Diversity Collaborative
The Diversity Collaborative (DC) is committed to creating and sustaining a more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and just international school community through our focus on leadership.
Visit this page to find facilitators and consultants who offer professional learning experiences that educate and inspire participants to be agents of change
Diversity Collaborative Norms
Shared agreements and practices reviewed at the start of every meeting
Recommendations from the 2021 Leadership Pipeline Survey
Recommendations for making recruitment more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just
Determining the Diversity Baseline in International Schools
Survey led by Anne Hilbert, Alejandra Neyra, and their colleagues at the Council of International Schools (CIS) along with the Diversity Collaborative, George Mason University (GMU), and International Schools Services (ISS).
Antiracism Padlet
Explore a collection of Black voices, media, history, and joy; you’ll also find resources for educating yourself and students about antiracism and systemic racism, and steps for change.
About the Diversity Collaborative
The Diversity Collaborative was first established in 2017, with 17 founding members. Today, the Diversity Collaborative has more than 1,000 members and is growing.
Our Mission
The Diversity Collaborative (DC) is committed to creating and sustaining a more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and just international school community through our focus on leadership.
Our Vision
We recognize that diversity without equity, inclusion, and justice is insufficient and can perpetuate ongoing harm. Therefore, we strive not only to recognize and redistribute power, but also to eradicate the systems and structures in place that cause and have caused injustice, inequity and exclusion. We aspire to see the leadership of international schools reflect the global majority.
Our Commitments
To realize our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, the Diversity Collaborative wholeheartedly challenges all leaders, international schools and associated organizations to address the absence of diverse leadership in formal leadership positions. Concurrently, we acknowledge that anyone in a school can demonstrate leadership by serving as an agent of change. The Diversity Collaborative (DC) conducts research on the leadership pipeline and recruitment practices, provides leadership development, and advocates for international school communities to (1) critically reflect on diversity or the lack thereof, (2) develop equity-minded stakeholders, (3) promote inclusive environments, and (4) serve as social justice activists.
Stay connected with the Diversity Collaborative
The organizing structure of the Diversity Collaborative includes three Facilitators and a Steering Committee to advise on DC development. This structure has been created to stay true to our collaborative model, but also have the necessary planning and support foundations to be practical and effective.
Data Committee | Co-Chairs: Liz Duffy & Beverly Shaklee
Collect data and produce and disseminate reports on BIPOC leadership and DEIJ issues within international schools.
Educational Committee | Co-Chairs: Darnell Fine & Dana Watts
Organize and promote professional development opportunities related to social justice and curate a list of recommended BIPOC speakers, consultants and facilitators.
Advocacy Committee | Co-Chairs: Hanadi Dayyeh & Nadine Richards
Work with accreditation agencies, search firms and other organizations to advance DEIJ issues across the international school sector.
Resource Committee | Co-Chair: Alysa Perreras
Post and share educational materials and tools (e.g. frameworks, videos, links, articles. etc.) for international schools interested in making progress on DEIJ issues.
Data Committee Key Priorities
- Working with ISS and George Mason University (GMU), the Data Committee will collect data on the experience of candidates of different genders, nationalities, and races as they search for leadership positions at international schools. The committee will then disseminate the findings from that study and make the raw data available through GMU for other researchers’ use.
- Working with the Council of International Schools (CIS), GMU, and perhaps other accreditation agencies, the Data Committee will collect data on the gender, nationalities and races of teachers, senior leaders, heads and board members at international schools. The committee will then disseminate the findings from that study and make the raw data available through GMU for other researchers to use.
- The Data Committee will share the definitions of diversity used in both studies with other interested groups and researchers, such as regional associations, to begin to develop consistent, non-American-centric, standards for assessing diversity in international schools.
- The Data Committee will produce case studies highlighting practices and programs that have successfully increased the diversity of leadership at international schools.
Advocacy Committee Key Priorities
The committee will build systems to advocate for the global majority to be reflected within the staff at major recruitment agencies and work with accreditation agencies, search firms, and governance trainers to develop best and sustainable practices regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
- Produce language, rubrics, and materials for suggested standards, policies, and protocols for school accreditation agencies to affect systematic changes
- Produce advocacy framework (protocols) for search agencies to impact systematic changes in recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and retention of diverse leaders and faculty
- Establish restorative protocols for reporting and accountability and use baseline data to analyze and interrogate systems
- Develop a growth continuum for DEIJ to engage the international community in a process of self-assessment and external evaluation
- Build systems of advocacy, mentoring, and sponsorship that is restorative for the BIPOC community
Educational Committee Key Priorities
The Educational Committee will organize and promote professional learning opportunities that:
- Encourage critical reflection related to DEIJ
- Develop educators’ skills, knowledge, and dispositions related to DEIJ
- Build diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just school environments
- Engage in DEIJ causes with communities beyond the confines of school
Resource Committee Key Priorities
- Develop a protocol to review and evaluate materials that are aligned with the DC mission and vision and move our communities closer to justice
- Further develop the educational materials for the DC resource bank and Padlet
- Create a space for DC members to share their experiences and feedback on the use of specific tools and resources within their context
Here is a list of recommended books for 2022.
You can see the recommended books here..
Upcoming Diversity Collaborative Meetings
All Diversity Collaborative meetings are held from 8:30 am – 9:30 am New York time.
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During the spring of 2019, the Diversity Collaborative, a voluntary group of international educators, initiated a research study by partnering with ISC Research and George Mason University. The goal was to survey the field of accredited international schools to establish a baseline of information in the international school sector about school leadership and diversity. The study was distributed to approximately 2,676 accredited international schools. All are encouraged to download and share this information broadly. The following are available: research brief, executive summary, video, and full report.
DEIJ SDGs
Presented in 2023
Diversity by Design
Proposal Presented by the Advocacy Committee.
Diversity Collaborative AIELOC Presentation
Presented at AIELOC Community Visioning
May 2021
Diversity Collaborative Member Meeting Presentation
Presented at a Member Meeting
May 2021
DEIJ Pathways to Change
Presented at AAIE Annual Conversation
April 2021
Exploring Implicit Bias
Presented by Darnell Fine, at Diversity Collaborative Member Meeting
September 2020
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice in Our International Schools
Presented at AAIE Action Through Conversation
June 2020
Frameworks, Tools and Strategies for Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Among International School Leadership
Presented at NESA Fall Leadership Conference
October 2019
From Resistance to Sustainability and Leadership: Cultivating Diverse Leaders in International Schools
Presented at NESA Fall Leadership Conference
October 2019
Frameworks, Tools and Strategies for Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Among International School Leadership
Presented at NESA Fall Leadership Conference
October 2019
The School Leadership Pipeline: Ensuring Robust Leadership Development at Independent Schools
Presented at NAIS Annual Conference
February 2019
Women & Leadership: Patterns, Strategies and Tools for Navigating Your Leadership Journey
Presented at NAIS Annual Conference
February 2019
- Parents for Diversity, led by a collective of parents
- The Black Expat, started by Amanda Bates
- We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit organization
- International Educator Equity Forum, started by Lucas Roberts
- WLead: Women Leading Change, led by Dana Watts and Stacey Stephens
- Intercultural Development Continuum
- International Educators and Leaders of Color, started by Kevin Simpson from KDSL Global
- Project Implicit
- Women of Influence in Education, led by Erin Robinson and Maya Nelson
- Professional School Counselors of Color, started by Mekisha Hugh
- Brothas & Sistas Working at International Schools, started by Mekisha Hugh
- The ISS Mary Anne Haas Women’s Symposium
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