Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools

The CRE Hub Website (Home Page)

Image captures young elemementrary school students seated in the round. The students between the age of 5 and 7, sit hand in hand in a circle. The students evemtually raise their hands together and share a collecctive joyous noise. The students in the photo have no idea where or focus on the camera. The students individual faces are not clear in the photo. Nonetheless, the image captures a black girl wearing a white long-sleeve shirt. The camera also focuses on a 2nd student wearing a mustard shirt.

The CRE Hub provides the history, tools, and resources to contextualize and build the movement for culturally responsive education and ethnic studies. 

Education at its core is about equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and tools to determine their own futures and transform society toward liberation.  

Image captures a dynamic and racially diverse group of young adults. All work together on crafts to heighten education access. Among this diverse group are individuals are Muslim and wear hijabs, in addition to Black, Latinx, and Asian members of the community as well. The camera lens captures this broad collective working across multiple tables. The woman closets to the camera, has her back turned the lems, only showing her pink shoulder lenght hijab. the man adjacent to her works on signage to posted.

Schools that neither value, center, and honor the rich cultures and knowledge of their diverse students, nor foster critical consciousnesses, are depriving students of a true, quality education. 

Youth, parents, educators and communities have fought for culturally responsive education (CRE) since public education began. In recent years, while attacks on public education continue to grow, there has also been major momentum in the fight for CRE and Ethnic Studies (ES).

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATION

When students are fully seen, supported, and affirmed in their unique identities and experiences, they go on and do great things. 

Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) advances equity and social justice by: 

  1. Centering and valuing students’ cultures and identities
  2. Using rigorous and relevant curriculum, and anti-oppressive teaching practices
  3. Building strong, positive relationships between students, families, and school staff
  4. Supporting students to develop the knowledge, skills, and vision to transform the world toward liberation

Our Culture Our Schools Culturally Responsive Education in New York City

All Students deserve a culturally responsive education.

Students deserve a rigorous education that embodies their diversity and centers the true greatness of who they are. They deserve a quality public education that honors their cultures, backgrounds, and communities. Their education should connect academic learning to their lives, passions, and struggles outside of school.  From racism to harsh discipline policies, public schools are full of inequities that impact students’ lives every day. 

We need culturally responsive education to transform schooling towards equity.