The New Jersey School Boards Association’s inaugural Equity Expo will take place in just a few weeks, on Friday, April 11 at the Conference Center at Mercer County College from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The program will feature numerous sessions focused on creating and sustaining equity in New Jersey schools. Take a peek at some of the sessions to be offered below.
Building Equity for Excellence
Matthew Brewster, Director of Staff Development, Newark Board of Education; and Roger Leon, Superintendent, Newark Board of Education
Learn strategies to keep equity at the forefront of district and school improvement efforts. This session will also highlight the importance of a districtwide definition of equity, as well as the need to provide equity-focused professional development to school and central office leaders, teachers and student support personnel. Attendees will also learn about the role of superintendent councils in providing critical feedback to ensure that equity is part of the thread that weaves district initiatives together in a clear and systematic way.
Utilizing Alternative Education Programs to Increase Equity in Schools
Amy Abraham, Partnership Director, K12 Coalition
Addressing New Jersey’s teacher shortage requires innovative strategies to build diverse educator pipelines. This session will explore how alternative certification programs, comprehensive licensure exam support and targeted professional development, when used together, can enhance teacher recruitment and retention. Attendees will gain actionable insights to ensure every student benefits from high-quality educators who reflect and understand their communities.
The Story of My Family & Yours: From Arrival to Assimilation
Vince DeLucia, Director of Special Projects, NJSBA
Regardless of their nation of origin or the decade of their arrival, immigrants continue to have similar experiences from their arrival in a new country to the assimilation of their family’s background into American society.
Keynote Address: Moving Toward More Equitable Schools
LeDerick Horne, Co-Founder and Chair, All In for Inclusive Education
How do we move beyond performative inclusion to build truly equitable schools? In this keynote, LeDerick Horne will share his personal journey – from being a student in special education to co-founding All In for Inclusive Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming schools into spaces where every student belongs.
Through his story, Horne will describe the systemic barriers that continue to exclude students with disabilities and other marginalized learners. Attendees will receive practical, equity-driven approaches to help build truly inclusive schools.
Bring your team! The Equity Expo will include multiple breakout sessions, information on resources available to your district, best practices and networking opportunities.
A full agenda will be announced soon. Register for the conference here.
Registration Details This conference offers three Board Member Academy credits and has a member rate of $119. Registration of school board members, administrators and district staff that have been included on the NJSBA census may be registered online, but only by the school business administrator, who must attach a scanned copy of the purchase order with the registration.
For questions regarding this program, please contact Kristen Krulikowski via email.
