Race Relations and Equity Communications Resources

Many of the resources listed below are available to all. However, On-Demand Professional Development webinars and the NSPRA Gold Mine are available only to NSPRA members. Learn about the benefits of NSPRA membership and how to join the association.

The mission of NSPRA is to be the leader in developing professionals to communicate strategically, build trust and foster positive relationships in support of their school communities. Among NSPRA's values, as approved by the NSPRA Executive Board in 2021, is being an inclusive association that embraces the diversity of members and empowers them to champion equity and anti-racism in the communities they serve. In support of this value, NSPRA provides a variety of resources to assist members with their school communications related to issues of equity, diversity and race relations.

Many of the resources are developed by association members, including volunteers serving on the Communication Equity and Diversity Task Force. Their shared insights, ideas and examples are invaluable to supporting and promoting the cause of equity in public education.

The following resources include NSPRA-produced materials, school district examples and public resources from other organizations that can assist school communicators in responding to crises that cause harm among minoritized and marginalized populations. Share your examples of school communications on issues of equity, diversity and race relations by emailing editorial@nspra.org, and they may appear on this webpage or in future NSPRA publications.

Resources for School Systems

NSPRA Articles, Publications and Webinars

Many of these member resources may be found in NSPRA’s online Gold Mine, in The NSPRA Network e-newsletter or on the On-Demand Professional Development webpage.

• Articles 
  • "Important Questions for Framing Student Equity Stories" by Latisha Gray, APR, director of communications, Atlanta (Ga.) Public Schools. The NSPRA Network: Connecting Communities - April 2021 
  • "Equity Leadership From the Inside Out" by Kimberlee Armstrong, Ed.D., executive director of equity and public relations, Edmonds School District, Lynnwood, Wash. The NSPRA Network: Connecting Communities - May 2020

  • "Student Voices: Your Most Powerful Diversity & Equity Tool" by Jason Gaston, APR, public relations coordinator, Hoover City Schools, Birmingham, Ala. The NSPRA Network: Connecting Communities - February 2020

  • "Creating Safe Spaces for 2SLGBTQ+ Students and Staff" by Carla Pereira, APR, director of communications and community relations, Peel District School Board, Mississauga, Ontario; and Joshua Sauer, APR, web and interactive media specialist, Moore Norman Technology Center, Oklahoma City, Okla. The NSPRA Network: Connecting Communities - November 2019

  • "Equity and Policy: Working with Your Governing Board to Communicate Your District’s Commitment to Inclusion" by Joseph Ortiz, director of public relations and marketing, Tolleson Union High School District, Tolleson, Ariz. The NSPRA Network: Connecting Communities - April 2019

• Publications 

  • Inclusive Practices: What Elements Are Crucial to Diversity? - NSPRA’s Communication Equity and Diversity Task Force shares information around the broader concept of diversity and inclusiveness, and how critical it is in today’s schools.

  • Diversity Communications Toolkit - Offers school leaders a central resource that instantly provides an array of solutions to help plan and implement new and different communication strategies to reach increasingly diverse communities.

• Resources 

  • Resources for Supporting Democracy and Politics in Action - NSPRA 

• Tip Sheets

  • ​5 Communication Tips to Prepare for Public Demonstrations - NSPRA 

• ​Webinars (On-Demand Professional Development Library: Equity and Diversity Communications)

  • Navigating Equity Communications in a Divided Community - Featuring Eesha Pendharkar, staff writer, Education Week; Julie Sweetland, Ph.D., senior advisor, FrameWorks Institute; and  Barbara Hunter, APR, NSPRA executive director. NSPRA Insight - June 25, 2021

  • Uncomfortable Conversations: How to Engage Your School Community in Equity Work - Featuring Royal Gurley, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent, Dinwiddle County (Va.) Public Schools; Catherine Carbone Rogers, APR, Chief Communications Officer, Highline Public Schools, Burien, Wash.; Yolanda Stephen, APR, Director of Public Relations, Troup County School System, LaGrange, Ga., and NSPRA Vice President for Diversity Engagement. PR Power Hour - Feb. 5, 2021

  • ​Communicating Beyond Language Barriers in a Diverse School System - Featuring Helen Lloyd, APR, director of communications, Alexandria City (Va.) Public Schools; Jessica Morgan, director of communications, Sunnyside (Wash.) School District; and Curtis Campbell, public information officer, Shoreline (Wash.) Public Schools, and NSPRA Northwest Region vice president. PR Power Hour - Nov. 15, 2019

  • Cultural Awareness, Agility and Competence: What Does it Mean and How Does a Communicator Embrace and Exhibit it on the District’s Behalf? - Featuring Richard Franco, director, public relations, Florence (Ariz.) Unified School District; Shayla Cannady, senior manager, public relations & graphics, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, Fla.; and Heidi Vega, communications director, Arizona School Boards Association, Phoenix, Ariz. and NSPRA vice president for diversity engagement. PR Power Hour - Jan. 11, 2019

School District Examples and Resources

These examples are from public school systems and education departments across the United States and Canada. Share your examples of school communications on issues of equity, diversity and race relations by emailing rshaw@nspra.org, and they may appear on this webpage or in future NSPRA publications.

• Resources for Addressing Equity and Race Relations
  • Discussing Racism, Injustice, Inequality and Other Difficult  Topics With Students- Bedford (Ohio) City Schools 
  • ​Addressing Racialized Violence With Our Students - San Diego (Calif.) County Office of Education
  • An Educators Guide to This Moment: Resources for Educators, Parents and Students - Montgomery County (Md.) Public Schools
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Resources - Jeffco Public Schools, Golden, Colo.
  • Guidance on How Districts Can Facilitate Conversations About Race-based Stress and Trauma - Kentucky Department of Education
  • Talking to Children and Youth About Race and Racism - Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Thornton, Colo. 
• Statements on Racism, Race Relations and Protests

  • Superintendent's Op-ed: Lower The Temperature of Critical Race Theory Debate (July 3, 2021)

  • District Leadership Statement (April 16, 2021)-Richfield (Minn.) Public Schools ISD #280

  • Superintendent's Op-ed: When the Need to Change Meets Commitment: A Call to Action-Dougherty County School System, Albany, Ga. 

  • District Post on Injustice and Demonstrations (Facebook) - Minneapolis (Minn.) Public Schools
  • Superintendent Messages (June 1, 2020 and June 5, 2020) - Glenbard Township High School District 87, Glen Ellyn, Ill. 
  • ​District Statement on Racism (English, Spanish) - Leander (Texas) ISD
  • Message From Executive Director (Video) - Arizona School Boards Association 
  • Message From Principal to School Community on Protests and Resources - Bloomington (Minn.) Public Schools (May 29, 2020) 
  • Message From Superintendent (Twitter) - Dinwiddie County (Va.) Public Schools
  • Message From Superintendent - Lakota Local Schools, Liberty Township, Ohio
  • Message From Superintendent (Video) - Lorain County Joint Vocational School District, Oberlin, Ohio
  • Message From Superintendent and Message from Schools Board of Directors - Highline Public Schools, Burien, Wash. (June 2, 2020)
  • Message From Superintendent and Resources - Shoreline (Wash.) Public Schools
  • Message From Superintendent Regarding Protests and Racial Injustice (Video)- Burlington (Vt.) School District (June 1, 2020)
  • “Silence Is Not the Answer” by Sabrina Kapp, director of communications, Plainfield (Ind.) Community School Corporation (June 3, 2020)

Other Resources 

The following resources from other associations and organizations may also assist school communicators in developing key messages, talking points, public statements, publications, website content and social posts. In addition, some resources are shared to help communicators think about how challenging topics are framed by different groups.

• The Hidden Common Ground Initiative ("helps Americans identify and strengthen their common ground, productively navigate their differences, and create fair and effective solutions to the challenges of our time") - Public Agenda 
• From Caring to Conditions: Strategies for Effectively Communicating About Family, School, and Community Engagement - The FrameWorks Institute
• Critical Race Theory conversations in school communities:
  • What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? - Education Week
  • Combating Critical Race Theory in Your Community - Citizens for Renewing America (shared by NSPRA Insight panelist)
  • Model School Board Language to Prohibit Critical Race Theory (shared by NSPRA Insight panelist)
• How To Approach Student Activism - Michigan School Public Relations Association
• Education Resource: Equity in 2020-21 Action Guide for District Leaders, School Leaders - The Alliance for Resource Equity 
• Interactive Map: Is Your State Prioritizing Teacher Diversity & Equity? - The Education Trust
• Race and Equity Resources - American School Counselor Association
• Supporting Mentally Healthy Conversations About Anti-Black Racism With Students - School Mental Health Ontario 
• Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation: Resources and Lessons from Three Years of Community Collaboration - W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Talking About Race - National Museum of African American History and Culture