Equity in Education
Providing proven strategies and support to
create your school system’s
road-map to equity
Ready to work smarter, not harder in ensuring that all students and families you serve have access to a high-quality, equitable education?
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR EQUITY-MINDED EDUCATORS COMMITTED TO LEADING IMPACTFUL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS.
Join us as we elevate the professional development community, together.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY
As an educational administrator, you struggle to meet the needs of all your students and support your staff at the same time.
You’ve tried everything:
- you’ve attended training sessions
- you’ve read books
- you’ve hired other consultants
And nothing has worked.
You’re frustrated because you invested money and time in one-size-fits-all programs that don’t meet your needs.
You feel as though you’re failing your students and their families.
There’s a lot of talk and confusion about equity in education… But it doesn’t have to be this way
Isn’t it time for less talk and more solutions?
You don’t need another “program.”
You need a new approach with proven results.
One that naturally empowers teachers and is sustainable.
You need a solution that meets your unique needs and creates lasting change for the students and families who need it most.
Solutions tailored to OUR needs
“This is not your typical equity work. Dr. Gillmore and her team didn’t come in with a pre-packaged program. They really worked with us to identify what our needs were and then tailored services around that.”
– Dr. Anne Kalisek, Executive Director of Student Support Services, Palm Springs Unified School District
Hello! I’m Dr. Marina Gillmore.
I’m an award-winning educator, facilitator, and systems-changer. Together with my team of consultants, I provide strategies and tools for school systems and organizations undertaking action on equity and cultural proficiency.
I’ve helped dozens of schools and organizations create customized equity programs that are effective and sustainable.
With my unique approach, I guide groups through an effective process to create lasting change.
Each project is tailored to the district’s individual needs – without blowing budgets or overwhelming teachers.
The best part? Many organizations see the positive results they only imagined were possible – in as few as 3 or 4 site visits.
Want to see how your district can improve equitable outcomes in as little as 3 site visits?
Book your Free Equity Consultation now.
A consultant who takes time to know our staff
“She is awesome! Marina is so easy to work with. Her personality, her compassion, her honesty when it comes to doing the work, is inspirational. Staff at different school sites always comment on how approachable she is. She truly lives the work.”
– Wendi Pendergrass, Executive Director of Schools and Programs,
Special School District of St. Louis County
How We Work
I want you to know this: my team doesn’t come into your schools and force another program on you.
Instead, we get to know you, your stakeholders and your diverse needs.
We build equity and cultural proficiency into your existing processes and systems. For example, we can plug into your curriculum frameworks, or align equity work to your ongoing social-emotional learning activities.
Why?
Because one-size-fits-all programs seldom see long-term success or buy-in from your staff. By aligning with your existing processes and then capturing what equity best practices look like in your classrooms, equity work becomes attainable – and sustainable.
Using evidenced-based best practices, my team engages with schools and school districts as follows
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS, FULL-DAY WORKSHOPS, SUMMITS & KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
We collaborate with you to deliver interactive and customizable webinars, professional development workshops, equity summits, and keynote presentations designed to meet your school and/or district’s unique equity needs. All webinars and workshops aim to make equity work easier on your teachers, school leaders, and budget. Can be facilitated in-person or virtually.
Most popular topics include:
- Creating & Sustaining a Culture of Equity and Inclusion
- Leading for Equity
- Teaching for Equity
- Educator Self-Care & Wellness
- Equity-Minded Social-Emotional Learning
- Equity-Minded Trauma-Informed Care Practices
CUSTOMIZED COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
We work with you to develop a customized online community of practice for a few schools or your entire district. Communities of practice are designed to support the implementation of professional learning through tailored, PD sessions and facilitated interaction among participants. Asynchronous, threaded discussions guide participant reflection and sharing, community collaboration, and ongoing coaching.
PD sessions can be facilitated in-person or virtually.
EQUITY TEACHING TEAM COACHING & LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
For schools and districts ready to scale their equity work, we offer leadership coaching and support to develop site-based equity teams to build momentum for equity work that is sustainable and transformative. Equity team development will include synchronous coaching support and PD workshops, as well as exclusive access to online supports that include our Equity Team Collaborative, Equity Resource Library, and customized community of practice. Synchronous, threaded discussions guide participant reflection and sharing, community collaboration, and ongoing coaching.
