Ableism- Discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. (Harvard Business Review)

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Abolitionist Teaching- Abolitionist teaching is the practice of working in solidarity with communities of color while drawing on the imagination, creativity, refusal, (re)membering, visionary thinking, healing, rebellious spirit, boldness, determination, and subversiveness of abolitionists to eradicate injustice in and outside of schools. (Dr. Bettina Love, “We Want to Do More Than Survive”, page 2)

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Access- Refers to the ways in which educational institutions and policies ensure that students have equal and equitable opportunities to take full advantage of their education. Increasing access generally requires schools to provide additional services or remove any actual or potential barriers that might prevent some students from equitable participation in certain courses or academic programs. Factors such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, perceived intellectual ability, past academic performance, special-education status, English-language ability, and family income or educational-attainment levels—in addition to factors such as relative community affluence, geographical location, or school facilities—may contribute to certain students having

less “access” to educational opportunities than other students.

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Accessibility- Ensures participation and representation of everyone along the continuum of human ability and experience. Accessibility encompasses the broader meanings of compliance and refers to how organizations make space for the characteristics that each person brings. 

(adapted from American Alliance of Museums)

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Administrator- DCPS Central Office Staff, Principal, Teacher Leader, Arts Department Lead, or Arts Integration Coordinator. (AGC DC Mapping Survey)

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AGC- Kennedy Center's "Ensuring the Arts to Any Given Child" (AGC)

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Anti-Racist- Anti-Racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts. (Race Forward via Racial Equity Tools)

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Arts and Humanities for Every Student (AHFES)- DC Collaborative program that is comprised of experiential opportunities offered by members. View More about AHFES​

Click here for additional terms specific to the Arts and Humanities for Every Student (AHFES) program.

 

Arts Education- A comprehensive experience inclusive of high-quality arts learning in the classroom, meaningful arts experiences outside the classroom and strategic arts integration in and

through the curriculum. (AGC DC Vision and Values)

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Arts Disciplines-​

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Writing/Reading/Journalism

Historic Site Visit

Artifact or Object Exploration

Visual Arts

Digital Media

(Film/Photography, Graphic Design)

Dance

Music/ Music Production

Hands-On/Lab/Tactile

Theatre

Performance Art

Spoken Word/Slam Poetry

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Arts Integration- Utilizing the arts to instruct other subject areas (outside of the arts classroom).

(AGC DC Mapping Survey)

 

Assessment- Gathering, summarizing, and interpreting data to provide useful feedback for the improvement of teaching and learning. Assessment is feedback from the student to 

the instructor about the student’s learning. (Sources: https://www.gadoe.org/  &

and https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/connections/assessment-vs-evaluation)

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Assessment vs. Evaluation- Feedback from the student about the student's leaning, versus

feedback from the instructor about the student's learning.

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Asynchronous- Virtual programming that is available at any time and students/teachers can access the resource when convenient. This resource contains the same educational components as a synchronous program and requires little preparation from the educator. Asynchronous programming is inclusive of formats such as: pre-recorded videos, PDF handouts/activities/lesson plans, etc. to

allow for "on-demand" access.

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Backbone Support Team- DC Co-lab acts as the backbone support of our community's committee organization: we facilitate meetings, goals, and decision-making as they relate to our community's shared mission, supporting the overall infrastructure of our community.  We are an enthusiastic and integral part of the Kennedy Center's Ensuring the Arts to Any Given Child (AGC) national network, providing the platform for collective impact in the District.

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"Big Eight" Social Identifiers-

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• Ability - Mental and/or physical

• Age

• Ethnicity

• Gender

• Race

• Religion

• Sexual Orientation

• Socioeconomic Status/Class

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Clearing House- is an independent resource hub or database that highlights programs and services.

 

Common Agenda (https://www.dccolab.org/who-we-are)-Community Shared Mission- Advance equitable access to high quality arts and humanities learning opportunities for the District's

public and public charter schools.

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Community audit- A way of seeing who, in our community, is here, and who is not.

(AGC DC Equity/ Justice Committee)

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Community-based- Used to describe programming / organizations / educators that do not

originate from the school system.

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Community Partner- DCPS defines a community partner as an organization or group that is committed to work with DCPS to make a sustainable impact on a shared goal around

student success. (DCPS Partners Website)

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Contact Hours- How the school system measures instructional time for educator

professional development experiences.

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Continuous Communication (https://dccolab.citizenlab.co/en/)- DC Co-lab is a democratic space open to our community for relevant discussions as they pertain to our shared mission and a tool for collecting insight and feedback.  DC Collaborative staff act as facilitator roles to ensure

effective and efficient communication between all committees.

