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Best Practices in Fairness & Inclusivity

Talent strategy is about fairness, opportunity, and impact.

Organizations that want to attract and retain outstanding teachers and leaders must build environments where people feel valued, supported, and set up to thrive. Achieving this requires more than intention—it takes clear policies, aligned practices, and a workplace culture that reflects those commitments in action.

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Assess Current State

Understanding how current policies and practices shape the staff experience is a critical first step in building an effective talent strategy. Begin by conducting a thorough review of areas such as hiring, promotion, and performance evaluations. Consider how these systems are experienced across your team, and use the findings to highlight what’s working well—and where there may be opportunities to create a more supportive and consistent work environment.

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Thoughtful preparation is vital for understanding the current state; ensure complete data collection and management by coordinating with HR or the data team well in advance. Conduct this work with a diverse group and consider compensating individuals if the task exceeds their regular job requirements.
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Define Success Metrics

Once you've identified areas of strength and opportunities for growth, establish clear and measurable success indicators to track progress over time. Engage a cross-section of stakeholders—across roles, departments, backgrounds, and tenure—to help shape these guiding metrics. Regularly reviewing and revisiting these benchmarks promotes shared ownership, transparency, and continuous improvement.

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Engage all stakeholders in defining success metrics by providing context, key themes, and aligning with the organization’s strategic plan, ensuring metrics cover the product, process, and people experience. Model equitable, inclusive, antiracist goals, incorporate qualitative and quantitative metrics, and ensure a diverse group interprets assessments while fostering a psychologically safe environment to address potential inequities.
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Leverage Broader Perspectives

Before finalizing a talent or culture strategy, leaders should seek input from team members across roles and departments to ensure an inclusive process. Consider using a staff experience survey or adding targeted questions to an existing tool to ensure your strategy and success measures reflect a wide range of perspectives. This inclusive approach builds stronger alignment and greater ownership across the organization.

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This work should not be done in a silo; gather diverse stakeholders early and often to inform success metrics and strategy while fostering an accountable space. Assemble a staff working group to workshop goals, ensuring inclusion, and establish a decision-making framework when engaging senior stakeholders.

EdFuel can design fair and inclusive systems and processes for you.

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