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WREN,
or the West Regional Equity
Network, is the Equity Assistance Center
for Region IX, which includes California, Nevada, and Arizona.
WREN offers
technical assistance to schools, school districts and state education agencies
in efforts to resolve civil rights conflicts and promote social
justice and equity. WREN also provides resources and training
in the areas of hate crimes, racial prejudice, and bullying - including
cyber-bullying, and we provide professional development in cultural
sensitivity, best practices, and parental involvement.
Typical activities include sharing
information on successful education practices and legal requirements
related to nondiscrimination on the basis of race,
sex, and national
origin in educational programs; training designed to develop educators'
skills in specific areas such as identification of race and sex bias in
instructional materials; technical assistance in the identification and
selection of appropriate educational programs
to meet the needs of
English language learners; and instructing school officials on
how to prevent sexual harassment and combat
biases.
WREN is housed in the College of
Education at the University of
Arizona , within the
Department of
Language, Reading and Culture. The Director
is David Cherry, an attorney who was the Director of Equity Development
for the Tucson Unified School District and its 58,000 students and 9,000
employees in 104 schools, from 1986 through 2003. The Assistant
Director is Marcela Parra, who joined us from the
Midwest Equity
Assistance Center in Manhattan, Kansas. Marcela is an expert
in nation origin issues, including
English Language Learner
instruction.
Frances Miller, an experienced educator and educational
administrator, serves as the Center's Program Coordinator.
Frances' areas of expertise are in classroom best
practices and parental involvement.
Mike Tully is our Support Systems Analyst.
Mike is a licensed attorney whose expertise is No
Child Left Behind and bullying.
Kimberly Jacobs, Administrative Assistant,
is in charge of center operations and will probably be the first person
you contact. Three graduate
students are part of the WREN staff:
Janelle Johnson, Dorea Kleker, and
Tammie Remiro.
WREN is funded by a
Training
and Advisory Services grant through the
Office of School Support and Technology Programs of
the
Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education within the
U. S. Department of
Education (CFDA 84.004D). |
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The States of Region
IX
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WREN is the Equity
Assistance Center for Region IX, which consists of the states of
Arizona, California, and
Nevada. Our mission is to provide
technical assistance and professional development and disseminate
information to public schools and school districts upon request.
To learn more about the states of Region IX, please click on the
"WREN Region" button to the left. |
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What is WREN? |
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WREN is one of
10 equity assistance centers that are funded by the
U.S.
Department of Education under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights
Act. The centers provide assistance in the areas of race, gender,
and national origin equity to public school districts to promote
equal educational opportunities. WREN is located within the College
of Education at the University of Arizona and is assigned to the
Department of
Language,
Reading, and Culture. |
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Your
Self-Assessment Tool |
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Use WREN's
Equity Self-Assessment Tool (ESAT) to help determine your need for
services provided by WREN. The ESAT is available in both an
interactive format and a downloadable PDF file. Just keep the
form for your in-house uses, or send it to us. Please contact
us if you need help with the form.
The result of the self-assessment might
suggest areas where WREN can be of help. This tool can
indicate the strengths and weaknesses of your school or school
district. WREN can help you interpret the results of the ESAT
and design programs that match our expertise and experience to your
local needs. |
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Request for
Services |
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If you would like
WREN to provide technical assistance, professional development, or
information dissemination, please [click] on the button below. |
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