Purpose of Consulting clearinghouse on systemic Disparities
Purpose
Collaborative Equity Solutions (CES) operates as a consulting clearinghouse of evidence and practices that support educational leaders to address complex issues related to educational inequity. Founded by Dr. Eddie Fergus, CES builds on 20 years of research outlined in his fourth book Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity: A Leader’s Guide to Using Data to Change Hearts and Minds (Corwin, 2016). The book focuses on the underlying bias-based beliefs that give permission for the types of policies and practices that lead to disproportionality in special education, discipline and advanced program enrollment (i.e., gifted, talented, AP, and honors). In order for educators to continue the work of unraveling the policies and practices that lead to such disparities and replacing them, their needs to be simultaneous unraveling and replacing of the bias-based beliefs that gave permission for the policies and practices to be developed and implemented.
CES as a clearinghouse provides the links to research and evidence based tools and resources to conduct the unraveling and replacement work.
Defining Disproportionality
Cultivating the Tools for Equitable Educational Systems
Every educational decision—from classroom instruction to intervention, discipline, special education, and advanced learning opportunities—is shaped by the tools educators use to understand students and solve problems. While schools have become increasingly diverse, many educators have not had the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, and decision-making processes needed to navigate that diversity effectively.
For decades, schools have worked to address disproportionality in special education, discipline, and advanced learning. Yet persistent disparities suggest an important question:
Have we cultivated the tools necessary to support today's integration project?
Have we cultivated the tools necessary to support today's integration project?
At Collaborative Equity Solutions, we believe disproportionality is not simply a compliance issue or a reflection of student characteristics. It is an opportunity to examine whether we have cultivated the tools needed to create equitable educational systems. Through practical frameworks, professional learning, and implementation supports, we help educators strengthen the ways they analyze data, solve problems, examine beliefs, and make instructional decisions so every student has meaningful opportunities to succeed.
Our work equips educators with research-based tools to recognize and interrupt bias, strengthen intervention systems, improve instructional decision making, and build schools where equitable outcomes become the result of intentional practice rather than chance.