CCRE Collective

Qualified organizations must:

• Demonstrate previous knowledge and work related to equity and anti-racist practice within their organization
• Have a clear understanding of organization-specific equity concerns, resources, and goals
• Have a team of 3-4 that is representative of different roles across the organization (e.g., a parent coordinator, teacher, an administrator, and a parent)
• Have a clear plan and commitment to protect time and space for team to participate in Collective programming during the traditional work day

Key Dates:

*Teams who apply by the early bird deadline and are accepted will receive two (2) additional sessions with a CCRE facilitator during the 2023-24 school year to support their work.

All CCRE Collective sessions will be three hours long and will take place during standard working hours (US Eastern Time). Dates are estimates and subject to change at this time. 

Foundational Workshops:

The Foundational Workshops will provide grounding knowledge that will support our work across all sessions throughout the year. The four workshops will focus on four foundational equity elements:

Workshop 1 | Understanding Racism: Then and Now (October 2023)
This foundational session will deepen participants’ understanding of the origins and current-day manifestations of racism in American society. This grounding knowledge will be used to explore effective anti-racism practices and policies.

Workshop 2 | Push-out, Erasure, and Criminalization in Education Settings (November 2023)
Participants will explore how BIPOC, poor, disabled, and LGBTQ+ children are disproportionately pushed out of education settings. We will critically analyze how institutions, policies, practices, and mindsets often protect and sustain dominant culture to the detriment of historically excluded youth in schools.

Workshop 3 | Anti-Racist Practice and Designing for Brilliance (January 2024)
In this session, participants will develop/deepen the mindsets, skills, and practices that can interrupt inequitable practices and policies. We will use research-backed, strengths-based approaches to design for the brilliance of all students.

Workshop 4 | Leading for Equity (March 2024)
In this final session, participants will begin to develop strategic plans and action steps that will be used in their organizations to advance equity. We will reflect on our learning journey and commit to maintaining a network of support as people lead for equity in their communities.

Coaching for Equity Circles:

Grounded in the CCRE Coaching for Equity Model, the Coaching for Equity Circles will provide participants with direct coaching experiences while building their capacity to coach others. Circles will be held in:

• October 2023
• November 2023
• February 2024
• April 2024

Communities of Practice:

The Communities of Practice will provide a space for participants to learn by building relationships with one another as a cohort and practicing the application of tools and protocols to solve emergent equity challenges in their communities. Communities of Practice will be held in:

• November 2023
• December 2023
• February 2024
• May 2024

What you can expect from us:

• Experienced and caring facilitators with a deep investment in your growth and success
• A holding environment where people are encouraged to practice, test, and grow in their skillset while being held accountable for their energy and impact
• An eagerness to learn and grow from your expertise and feedback

What you can expect to experience:

• Research-based programming that is firmly rooted in the principles of adult learning
• Action-oriented programming that results in the development of strategic plans and action steps
• An intimate group experience where vulnerability fuels growth and change; a lifelong network of equity-minded professionals in your field
• Discomfort, challenge, community, laughter, and love

What we expect from you:

• A $30,000 institutional investment for a team of three from your organization, or $32,000 for a team of four (see next tab for additional details on pricing).

Our program requires a $30,000 institutional investment for a team of three from your organization, or a $32,000 institutional investment for a team of four. If you believe your team is a good fit for the CCRE Collective but the cost to participate presents a barrier, please reach out to us

 Applications to the CCRE Collective are due in two phases:

• Early Bird Application Deadline: Friday, May 26, 2023
  • Teams who apply by the early bird deadline and are accepted will receive two (2) additional sessions with a CCRE facilitator during the 2023-24 school year to support their work.
• General Application Deadline: Monday, August 21, 2023

Applicants who are accepted will be notified by August 14, 2023, and are asked to confirm their participation by September 1.

Apply Now

If you have any questions that are not addressed in the FAQ or elsewhere on the CCRE Collective website, please feel free to contact us at ccre@bankstreet.edu.

