Youth Organizing Coaches.pdf

The Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) network aims to advance equity in education through a collaborative approach, focusing on seven "Essential Actions" to realize systemic transformation. The National Equity Project (NEP) works with school districts to codesign sustainable models for equitable learning environments, providing coaching assistance, network resources, and research capacity. The BELE Essential Actions include making systems human-centered, investing in staff, transforming teaching and learning, measuring what matters, empowering BIPOC youth, creating equitable policies, and partnering with caregivers and communities. The Essential Action "Empower Youth" provides guidance on listening to, understanding, and responding to student voices and experiences, ensuring they have agency in their learning and development. Components of this action include collecting and responding to student feedback, involving students in decision-making, affirming students' identities, co-designing learning experiences, prioritizing student well-being, and nurturing students' agency and critical consciousness.