With a focus on the leader’s role in initiating and sustaining anti-bias education in programs for young children and their families, this book is both a stand-alone text and a perfect companion for Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. It emphasizes that this work is not only about changing curriculum, but requires thoughtful, strategic, long-term planning that addresses all components of an early childhood program. With a powerful combination of conceptual frameworks, strategies, and practical tools, Louise Derman-Sparks, renowned expert on anti-bias education, together with experienced early childhood directors Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo explain the structural and individual changes leaders must foster. Featuring the authors’ extensive experience in the field, supplemented with insights from other anti-bias educators, they build on and expand current thinking about best early childhood leadership practices. This is an essential resource for anti-bias education leaders engaged in change in the wide range of early childhood care and education settings.

Book Features:

• The principles, guidelines, and strategies needed for school- and program-wide transformation.


• Activities for working with teachers and families to integrate an anti-bias approach.


• Strategies for supporting and strengthening the leader’s ability to initiate and sustain anti-bias education change, including resources to increase staff skills for implementing anti-bias education with children.


• Tools for assessing anti-bias education progress and managing mandated standards and assessments.

“A concise and powerful message for anti-bias leaders in early childhood education everywhere. A truly inspired gift of lessons from the movement, for the movement.”

—Carol Brunson Day, President of the Board, National Association for the Education of Young Children

“If you are an educator wanting to see more equity and inclusiveness in the world, at times discouraged confused, or overwhelmed with how to manage the conflict that always emerges in the change process, you’ll find reassurance, resources, and strategic thinking to engage in this anti-bias work.”

—Margie Carter, author, The Visionary Director, and international early childhood consultant

"It is never too early to prepare children to deal effectively with issues of race, class, gender, family, and ability and equity. This book is a tool box for building early childhood programs that foster sentiments of justice and fairness in leaders, teachers, and young children, and help them to act on these values.”

—Herbert Kohl, educator and bestselling author of The Herb Kohl Reader: Awakening the Heart of Teaching