Cameron Poole currently serves as the Chief Officer of Equity, Inclusion, and Accountability with the School District of Clayton (MO). He is an Adjunct Professor at multiple universities in Educational Leadership programs. Cameron also serves as the Co-Founder + Principal of Strategies for Solutions, LLC. Strategies for Solutions is a social equity and educational consultancy. Cameron obtained an undergraduate degree in History, with an emphasis on American History Post-Reconstruction, and a Sociology Minor. He also has a Masters of Teaching/Education (Social Studies 6-12), a Masters of Educational Administration, and a Doctorate of Educational Leadership.
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, there was a renewed commitment across various sectors, including education, to address systemic racism and inequities. Many organizations, including school districts, hired Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professionals to spearhead these initiatives. Initially, this work was met with energy and enthusiasm. However, as time has passed, that momentum has often slowed, influenced by factors such as accountability challenges, state and local politics, and overall fatigue. Many DEI professionals now face challenges in maintaining relevance and support within their organizations. The approach that has proven effective within my district involves framing DEI initiatives as a form of Process Improvement. This approach not only sustains the work but also ensures its adaptability as the landscape changes.
Why Process Improvement?
Process Improvement is traditionally associated with manufacturing and industry, seldom with education. Yet, upon examining the principles behind it, there is a striking alignment with DEI work. Process Improvement methodologies emphasize continual evaluation and enhancement of processes, aiming for ongoing efficiency and effectiveness. Dana Miranda, in her article “What Is Process Improvement?” for Forbes Advisor, captures this concept well:
“Process improvement is a methodology… that helps you take in and evaluate feedback about your processes to ensure continual improvement. Its aim is to always be improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your business strategy, customer or manufacturing processes… The benefit of implementing a process improvement methodology as part of your overall management systems is that it gives you an avenue to spot and improve challenges in your processes. These challenges could be hurting your customer experience, internal production or other business goals.”
In the educational context, Process Improvement becomes a powerful tool for equity. Building systems around equity means that all students—regardless of identity or personal characteristics—have equal access to educational opportunities. Identity should not impact access to any aspect of educational programming. Equity in education, therefore, involves creating policies, curricula, and practices that ensure every student’s sense of belonging and full participation. By continually evaluating these factors, we can address barriers to access and identify improvements for fairer outcomes.
Educational Equity as a Management System
When viewed as part of an overall management system, Educational Equity serves as an ongoing feedback loop, helping districts to address the unique equity challenges they face intentionally. Quantitative and qualitative data provide critical insights into students’ academic experiences and performance, disaggregated by race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, and other personal characteristics. The goal is to ask: Which data points indicate disparities continuously? What steps must be taken to address these inequities? These questions become the foundation for creating equitable educational experiences.
In Miranda’s definition, “challenges” represent inequities, “customer experience” aligns with the student experience, “internal production” translates to data and accountability metrics, and “business goals” align with district or school objectives. By reframing equity work as Process Improvement, it becomes clear that addressing inequities requires a structured, iterative approach. It takes Educational Equity from a mere idea, initiative, or strategy, and makes it a system and department.
Using the PDCA Cycle to Address Educational Inequities
One effective Process Improvement methodology is the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) Cycle, developed by W. Edwards Deming in the 1950s:
- Plan: Identify areas for improvement, such as a policy that impacts student access.
- Do: Implement changes on a small scale as a pilot.
- Check: Evaluate the pilot’s outcomes using specific data points.
- Act: Decide whether to expand the change or revisit the process based on results.
For example, if a school identifies that certain extracurricular activities lack diverse participation, it could start by adjusting outreach efforts or removing enrollment barriers for a single activity. By beginning with a small-scale approach, schools can gauge effectiveness and refine as needed.
The “Do” stage’s small-scale approach helps avoid overwhelm and provides manageable steps toward larger goals. Additionally, during the “Check” stage, using specific performance indicators helps measure success or identify areas for recalibration. This structured approach promotes sustained, meaningful change. Often, organizations struggle with the “Act” stage—stuck not because of a lack of commitment, but due to the challenges of scaling too quickly. Beginning small facilitates smoother transitions to larger implementations. A quote from Simon Sinek resonates with this cycle – “It’s better to go slow in the right direction than to go fast in the wrong direction.”
A Continuous Journey
The cyclical nature of the PDCA framework underscores a vital truth: Educational Equity is a continuous journey, not a destination. With each iteration of the cycle, we address emerging inequities and fine-tune our responses. For DEI professionals and educational leaders facing evolving pressures, adopting a Process Improvement mindset keeps equity work dynamic and responsive, ensuring its endurance and relevance.
By approaching Educational Equity as an ongoing process of improvement, schools and districts gain the tools to navigate challenges, adapt to change, and lead transformative efforts. This mindset keeps equity at the heart of educational progress, creating inclusive environments where every student has the opportunity to thrive.
References
The article I reference on Process Improvement is here – https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/what-is-process-improvement/
I also used a Simon Sinek quote from X. Here is the link – https://x.com/simonsinek/status/1379864312597078018