Cultural competency

Definition

Individuals are able to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

RECOMMENDED METRIC(S)

K–12: Reflecting the lack of developed tools in the field, we are unable to recommend a specific measurement tool. In some contexts, it might be possible to adapt an existing measure for adults for use with youth. For examples, we refer to the tools recommended for postsecondary and workforce contexts.
Postsecondary: Percentage of students demonstrating proficiency on an assessment of cultural competency, such as the HEIghten Outcomes Assessment for Intercultural Competency & Diversity or The Intercultural Development Inventory®
Workforce: Percentage of individuals demonstrating proficiency on an assessment of cultural competency, such as The Intercultural Development Inventory®

Type(s) of Data Needed

Surveys or assessments

Why it matters

Projections by the National Skills Coalition show that, by 2040, people of color will comprise more than half of the working-age population in the United States. Increased racial and socioeconomic diversity in schools and workplaces is associated with improved outcomes for individuals and businesses (see the E-W System Conditions section of this report for more on the benefits of diverse institutions). For students and employees to succeed in an increasingly diverse, globalized economy, it is important that they demonstrate an ability to empathize with and work effectively with others of diverse backgrounds. As discussed above, social skills—including whether individuals respect differences and use appropriate behavior and conflict-resolution methods—are predictive of employment, job performance, income, and entrepreneurial success. At the same time, polling shows that racial divides persist regarding both lived experience and perceptions of discrimination in the workplace. About half of Black individuals and a third of Asian and Latino individuals report having been treated unfairly in hiring, pay, or promotion. Poll data show that just over half of White adults perceive race relations in the United States as “generally bad,” compared to 71 percent of Black adults.

What to know about measurement

Intercultural knowledge and competence is deemed an “essential learning outcome” by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, which has published a rubric for evaluating students’ cultural competence based on a work sample. However, given that scoring students’ work is subjective and difficult to compare across contexts, we propose using performance assessments (or survey-based measures, although such measures could be subject to social desirability bias), which could more feasibly be administered at scale.

Source frameworks

This indicator appeared in four source frameworks reviewed for this report. Our proposed definition and measure are adapted from the CORE Districts definition of social awareness. However, although the CORE Districts definition of social awareness includes cultural awareness, the CORE Districts Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Survey instrument does not sufficiently capture intercultural competency. Other source frameworks, including the National Research Council’s Key National Education Indicators framework and the Urban Institute’s Robust and Equitable Measures to Identify Quality Schools (REMIQS), include sets of “learning outcomes” or “deeper learning skills,” which include social and intercultural skills.

Indicator: Cultural competency