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Committees Structure: 

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• Equity and Justice Committee drives the community to center equity and defines what equitable access means.

• Education Programming Committee supports actionable output derived from the analysis of the Equity and Justice Committee.

• Data Committee grounds other committees with data and builds a data-driven and data-informed culture in the community.

• Communication Committee activates continuous updated communication between different corners of our community.

• DC Collaborative acts as the backbone support (see Collective Impact Conditions) of DC Co-lab and Committees.

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Culturally Responsive Programming- These are programs that continue to evolve and adapt based on reflection of effective inclusivity, equity, diversity, and more. 

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Data- Units of information collected, interpreted, and presented in order to improve arts education reach and quality. Data includes qualitative and quantitative information and can be collected directly through AGC’s evaluative work (primary data) as well as through the work of partner (e.g., DCPS; Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation) and like-minded organizations (e.g., other AGC communities) (secondary data). >> Visit DC Co-lab House of Data

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Data Visualization- Presenting feedback garnered in a visually appealing, interactive manner. The DC Collaborative utilizes interactive data visualization dashboards to relate data to the Community's strategic planning priorities. >> Visit DC Co-lab Data Vizzes (Tableau Public)

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Discrimination- The unequal treatment of members of various groups based on race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion and other categories. [In the United States] the law makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The law also requires that employers reasonably accommodate applicants’ and employees’ sincerely held religious practices, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer’s business.

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Diversity- Includes all the ways in which people differ, and it encompasses all the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. It is all-inclusive and recognizes everyone and every group as part of the diversity that should be valued. A broad definition includes not only race, ethnicity, and gender - the groups that most often come to mind when the term "diversity" is used - but also age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, and physical appearance. It also involves

different ideas, perspectives, and values. 

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Engagement- Two-way conversation / interactions that are transactional, conversational and/or inquiry. Example: multi-visit workshops / longer duration with the same group of students, and/or incorporated with Q&A in the process (Source: Based on the definition from the Smithsonian's Office of the Associate Provost for Education and Access)

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Equity- Fairness and justice achieved through systematically assessing disparities in opportunities, outcomes, and representation and redressing [those] disparities through targeted actions. (Source: From the Collective Impact Forum, based on research and advocacy organization Urban Strategies Council)

 

• Defined as "the state, quality or ideal of being just, impartial and fair." The concept of equity is synonymous with fairness and justice. It is helpful to think of equity as not simply a desired state or affairs or a lofty value. To achieve and sustain equity, it needs to be thought of as a structural and systemic concept. 

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Evaluation- Uses methods and measures to judge student learning and understanding of the material for purposes of grading and reporting. Evaluation is feedback from the instructor to the student about the student’s learning. Program evaluation involves methods and analysis that answer questions to inform programmatic improvement. (https://www.gadoe.org/)

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Experiential Education- Challenge and experience followed by reflection

leading to learning and growth. 

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• Experiential education is a teaching philosophy that informs many methodologies in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop people's capacity to contribute to their communities. https://www.aee.org/what-is-ee

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Experiential Learning- Experiential Learning is a process of education through experience, followed by reflection on that experience. Experiential learning is part of the larger category of active learning, because it directly involves students in the process of their own learning.

There are four elements involved in experiential learning:

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• First, the learner must be willing to be actively involved in the experience.

• Second, the learner must be able to reflect on the experience.

• Third, the learner must possess and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience.

• Finally, the learner must possess decision making and problem solving skills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience. (https://tophat.com/glossary/e/experiential-learning/)

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Field trips- One-time arts/ humanities learning experiences outside of the

classroom during the school day. 

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High Quality Education Programs- Programs of strong artistic/ humanities merit that intentionally tie to specific, relevant curricula, standards and grade bands utilized in the DC public education

system. In practice, high quality programs should be inclusive, accessible, and

advance social and emotional learning.

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House of Data- DC Co-Lab's collection of surveys, data collection, and visualization. Measures reach, engagement, and impact among all services offered. >> Visit DC Co-lab House of Data

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Impact- Transformational; the outcome is more than the sum of its parts. Produces a new way of thinking or acting. Example: what a student takes away from a learning experience affects, deepens, connects his/her takeaway in another experience (Source: Based on the definition from the Smithsonian's Office of the Associate Provost for Education and Access)

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Implicit Bias- Also known as unconscious or hidden bias, implicit biases are negative associations that people unknowingly hold. They are expressed automatically, without conscious awareness. Many studies have indicated that implicit biases affect individuals’ attitudes and actions, thus creating real-world implications, even though individuals may not even be aware that those biases exist within themselves. Notably, implicit biases have been shown to trump individuals’ stated commitments to equality and fairness, thereby producing behavior that diverges from the explicit attitudes that many people profess. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is often used to measure implicit biases with regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, and other topics. (Racial Equity Tools)

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Inclusion- Inclusion is the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. More than simply diversity and numerical representation, inclusion involves authentic and

empowered participation and a true sense of belonging. 

