1:00 pm - 1:50 pm (Room TBD)

Facilitator: Tanya Dallas
Organization: Jefferson County Schools
Role: Coordinator of Cultural Unity & Equity, At-Promise Student Programs, and Title VI/VII

Session Description:
Why do school districts often focus on recruiting diverse educators but neglect to implement effective retention strategies? School district policymakers and practitioners must gain a deeper understanding of the critical importance of learning about the hidden history of the failed mandate to integrate educators of color and the lasting impact this has on the institution of education in the United States today. Without fostering a supportive learning environment, efforts to enhance diversity fall short, ultimately decimating the pipeline of educators of color and weakening the intercultural network that benefits the entire school community.  

Session Objectives/Outcomes:

This session employs experiential and collaborative leadership learning approaches to create a rich learning environment. Participants will be introduced to three significant failures and their critical consequences stemming from historical mandates like the Brown vs. Board of Education 1954 ruling, which led to the dismissal of one-hundred thousand highly credentialed Black principals and teachers in the southern United States. To effectively recruit and retain diverse educators, a climate of belonging is essential. This workshop looks at questions with discussions about the hard answers to enhance the retention of teachers of color. By understanding the historical context and its ongoing impact (from an educational learning perspective and not a ‘shame or blame’ perspective), participants will be encouraged to work together as part of inclusive solutions to support and sustain a diverse educational workforce.

Professional Biography:
Tanya Dallas is the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, At-Promise Student Programs and Title VI/VII Coordinator in the Department of Cultural Unity & Equity at Jefferson County Schools. She is honored to have initiated Jefferson County's first Culturally Responsive Math Program and a Young Men of Excellence Program. Tanya is also the founder of their Cultural Unity and Equity Summer Ambassador’s Program, and initiated the associations for Black teachers, Hispanic/Latino staff and students. Tanya Dallas is enrolled at Salem University pursuing her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership to become a school principal. For 12 years, Tanya served as a 7th grade Language Arts teacher at Martinsburg South Middle School in Berkeley County, West Virginia. For over 10 years, Tanya also worked freelancing for television stations including FOX 5, NBC 4, WUSA 9 and PAX/Ion Television. Tanya recently launched her own educational equity consulting firm, TD, Inc. (Think Dignity). She has been a featured professional development facilitator and keynote speaker for various school districts across West Virginia and Virginia, and has led training workshops for national educational conferences, including the American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA).