September, 2015
Elements of Cultural Competence
1. Purpose: To include foundational elements of cultural competence in teacher training.
2. Description of services provided: As part of the training in the state’s three instructional
frameworks, and two leadership frameworks, teachers and principals participate in professional
learning about cultural competence.
3. Criteria for grants: No grants were awarded.
4. Beneficiaries in State FY 2014 -15 School Year:
# of OSPI staff associated with this funding (FTEs): 0
# of contractors: 0
5. State funding since inception: FY15 as onetime $27,000
6. Number of beneficiaries (e.g., schools, students, districts) since inception: None
7. Average and range of funding per beneficiary, 2014-15 school year: None
8. Evaluations of program/major findings: None.
9. Major challenges faced by the program: There are no major challenges in meeting the purpose
of the funding; OSPI was able to achieve the goals of this program using funding already in place.
10. Statutory and/or Budget language: Budget Proviso: ESSB 6052 Sec. 1510 (16) $27,000 of the
general fund--state appropriation for fiscal 2015 is a one-time appropriation provided solely for
the office of the superintendent of public instruction to include foundation elements developed
by the professional educator standards board within the content of the training.
11. Other relevant information: The Instructional Framework authors meet with OSPI three times
per year to discuss emerging issues and plan for training capacity. This proviso was brought to
their attention at one of the 2014-15 meetings. The authors were able to clearly show how
cultural competence is a key theme in each of the instructional frameworks, and has been part
of the training that framework specialists, teachers, and principals have been receiving since this
training has begun in support of Washington’s revised teacher evaluation systems. The state’s
eight criteria for teacher evaluation and the leadership framework for principal evaluation
address cultural competence in a number of places. Please see the attached chart for the
crosswalk between the four components of the cultural competence framework, the state’s
eight teacher evaluation criteria, and the state’s eight principal evaluation criteria. (Should it be
decided in the future that additional training would be desirable for the state’s 125 framework
facilitators, the cost would be approximately $140,000. This would not include the cost of then
rolling it out to the state’s teachers and principals.)
WA Cultural Competence Matrix & Principal and Teacher Evaluation Criteria
All of the instructional and leadership frameworks used in the evaluation of teacher and building administrators, in Washington state, align with the Washington
Cultural Competency Matrix at the criteria level. That alignment is listed below. Each of the framework authors had been very intentional in including cultural
competency throughout their frameworks.
Cultural Competence Framework
Principal Evaluation Criteria
Teacher Evaluation Criteria
Component 1.0: Professional Ethics within a Global and
Multicultural Society
Ethical and moral concepts and practices that undergird
Equity, Civil Rights and Cultural Competence for education
professionals and systems.
 Human Rights
 Social Justice
Criterion 1: Creating a Culture
Criterion 1: Centering Instruction on High Expectations for
Student Achievement
Component 2.0 Civil Rights and Nondiscrimination Law
An understanding of State and Federal Civil Rights and Nondiscrimination laws.
 Civil Rights Law
 Safe Schools
Criterion 2: Ensuring School Safety
Component 3.0 Reflective Practice, Self-Awareness & AntiBias
Awareness of one’s own cultural background and how it
influences perception, values and practices. Understanding of
structural benefits and privileges and how they mold
educational practices and organizations. Ability to find and
use tools, processes and programs that promote professional
& organizational self-examination and assessment in order to
mitigate behaviors and practices (e.g.: racism, sexism,
homophobia, unearned-privilege, euro-centrism, etc) that
undermine inclusion, equity and Cultural Competence in
education.
 Societal advantages
 Cosmology, Spirituality, Creed, and Religion
 Understanding Culture and Identity
Criterion 1: Creating a Culture
Criterion 6: Managing Resources
Criterion 8: Closing the Gap
Criterion 3: Recognizing Individual Student Needs and
Developing Strategies to Address Those Needs
Criterion 7: Communicating and Collaborating with Parents
and the School Community
Criterion 5: Fostering and Managing a Safe Positive
Learning Environment
Criterion 8: Closing the Gap
Criterion 7: Communicating and Collaborating with Parents
and the School Community
Criterion 1: Centering Instruction on High Expectations for
Student Achievement
Criterion 2: Ensuring School Safety
Criterion 2: Demonstrating Effective Teaching Practices
Criterion 4: Aligning Curriculum
Criterion 6: Managing Resources
Criterion 8: Closing the Gap
Criterion 3: Recognizing Individual Student Needs and
Developing Strategies to Address Those Needs
Criterion 8: Exhibiting Collaborative and Collegial Practices
Focused on Improving Instructional Practice and Student
Learning
Component 4.0 Repertoires of Practice for Teaching
Effectiveness for Culturally Diverse Populations
An understanding of the broad range of experiences and
groups that students bring to the classroom and how those
experiences impact learning. The ability of individuals and
systems to work effectively with students and the
communities they are from.
 Culturally Responsive School/Classroom
 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Equity
Pedagogy
 Language
 Partnerships with Families and Communities
Criterion 1: Creating a Culture
Criterion 1: Centering Instruction on High Expectations for
Student Achievement
Criterion 4: Aligning Curriculum
Criterion 2: Demonstrating Effective Teaching Practices
Criterion 5: Improving Instruction
Criterion 7: Engaging Communities
Criterion 8: Closing the Gap
Criterion 3: Recognizing Individual Student Needs and
Developing Strategies to Address Those Needs
Criterion 4: Providing Clear and Intentional Focus on
Subject Matter, Content and Curriculum