Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading
Summary and Goals
In 2021, Illinois adopted culturally responsive teaching and leading standards to help educators and school leaders leverage all students’ cultures, experiences, histories and perspectives as integral classroom tools. These standards specifically aim to support students’ and families’ experiences with educational spaces while encouraging learners to build meaningful relationships with one another.
Learn more about the culturally responsive teaching and leading standards and email us with inquiries or comments at culturallyresponsive@education.illinois.edu.
In addition, be sure to view the following documents for further information:
Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Guidebook
Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards and Reflection Questions
Modules in this project for professional growth and learning opportunities will be forthcoming.
| Yoon Pak | Principal Investigator |
| Marlee Bunch | Project Director |
| Denice Hood | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Lorenzo Baber | Co-Principal Investigator |
Framework and Standards
Below is a framework that will help you in navigating and implementing culturally responsive teaching and leading standards and/or assessing existing texts, lessons or learning activities. This tool is a helpful place to begin as we navigate and apply these standards to curriculum and pedagogy. Using the un/HUSH Teaching Framework helps incorporate multiple perspectives, allowing us to learn about the varied and vast cultures, identities and lived experiences of our students and families. Leaders and educators can assess and implement ISBE culturally responsive teaching and leading standards and principles of culturally responsive teaching and learning.
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) standards include:
- Self-awareness and relationship to others
- Students as individuals
- Students as co-creators
- Leveraging student advocacy
- Family and community collaboration
- Content selection in all curricula
- Student representation in the learning environment*
*The images below highlight examples of standards aligned with observable behaviors
Click here to see the culturally responsive teaching and leading standards from the Illinois State Board of Education.