Training for the Reality of Diversity: Applying the DEI Training Ladder to a MPA Core Course

ABSTRACT

The effective public sector must facilitate relationships between the government and the public that reflect the increasing cultural diversity of their communities. With the reality of increasing diversity and heightened awareness of the impact of public policies within this expanding reality, public service programs must prepare future public and nonprofit managers. By synthesizing concepts from Critical Race Theory and Cultural Competency, this article creates the DEI Training Ladder as a training framework. Then, the framework is applied to the case study of a specific Master of Public Administration program’s DEI core course. The DEI Training Ladder guides the preparation and execution of the course. As a result, the course emphasizes cultural and diversity awareness, disparate policy impacts, and DEI practices. This case study outlines the course context, content, and structure followed by course impact based on student reflections. The concluding discussion makes implementation recommendations for a core DEI course with additional suggestions for incorporating DEI throughout the curriculum.

KEYWORDS:

• DEI
• equity
• mpa curriculum

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Meagan M. Jordan

Meagan M. Jordan is an associate professor in the School of Public Service at Old Dominion University. Her areas of research are state and local budgeting and revenue policy, budget equity, and transparency. Her work has been published in Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Finance and Management, Journal of Government Financial Management, and American Review of Public Administration among others. She is coeditor of Teaching Public Budgeting and Finance: A Practical Guide.

Vickie Tyler Carnegie

Vickie Tyler Carnegie, JD, PhD is a lecturer in the School of Public Service at Old Dominion University. She is also the graduate program director for the Master of Public Administration program. Her areas of research are diversity and inclusion, social equity, organizational theory, and law and ethics. Her book entitled Government Responsiveness in Race-Related Crisis Events is available from Lexington Books.

Ron Carlee

Ron Carlee, PhD is clinical assistant professor in the School of Public Service at Old Dominion University. He is also the Director of the Center for Regional Excellence and a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow. After a distinguished career as a local government executive and Chief Operating Officer at ICMA, his areas of research and consultation are diversity, equity, and inclusion, agile management practices, and emergency management.