• III-C-2: Culturally Proficient Communication
    Unsatisfactory
    Needs Improvement
    Proficient
    Exemplary
    Makes few attempts to respond to different family cultural norms and/or responds inappropriately or disrespectfully. May communicate respectfully and make efforts to take into account different families’ home language, culture, and values, but does so inconsistently or does not demonstrate understanding and sensitivity to the differences. Always communicates respectfully with families and demonstrates understanding of and sensitivity to different families’ home language, culture, and values. Always communicates respectfully with families and demonstrates understanding and appreciation of different families’ home language, culture, and values. Is able to model this element.
    Coming Soon
    What instructional practices should be observed? What student impacts should be expected?
    For TEACHERS this may look like.

    1. Teacher has little understanding of families' cultures and does not attempt to learn more.

    1. Teacher has some knowledge of families' cultures and uses this knowledge when interacting with families.

    1. Teacher is aware of families' cultures, specifically the cultural norms for interacting with teachers and school, and uses this understanding to reach out to families in culturally respectful ways.

    1. Teacher is aware of families' cultures, specifically the cultural norms for interacting with teachers and school, and uses this understanding to reach out to families in culturally respectful ways. Teacher makes an effort to promote families' understanding of the teacher and/or school's cultural norms.
     

    1. Teacher pursues some opportunities for learning about culturally proficient practices in the classroom.

    1. Teacher pursues opportunities for learning about culturally proficient practices in the classroom and actively seeks to learn from families about their cultures and expectations for their children.

    1. Teacher pursues opportunities for learning about culturally proficient practices in the classroom and actively seeks to learn from families about their cultures and expectations for their children.
         

    1. Teacher seeks opportunities to honor students' and families' cultural traditions.
    As a result, the IMPACT on STUDENTS may be...

    1. Families are not asked to share their cultural norms or expectations for their children.

    1. Families have very few opportunities to share their cultural norms or expectations for their children with the teacher.

    1. Families have opportunities to share information about their home culture and expectations for their children with the teacher.

    1. Families have opportunities to share information about their home culture and expectations for their children with the teacher and with other students and families.

    1. Families receive information in only one format and only in English.

    1. Families receive information in both written and spoken formats, but it is not provided in any language other than English.

    1. Families receive information in both written and spoken formats, and made available in the languages spoken by students' families.

    1. Families receive information in variety of formats, such as phone calls, letters, emails, home visits and community meetings, and made available in the languages spoken by students' families.

    1. Families interact with the teacher only if there is a problem in the classroom.

    1. Families have positive interactions with the teacher, but families must initiate contact with the teacher.

    1. Families have positive interactions with the teacher, are regularly invited into the school and classroom, and have the opportunity to build relationships with the teacher throughout the school year.

    1. Families have positive interactions with the teacher, are regularly invited into the school and classroom, receive consistent affirmation from teachers on the importance of their engagement, and have the opportunity to build relationships with the teacher throughout the school year.
         

    1. Families and students feel their cultural perspectives are honored by the teacher and the school.
    Coming Soon
    Coming Soon
    Resource Name Description Type
    new! Lionbridge Telephonic Translation Directions The Boston Public School (BPS) District has entered into an agreement with LionBridge to provide telephonic (over-the-phone) interpretation services to schools and central office departments.  BPS Website
    new! Language Access Toolkit BPS Office of Language Access Services - Language Access ToolKit for Schools for Staff BPS Google Doc
    new! Family Engagement Tip Sheet Family engagement is an intentional, authentic, respectful, and equal partnership between educators and families with the ultimate goal of positive results for children and youth. PDF by DESE
    Do you have a resource that you want to recommend for this element? Email us at eval@bostonpublicschools.org with the subject line "Interactive Rubric Resource Recommendation" in the email