Webinars on Education Policy & Initiatives by The Hunt Institute

Webinars

Join Our Upcoming Webinars

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive updates on our upcoming webinars!

Looking for previous webinars? Visit our YouTube page or our Intersection Reflections blog to find them all.

Early Efforts |
Promoting Equitable Birth Outcomes

Tuesday, February 7 | 2 pm ET

The perinatal period is one of the most critical times for both mothers’ and infants’ health and wellbeing. Yet, disparities in health care have consistently put women of color and their newborns at higher risk for negative outcomes. Join us as this expert panel discusses barriers to equitable prenatal and maternal health care and innovative solutions to promote healthy birth outcomes for all.

Homeroom with Education Leaders |
Education for the Real World: Strengthening Access to Work-Based Learning Opportunities

Thursday, February 9 | 2 pm ET

With shifting priorities in public education, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are seeing growing demand, but not all students have equal access to high-quality CTE programs. As states and districts continue to expand their work-based learning opportunities, how can they ensure these programs are accessible for historically underrepresented students? Join The Hunt Institute for a critical conversation on the current state of CTE and strategies for developing equitable programs.

Postsecondary Pathways
| White House Initiative on HBCUs: Past, Present and Future

Thursday, February 16 | 2 pm ET

Time flies when you are making progress. February 25 will mark one year of Dr. Dietra Trent being the Executive Director of The White House Initiative on HBCUs. The White House Initiative on HBCUs is an initiative dedicated to eliminating the barriers that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) face in providing the highest-quality education to a growing number of students. The White House Initiative on HBCUs’ work is organized into three areas of focus: programs, projects, and policies. Moderated by The Hunt Institute’s very own, Javaid Siddiqi, this conversation will center on the progress that the initiative has made along with Dr. Trent’s future aspirations for this work.

Race & Education | Lessons from the Divine Nine: How Black Greek Life Impacts Leadership and Education Policy

Tuesday, February 21 | 2 pm ET

For the past century, Black Greek organizations have created safe spaces for young Black adults to excel in college, help unite Black communities across the country with service and have laid the foundation for Black people to connect with each other for professional opportunities. Through the cultivation of leadership skills within these organizations, many members of Black Greek Letter Organizations have gone on to leave positive lasting marks in the field of education, through either shaping policy or advocating for change. Today’s webinar will highlight members of these organizations who use their positions to touch the field of education and change it for the better.

Postsecondary Pathways
| Behind the Walls and Post-Release | Supporting Learners Impacted by the Legal System

Thursday, March 16 | 2 pm ET

A college education can be the gateway to opportunity. However, opportunity is not equal and often, it is predicated on identity and experiences. Unfortunately, students with carceral experience (justice-involved/impacted individuals) often encounter cultural and systemic barriers. Such barriers adversely affect these students’ access to needed resources and degree completion. Higher education stakeholders must contend with the structures that are in place for justice impacted students and decide if they are sufficient to ensure the holistic achievement of these learners. This conversation will humanize the experience of justice impacted students, identify the supportive structures that are in place and pinpoint areas where growth is needed.

Homeroom with Education Leaders | Bend It Like Beckham: Recruiting and Retaining Girls in School Sports

Thursday, March 23 | 2 pm ET

Youth sports provide a range of benefits to athletes, their families, and their communities, including improved academic outcomes; however, girls continue to be underrepresented in athletic programs. Girls are more likely than boys to have never played sports and are less likely to be currently playing a sport – this disparity is even starker for Black girls and those in low-income communities. Join us for a conversation around why girls struggle to access and persist in sports, how schools can break down these barriers, and how participation in school athletics programs can support overall student success.

The Foundations of Early Literacy as a Tool for Equity

Tuesday, March 28 | 3 pm ET

Every child—in Massachusetts and beyond— has the right to learn to read and write in order to be able to fully participate in our democracy. And yet, despite the research that shows that proficiency in early literacy is a key indicator of a child’s future success in school and in life, many students do not have access to effective instruction and early intervention. When our school systems fail to teach students how to read, it can have devastating consequences. In fact, 43% of adults living in poverty have low literacy levels, and there is a significant correlation between literacy and incarceration, with the U.S. Department of Justice reporting that a significant approximately 70% of incarcerated adults have difficulty reading above a fourth-grade level.

In 2019, before the pandemic, only half of 3rd through 5th graders were reading on grade level according to the ELA MCAS, highlighting the persistent opportunity gaps where our system failed to reach early learners. These opportunity gaps were even more dire for Black and Latinx students for whom the percentage of 3-5th graders reading on grade level dropped to 30%. Over the next 2-3 years, as COVID-19 disrupted our educational systems, overall outcomes have reached historic lows.

It is clearer now, more than ever, that high quality, evidence-based early literacy instruction is one of our best tools to ensure a more equitable future for all students.

Culturally Responsive Practices in Early Literacy

Tuesday, April 4 | 3 pm ET

Culturally responsive teaching validates and affirms student’s identities by putting their customs, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives at the center of instruction. Research highlights that culturally responsive teaching allows students to feel more recognized, feel valued for their contributions, and eager to learn. Culturally responsive teaching means educators adapt their instructional methods to use strategies and language consistent with the values of their students’ identities – giving students, particularly from historically marginalized communities, a more equitable and enriching education experience. Culturally responsive and literacy-rich classrooms will often feature books by diverse authors that depict diverse characters that challenge stereotypes and center the experiences that mirror those of the students in the classroom. Join us for a discussion on the impacts of culturally responsive instruction, challenges to implementation, and national best practices.

Early Literacy Instruction for Multilingual Learners

Tuesday, April 10 | 3 pm ET

Nearly 12 million children across the United States speak a language other than English at home – and in Massachusetts, over 100 thousand children – or ~12 percent – are classified as English Language Learners. With significant numbers of children living in multilingual households across Massachusetts, the growth and success of these students is vital to the future success of the communities in which they will one day live and work. Multilingual learners bring a wealth of linguistic and cultural knowledge to the classroom, and effective literacy instruction builds upon these funds of knowledge and is tailored to the specific needs of the student.

In 2000, the National Reading Panel identified five components of reading: phonetic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Six years later, the panel released a second report confirming that these five components of reading had clear benefits for multilingual learners, and highlighted the need for adaptive, tailored, and explicit instruction in oral English language proficiency, vocabulary knowledge, and syntax. Since the release of that report, extensive research has elevated specific practices that teachers can adopt to best meet the needs of multilingual learners in the classroom.

Join us for this important conversation about the strategies and best practices for ensuring that this substantial student population has access to the necessary resources to thrive in the classroom and beyond.