INVESTIGATING INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS’ RACE AND EQUITY BASED LEARNING IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHARTER SCHOOLS

Abstract

This study explored charter school instructional assistants’ (IAs), as lower-status workers, experience of racial equity professional learning. The research investigated how IAs made sense of, internalized, and applied racial equity content in their practice, focusing on their interactions and decision-making. Central to this inquiry was understanding how IAs constructed new knowledge about racism and equitable practices through participation in race-based equity professional development. Findings revealed that IAs' learning was influenced by their roles, work contexts, and identities. Many IAs expressed skepticism about the relevance of professional development content, often feeling that it reiterated familiar information. Constraints such as perceived lack of respect and exclusion hindered their engagement, yet when they connected the learning to their own experiences, they became more involved. IAs' strong relationships with students motivated them to integrate racial equity practices into their work, underscoring their roles as advocates and educators. The study highlights the necessity of designing professional development that addresses the unique learning needs of IAs, ensuring that it fosters self-awareness, reflection, and a deeper understanding of systemic inequities. By focusing on their experiences, this research contributes to the discourse on continuous professional learning, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in continuous professional learning programs to enhance educational practices that support marginalized students. Future research should further explore over time the specific learning processes of lower-status workers in various educational contexts and examine the impact of tailored professional development on their practice.