Coaching support and PD sessions can be facilitated in-person or virtually.
Future-proof your roadmap with a simple system to continually evaluate, adjust and build capacity, while also scaling equity work school and district-wide.
One size does NOT fit all
“It’s not one-stop shopping. Dr. Gillmore was able to come into our district and truly understand what the Special School District was like, especially because we are not like any other district in the country.
She took the time to tour the schools and meet with staff and teachers to really learn and understand how we operate.
She evolved with us and as she discovered what our needs were, and then tailored our services as needed.
“– Wendi Pendergrass, Executive Director of Schools and Programs,
Special School District of St. Louis County
“I think that any school or district struggling with equitable processes or working with a diverse group of stakeholders would benefit from working with Dr. Gillmore and her team.”
Dr. Anne Kalisek, Executive Director of Student Support Services, Palm Springs Unified School District
Why I do this work
Equity…inclusion…empowerment
These are complex issues to navigate.
And yet these values support and nurture underserved and disenfranchised youth in our schools and communities.
It’s critical that we get it right.
Because when we remove barriers in education, we improve outcomes for all students and families.
And it’s why I’ve made it my life’s work.
I’m a professor, a teacher, a facilitator and an author with a passion for equity and justice. I believe our education systems provide the best opportunity to affect real change – but only with the right tools and support.
My graduate research on educating underserved youth in urban environments is award-winning.
When I’m not working with school systems to implement equity programs, you might find me:
Presenting at conferences around North America
Leading professional development seminars and workshops to empower teachers to be change-makers without burnout
Writing books and publications to advance educational and social justice causes (I’ve published 4 books). Through the independent publishing house I founded, I also coach and support other authors to write their own stories
Enjoying a good biography, vegan cooking, long hikes in the mountains and Pacific Coast sunsets
Weaving this diversity of practice and experience into my hands-on and transformative programs
But my passion?
Working within complex systems to create large-scale sustainable change.
I’ve partnered with dozens of diverse schools and organizations around the country who struggle with equity by plugging into existing systems with an approach tailored to your unique needs.
Without overwhelming your teachers – or your budgets.
And the results speak for themselves.
Engage the Right People in the Right Way
“Before working with Dr. Gillmore and her team, we struggled to get the right stakeholders involved with working on our equity issues.
We didn’t have consistency with attendance at meetings.
Since working with them, we’re seeing more consistency and participation.
And the school sites and teachers are very happy with the professional development that’s been provided.”
– Dr. Anne Kalisek, Executive Director of Student Support Services, Palm Springs Unified School District
Your Unique Approach Works
“We were struggling to find ways to best communicate with and serve the families and students in our community.
We had no real sense of direction on how to address cultural proficiency.
I was really impressed with your willingness to spend time with us and get to know us.
Now, we have equity teaching teams who are empowered to provide follow up and keep the work going.”
– Dr. Paul Bauer, Associate Superintendent, Special School District of St. Louis County
Want to see how your district can improve equitable outcomes in as little as 3 site visits?
What will equity look like in your school?
Before
You’re not reaching all your students
Your hardworking and dedicated teachers are getting burnt out
You’ve invested in a lot of programs that failed to create the change you need
Your data shows achievement gaps between socio-economic and ethnic groups
Families are frustrated
Teachers are frustrated
Students are disconnected
After
Your leadership, teachers and community are invested in the customized roadmap they created
Teachers are empowered and leading the charge for equity in classrooms
Teachers feel fully supported with the new tools and training they receive
All stakeholders have a common understanding of what equity looks like at the level of classroom climate and instruction
Your district scores show improvements across all demographic groups
Families are connected and engaged
Disenfranchised students are connecting, participating and feeling hopeful about education… and their lives
Let’s create your customized roadmap to equity so that all students succeed
Ready to work smarter, not harder in ensuring that all students and families you serve have access to a high-quality, equitable education?
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR EQUITY-MINDED EDUCATORS COMMITTED TO LEADING IMPACTFUL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS.
Join us as we elevate the professional development community, together.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY