Cultural Proficiency
Philosophy: We believe that diversity enriches the learning environment and that all individuals have worth and
should be treated with dignity and respect. We welcome a variety of cultural, economic, and experiential
backgrounds including, but not limited to, variation with respect to language, race, culture, religious belief,
gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, veteran status, and geographical location. Therefore, we believe that the
Cultural Proficiency Model best informs our preparation of educators in the area of diversity as this approach does
not simply prize the individual, but focuses on the culture of an organization.
The Cultural Proficiency Model uses an inside-out approach and considers those who are insiders in the
organization, encouraging reflection on self understandings and values. It relieves those identified as outsiders,
members of excluded or marginalized groups, from the responsibility of doing all the adapting. This approach
acknowledges and respects the current values and feelings of people, encouraging change without threatening
feelings of worth.
Cultural proficiency is reflected in the way an organization treats its employees, its constituents, and its
community. Administrators, teachers, staff, parents, students, and the community welcome and create
opportunities to better understand whom they are as individuals, while learning how to interact positively with
people who differ from themselves. In summary, cultural proficiency is the policies and practices of the
organization, or the values and behaviors of an individual, which enable that agency or person to interact
effectively in a culturally diverse environment.
Professional Commitments and Dispositions We endeavor to promote the development of educators who can be
secure in their identities, acknowledge their predispositions, biases, and limitations, and actively and critically
engage in culturally proficient leadership and teaching.
Culturally proficient leaders and teachers begin with accepting and valuing each student and acknowledging what
each student brings to the community. They nurture development, individual ability, and talent while creating an
equitable classroom environment. Culturally proficient leaders confidently deliver programs and services, knowing
that their community of learners genuinely value diversity. Teachers, administrators, school counselors, support
staff, and related professionals show respect to one another and to collective efforts to educate every student.
When all of the participants are deeply involved in the developmental process, there is broader based ownership,
making commitment to change more likely.
As a result, in a culturally proficient organization, the culture of the organization promotes inclusiveness and
institutionalizes processes for learning about differences and for responding appropriately to those differences. In
an organization it is the organizational policies and practices that reflect a positive diverse environment. In an
individual, it is one’s values and behaviors that enable effective interaction in a diverse environment.
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