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In-school Assembly- One time in school visits where teaching artists visit schools to perform. 

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In-school Experience- One-time in school visits where teaching artists visit schools to provide

an arts education experience with a class. 

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In-school Long Term Residency- Four or more sequential in-school workshop visits. 

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In-school Short Term Residency- Two to three sequential in-school workshop visits. 

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In-school Time- Programming that takes place during the school day (field-trips, workshops

or in-school programs). 

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Institutional Racism- Institutional racism refers specifically to the ways in which institutional policies and practices create different outcomes for different racial groups. The institutional policies may never mention any racial group, but their effect is to create advantages for whites and oppression and disadvantage for people from groups classified as people of color. Examples include:

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• Government policies that explicitly restricted the ability of people to get loans to buy or improve their homes in neighborhoods with high concentrations of African Americans (also known as “red-lining”).

• City sanitation department policies that concentrate trash transfer stations and other environmental hazards disproportionately in communities of color.

 

SOURCE: Flipping the Script: White Privilege and Community Building by Maggie Potapchuk, Sally Leiderman, Donna Bivens, and Barbara Major (2005). (Racial Equity Tools)

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Intersectionality-​ The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. (Dear Nexus)

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• A necessary analytic tool to explain the complexities and realities of discrimination and power or lack thereof, and how they intersect with identities. Intersectionality is more than counting representation in a room or within a group; it is understanding community power, or its lack, and ensuring inclusivity in social justice movements. It is a way to build alliances in organizing for social change (Dr. Bettina Love, We Want to Do More Than Survive, page 4).

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Intersectional Social Justice- Social progress that is inclusive of analysis and consideration of people's multiple identities when building policy agendas. "Policy agendas devoid of intersectionality do not allow questions and dialogues that reflect the lives of the people impacted by that policy,"

(Dr. Bettina Love, We Want to Do More Than Survive, Page 6).​

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Justice- The quality of righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness; the moral principle of determining just conduct; the administering of deserved punishment or reward.

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Level-setting- Removing assumptions when it comes to describing your work; making sure everyone has the same information. (Equity/Justice Committee)

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Lived Experience- The term is used to describe the first-hand accounts and impressions of living as a member of a minority or oppressed group. When women talk about what it's like to be female in a predominantly male geek community, they are describing their lived experiences. (Dear Nexus)

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Minutes of Instruction- How the school system measures instructional time devoted

to student education.

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Museum visit- Industry-wide term utilized by museums and often used by Smithsonian Units. Synonymous with field trip except this language can refer to experiences that take place during in-school or out-of-school time.

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Mutually Reinforcing Activities (https://dccolab.citizenlab.co/en/pages/information)- Our committees are one of the ways that DC Co-lab connects with our community of practice for authentic collaboration and management of workflow.  All activities are concerted based on the

goals of our shared mission.

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Opportunity Gap- Refers to the ways in which race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English proficiency, community wealth, familial situations, or other factors contribute to or perpetuate lower educational aspirations, achievement, and attainment for certain groups of students.

(Glossary on Education Reform)

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Oppression- The systematic subjugation of one social group by a more powerful social group for the social, economic, and political benefit of the more powerful social group. Rita Hardiman and Bailey Jackson state that oppression exists when thefollowing 4 conditions are found:

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• the oppressor group has the power to define reality for themselves and others,

• the target groups take in and internalize the negative messages about them and end up

       cooperating with the oppressors (thinking and acting like them),

• genocide, harassment, and discrimination are systematic and institutionalized,

       so that individuals are not necessary to keep it going, and

• members of both the oppressor and target groups are socialized to play their

       roles as normal and correct.

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Out-of-school Time- Programming that takes place before or after school, on weekends,

during the summer and holiday breaks. 

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Privilege- Unearned social power accorded by the formal and informal institutions of society to ALL members of a dominant group (e.g. white privilege, male privilege, etc.). Privilege is usually invisible to those who have it because we're taught not to see it, but nevertheless it puts them at an advantage over those who do not have it. (Racial Equity Tools)

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Professional Development Institute- One-time education program for school or community-based educators lasting a full day or more with sequential programming. 

