

• SSP Pipeline grant
• Teacher Workforce grants
• Offer high quality, culturally-responsive practicum and internships for SSP, student teacher experiences

Advertise careers in education

• Grow your own programs
• High school students career pathways

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

I can hire staff!  ��But they keep leaving.... How do I RETAIN high-quality educators?

What has made an impact in your experience?

Talk at your tables

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Retention:  Staff Well-Being 

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

*Crisis debriefs

Retention:  Job Satisfaction 

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

“Scholars had to move a certain way, dress a certain way, answer questions in a certain way… I tried to implement fun things and bring some life, but I was often met with ‘that’s too loud’ or ‘we don’t have to do all that extra stuff.’

• Black educator in the Ed Allies MN study

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Retention: Cultural-Responsiveness 

Culturally-responsive practices for students also benefit staff.  And vice versa.

• Consultation and professional development to support teacher and staff efforts with culturally competent practices
• Acknowledge significance of race in K-12 classrooms
• Implement SEL that incorporates empathy, understanding, and inclusivity
• Culture of cultural humility - open to new learning, feedback, advocacy; ongoing reflection

Equity is everyone's work!  Avoid relying on staff of color to lead the equity team or the culturally-responsive professional development

• Avoid using staff of color for discipline situations because students look like and relate to them
• Eliminate deficit-based language and microaggressions

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Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Retention: Student Support Personnel

• Connect and engage, early and often – acknowledge & utilize their expertise; work as a team 
• Ethical codes of conduct and many laws that influence the work – seek consultation when needed
• Provide supervision or mentorship from professionals with the same licensure
• Increase opportunities for high-quality professional development

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Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Student Support Personnel Specialist

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Professional Development and Coaching for Student Support Personnel 
• Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems Framework
• Organizational Development including best practices in Student Support
• CEUs for Student Support Personnel licensure
• Guidance and Resources for Student Support Personnel in MN
• Resource on State Legislative and Policy Issues related to Student Support Personnel
• Support Accredited University Programs in Culturally-Responsive Recruitment
• Support Retention of Student Support Personnel in Schools
• Student Support Personnel Pipeline Grant

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Position Purpose:

This position exists to provide educational leadership, program development, training, consultation, and resources to increase the capacity and subject matter expertise around culturally responsive practices for student support personnel, school leaders, and educators throughout the state. This position will lead the workforce student support personnel pipeline grant program by partnering and providing guidance to accredited universities, professional education organizations, student support personnel, and educators

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Implementation

Expected

• Do staff believe it is expected?

Prioritized

• Do your staff feel it is a priority given the words and actions of leadership?

Supported

• How are staff supported in the work with time and resources?

Measured

• How do staff know if it's working and receive feedback for continuous improvement?

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Credit:  Dr. Clay Cook

Recommended Readings

• U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates
• Eliminating Barriers for Teachers of Color in MN - Ed Allies
• How to Avoid Doing Harm When You Discuss Race at Work
• Microaggressions in the Classroom
• Through Our Eyes-Perspectives & Reflections from Black Teachers

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Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

Thank you!

Megan Lagasse, MSW, LICSW, LSSW

megan.lagasse@state.mn.us 

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024

References

Blake, J. J., Graves, S., Newell, M., & Jimerson, S. R. (2016). Diversification of School Psychology: Developing an Evidence Base from Current Research and Practice. School Psychology Quarterly, 31(3), 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000180

EdAllies Community Action Team (2024). Eliminating barriers for teachers of color in Minnesota: lessons from aspiring black teachers. Eliminating-Barriers-for-Teachers-of-Color-in-Minnesota-EdAllies-Community-Action-Team-Report.pdf (edalliesmn.org)

Griffin, A. & Tackie, H. (2016). Through our eyes: perspectives and reflections from black teachers. The Education Trust. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1isFo7-Q_XlodXfeOfecrBezzH0UA1piO/view?usp=sharing

Lee, K. (2020). How white teachers can support BIPOC colleagues. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-white-teachers-can-support-bipoc-colleagues

McGeehan, C. (2018). How can we build anti-racist white educators? Learning for Justice. How Can We Build Anti-Racist White Educators? | Learning for Justice

National Association of School Psychologists (2019). Key Messages and Talking Points to Remedy the Shortages in School Psychology. Online Resource. https://www.nasponline.org/research-andpolicy/policy-priorities/critical-policy-issues/shortage-of-school-psychologists 

Pilar, W. D. (2024). Rethinking DEI in higher education: Should the ‘I’ stand for integration instead? Rethinking DEI in Higher Education: Should the ‘I’ Stand for Integration Instead? | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com)

Proctor, S. L., & Truscott, S. D. (2012). Reasons for African American student attrition from school psychology programs. Journal of School Psychology, 50, 655–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2012.06.002.

Tiayon, S. (2020). How to avoid doing harm when you discuss race at work. Greater Good Magazine. How to Avoid Doing Harm When You Discuss Race at Work (berkeley.edu)

Wing, D. (n.d.) Microaggressions in the classroom. Microaggressions in the Classroom.pdf - Google Drive

U.S. Department of Education. (2023). Guiding principles for creating safe, inclusive, supportive, and fair school climates. guiding-principles.pdf (ed.gov)

U.S. Department of Education. (2024). Elevating teaching. guiding-principles.pdf (ed.gov)

U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.) Fact sheet: Sustaining investments in teachers beyond the American Rescue Plan. 22-0164.fact sheet_FINAL (ed.gov)

U.S. Department of Education Office of the Under Secretary. (2023). Strategies for increasing diversity and opportunity in higher education. Diversity-and-Opportunity-in-Higher-Education.pdf

Minnesota Department of Education | education.mn.gov

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7/3/2024