Join the Southern Center for Opportunity and Access (formerly Equity Assistance Center-South) and the National Academy of Education for the second webinar in a three-part series on building safe and supportive learning environments.

Too often, educators are expected to improve student outcomes without ever being taught how the conditions students experience shape learning. This webinar explores the instructional practices that foster belonging, engagement, and deeper learning for all students. Featuring leading researchers and educators, the session will connect research to classroom practice by exploring practical, evidence-based strategies for building meaningful relationships, cultivating inclusive classroom communities, and strengthening student engagement.

Participants will leave with:

  • Research-informed strategies to foster belonging, engagement, and deeper learning
  • A stronger understanding of how school environments influence students’ day-to-day learning experiences
  • A shared language for discussing the conditions that support student success
  • Practical ideas for strengthening supportive learning conditions in classrooms and schools

Speakers include:

  • Eshé Collins, Director, Southern Center for Opportunity and Access
  • Jennifer Banks, Director of Instruction, Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Ann Arbor, MI
  • Megan Franke, Vice Chair of Professional Programs; Professor, UCLA School of Education & Information Studies, Los Angeles, CA
  • H. Richard Milner IV, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Education and Sociology; Founding Director, Research in Education Applied to Development of Youth (READY) Lab, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
  • Micah Pate, Principal, Cooper Lane Elementary, Landover, MD; National Academy of Education