Karen Liddell-Anderson, Director of Student Services at Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District in Ohio
Karen Liddell-Anderson has more than 30 years of experience in education (PreK-Post-Secondary). The majority of Liddell-Anderson’s experiences are in Special Education. Liddell-Anderson served as an Early Childhood Special Education Specialist, School Principal, Special Education Coordinator, Director of Special Education, and Director of Student Services with the Akron Public Schools and Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools; and an Adjunct Professor with the University of Akron & Dayton. Liddell-Anderson also served on the Board of Directors for Emmanuel Christian Academy.
Karen Liddell-Anderson believes that school equity work must be intentional, and begin with a common understanding across all levels (Board/District/School/Classroom/ Setting). As part of the Ohio Association of Administrators of State & Federal Education Programs Conference (19/20 and 22/23), Liddell-Anderson provided training to Ohio school districts in the area of equity within a school context. Too often, educators have a polarized view/understanding of equity in a school context, focused on race. Having a polarized view/understanding of equity, the broader view of equity and its impact on students, their performance, achievement, and outcomes can be overlooked or missed. Liddell-Anderson’s training focuses on the need to identify and use a “process” when approaching school equity work.
Liddell-Anderson’s “Equity Beyond Black and White” training and approach to the equity work, provides a framework that aids districts in identifying and tailoring the why, what, how and now what of their unique school equity needs and readiness across all levels (Board, District, School, Classroom & Setting). Liddell-Anderson, trains districts on how to incorporate the school equity work into their existing school improvement work and efforts, utilizing the Ohio Improvement Process. Districts learn that their school improvement work and school equity work can’t exist in separate “silos.” Ohio school board members will receive the “Equity Beyond Black and White” training as part of the Ohio School Board Association’s Fall 2023 Conference.