• Is the CCRE Collective intended exclusively for those working in early childhood educational settings?
  No. CCRE has worked with organizations that have served or whose work impacts children across the birth-to-21 spectrum. The Collective is open to all organizations that are invested in equitable systems change. Educators across all age groups may apply, as can those who work with adults.
• Are independent school educators welcome to participate in the CCRE Collective?
  Yes. All educators and educational organizations are welcome to apply to the Collective.
• Can educators apply independently to the Collective if they cannot access organizational funding?
  Currently, we are committing to the format of three to four participating staff from 10 organizations. Eligibility requirements are subject to change in future iterations of the program.
• Who from our organization should we select to participate in the CCRE Collective?
  When selecting three to four people to represent your organization, we encourage participants to think beyond hierarchical models of power and consider horizontal, collective, and community power. For example, this could mean that instead of picking an executive director or principal and two deputy directors or assistant principals to represent the organization, you might consider selecting an executive director/principal, parent leader, curriculum developer, or classroom teacher. In addition to selecting a range of stakeholders, we are interested in participants who are motivated and passionate about equity work.
• Is the CCRE Collective open to candidates from outside of the United States?
  While most of the content will be based in a US context, we believe programming is relevant to all parts of the world. There will be several group classes and cohort-based experiences that will happen during work hours in a US time zone. If your organization can commit to the timing of the sessions and attend all sessions, we encourage you to apply.
• Will the CCRE Equity Snapshot be part of the CCRE Collective programming? (The Equity Snapshot is a diagnostic tool that measures the strengths, areas of growth, and resources of an organization with respect to equitable practice.)
  No. The CCRE Collective has its own curriculum, which is designed for participants to make connections to their work and reflect on their organizations’ equity strengths, areas of growth, and resources throughout the course of the program. Organizations that are looking for a one- to two-year-long engagement that includes an equity snapshot and professional learning for up to 40 staff and community members should reach out to ccre@bankstreet.edu to discuss partnership opportunities.
• Will there be just one cohort of 40 people or will there be more?
  This year, there will be one cohort of 40 people (three participants per organization, for 10 organizations in total). Program size may increase in future iterations of the program.
• What time of day will the CCRE Collective’s engagements be held?
  All sessions will be held during standard business hours (Eastern Time). Participating organizations should anticipate protecting cohort members’ time during work hours to take part in the workshops, Communities of Practice, and Coaching for Equity circles.
• Where can I learn more about CCRE’s work and approach?
  You can learn more about CCRE and our work on our website
• How will you select applicants?
  Our selection rubric outlines the criteria for selection.
• When is the application deadline?
  There are two application phases this year. The early bird application deadline is Friday, May 26, 2023. The general application deadline is Monday, August 21, 2023. Submit an application
• Who are the facilitators?
  The CCRE Collective experience was designed and has been co-facilitated by the CCRE team members below. More information about the 2023-24 facilitation team will be available soon.
  • Rajeeyah Finnie-Myers (she/her) is the executive director of the Center on Culture, Race & Equity. Prior to joining CCRE, Rajeeyah was the director of professional development at DreamYard in the Bronx where she played a significant role in the organization’s explicit journey on becoming an anti-racist organization. Her professional experience includes the design, implementation, and management of community-based programming and professional development. In her work, she has trained a wide range of stakeholders at the intersections of social justice, arts, culture, and systemic change. Her hope is to foster spaces that support wellbeing, honor humanity, and inspire authentic connection. Rajeeyah holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from Florida A & M University, and brings her life experiences, creativity, expertise, and passion for justice to all that she does.
  • Megan Pamela Ruth Madison (she/her) is a facilitator and author based in New York City (unceded land of the Lenape people*). When she’s not working on finishing up her dissertation, she works part-time as a trainer for the Center for Racial Justice in Education, the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute, and Bank Street’s Center on Culture, Race & Equity.  Megan recently completed a term on the governing board of the National Association for the Education of Young Children where she contributed to the development of the recent position statement on Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education. Together with her extended family and community, she loves reading, eating ice cream, and organizing with Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ).
    *To learn more, visit the Manna-hatta Fund website
  • Takiema Bunche Smith (she, her) has worked for over two decades in support of children, families, and educational programs and systems through her work as a teacher, teacher educator, curriculum director, parent activist, and executive leader. Her life’s work has been guided by a deep commitment to racial equity, social justice, and a belief that centering the histories and perspectives of marginalized people can support individuals, institutions, and systems to become more equitable for all. She is currently a senior adviser with the Center on Culture, Race & Equity.
  • Maried Rivera Nieves (she/her) is a project manager with the Center on Culture, Race & Equity. She has four years of experience working in teams to develop learning experiences around racial justice and educational equity designed for educators across a variety of organizations and roles. As project manager, she supports equity specialists in developing and refining curricula for professional learning, along with program implementation support.