The pathway to uncovering and dismantling inequities Educational leaders who work in the district, site, or classroom level know that opportunity gaps have long been a focus of education policy in the United States. Leadership can be a critical lever for advancing policies that oppose racism and confront systemic inequities. In meeting this challenge, educators have found that acknowledging beliefs and behaviors is critical. Still, deficit-based thinking, especially due to privilege, remains a barrier to equity. Among the most damaging blind spots is the continuation of practices that are grounded in the values of entitled groups. Leading Change Through the Lens of Cultural Proficiency   tells the story of a school community in the midwest United States that contended with its approach to teaching and valuing students of diverse backgrounds. Featuring the research-based  Cultural Proficiency   Framework and Tools , the book provides a clear road map to advancing equity across schools and districts. Designed to support leaders and school communities in developing policies and practices that respond to the needs of all students, this book Guides school leaders in a journey of learning the theory and strategies that improved student achievement and improved the working conditions in this district - Features a real-life case study of a school community using the Tools of Cultural Proficiency and the Framework - Provides vignettes and data, based on work conducted across an actual school district, that resulted in improvements in school climate, achievement, mindset, and equitable educational practices - Includes powerful reflection, dialogic, and action activities for use in a variety of community learning modalities - Is grounded in assets-based assumptions with respect to students, families, and the school community With a focus on engagement, leadership, implementation frameworks, and collaborative learning, the authors demonstrate how to uncover and remedy inequities. Designed for education leaders at all levels of the education system, this is the ideal foundational text for implementing  Cultural Proficiency  in your setting as you open doors for all students to thrive. The authors do an excellent job of making connections between theory and practice, providing clear guidance and examples of how to bridge the two. This book provides a practical tool that can be applied immediately to help principals assess the alignment of their plans with continually moving toward being a culturally proficient organization. -- Jeff Ronneberg ― Superintendent Spring Lake Park Schools Leading Change Through the Lens of Cultural Proficiency is a must-read for anyone in education who wants to be the voice of educational reform so that all students feel valued and are able to achieve success regardless of race and/or socioeconomic status. -- Melissa Miller ― Sixth-Grade Science Teacher Farmington Middle School Jaime Welborn , Ph.D . currently serves as an Assistant Professor in Education Leadership at Saint Louis University in Missouri.  She completed her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University and has presented her research that investigated the degree to which principals use and value culturally proficient educational practices at Harvard and California State University.  Prior to coming to the university, Jaime served as an elementary school assistant principal in the Rockwood School District in West St. Louis County, and as a middle school mathematics and language arts teacher and elementary school teacher in rural and metropolitan public schools in Illinois.  Jaime’s experiences in education have been in working with diverse student populations, and her work and other life experiences have contributed to her passion in using the Cultural Proficiency lens in education for increasing educational equity, social justice, and culturally proficient leadership.  In 2018, Jaime started a consulting business, JWE Education Consulting, LLC - DBA “doing business as” Midwest Collaborative for Cultural Proficiency in Schools.  She works with school organizations, helping educators examine their individual values and behaviors, as well as their organization’s practices and policies, to implement and sustain the work of Cultural Proficiency through transformative action plans.  Jaime lives in St. Louis with her husband, Daniel, and two daughters, Brynley and Hailee. You can contact Dr. Welborn at info@midwestccps.org. Website midwestccps.org Twitter @welborn_jaime Tamika Casey currently serves as a site administrator in the San Bernardino City Unified School District and co-pastor of New Life Christian Church of Fontana. She has served in many capacities in education, including mainstream classroom teacher as well as a SANKOFA Culturally Responsive Demonstration Teacher, teaching coach, program specialist for the Department of Equity and Targeted Student Achievement, elementary principal, and instructo