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Professional Development Workshop- One-time education program of four hours or fewer, geared towards school and community-based educators. 

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Racial Justice- The systematic fair treatment of people of all races, resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all. Racial justice goes beyond “anti-racism", and refers to deliberately creating processes that will support and sustain people through proactive and preventative measures. Operationalizing racial justice means reimagining and co-creating a just and liberated world. Includes:

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• ​understanding the history of racism and the system of white supremacy and addressing past harms,

• working in right relationship and accountability in an ecosystem (an issue, sector,

       or community ecosystem) for collective change,

• implementing interventions that use an intersectional analysis and that impact multiple systems,

• centering Blackness and building community, cultural, economic, and political power

       of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC), and

• applying the practice of love along with disruption and resistance to the status quo.​

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Racism- Anything that produces or sustains racial inequity between or among racial groups, like racist policies. Policies are written and unwritten laws, rules, procedures, processes, regulations and guidelines that govern people. There is no such thing as a nonracist or race-neutral policy. Every policy in every institution in every community in every nation is producing or sustaining either racial inequity or equity between racial groups. Racist policies are also expressed through other terms such as “structural racism” or “systemic racism”. (Dear Nexus)

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Reach- Broad dissemination of information / resources; generally, one-directional. Example:

a one-off field trip (Source: Based on the definition from the Smithsonian's Office of

the Associate Provost for Education and Access)

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Recovery capital- The funds / infrastructure needed to get the arts and humanities community partners operating in at the same capacity pre-COVID-19. (AGC Exchange)

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School-based- is used to describe programming / organizations / educators that

originate from the school system.

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Serve- Those to whom programming is delivered. A successful, high quality, youth-centered education program should be developed with engagement of the audience.

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Shared Measurement (https://www.dccolab.org/house-of-data)- Develop and maintain a data-informed and data-driven culture within our community with Collective Impact and Education assessment and evaluation data collection and analysis.​​​

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Social Emotional Academic Development (SEAD)- Social, emotional, and academic development is the integration of social and emotional development with academic learning in K-12 education.

(Aspen Institute)

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Social Emotional Learning- Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

 

• SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities. (CASEL- DCPS refers to CASEL in their SEL work)

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Social justice- Social justice is fairness as it manifests in society around human rights, access, participation, and equity as it relates to people's race, gender, ability level or socioeconomic status. Progress towards a just society where everyone's human rights are respected, protected, and everyone has equal opportunities. People are not held back by things out of their control like systemic obstacles or discrimination (source here).

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Supplement NOT Supplant- Arts and humanities education community-based programs

supplement the arts education in schools.

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Synchronous- Programming, including audio and visual, that is accessed/delivered simultaneously at a set date and time. Synchronous programming is a full lesson plan with engaging educational and

built-in assessment components.

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Title 1 Schools- Title I is the largest source of federal funding for education. Schools receive Title I funds as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Title I funds are used solely to help ensure that children, regardless of family income, can acquire an equitable and quality education that will allow students to become academically proficient.There are two kinds of Title I programs: Schoolwide and Targeted Assistance.

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• A DCPS school is eligible to become a Title I Schoolwide Program if 40% or more of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Eligible schools are permitted to use Title I, Part A funds in combination with state and local resources and other federal education program funds to enhance the educational program of the school and raise the academic achievement of all students.

• A DCPS school is eligible to become a Title I Targeted Assistance Program if 35-40% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The term “targeted assistance” means that services are provided to a select group of children, identified as academically failing or most at risk of failing, ​​rather than to all students for overall school improvement.​

• Schools with fewer than 35% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch are considered Non-Title I. For school year 2021-2022, DCPS has 89 Title I Schools and 29 Non-Title I Schools. 

• View the school designation list here.

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White Supremacy- The ideology that white people and the ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions of white people are superior to People of Color and their ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions. While most people associate white supremacy with extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the neo-Nazis, white supremacy is ever present in our institutional and cultural assumptions that assign value, morality, goodness, and humanity to the white group while casting people and communities of color as worthless, immoral, inhuman, and "undeserving." Drawing from critical race theory, the term "white supremacy" also refers to a political or socio-economic system where white people enjoy structural advantage and rights that other racial and ethnic groups do not, both at a collective

and an individual level. (Dear Nexus)

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Youth-centered Programming- Programming geared towards positive outcomes for youth, such as: positive academic, social emotional, social justice, student engagement competencies.

Youth-centered programs should involve youth in developing and evaluating the experience.​​​​​​​​​

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