Cultural competence is a key factor in enabling educators to be effective with students from cultures other than their own. Cultural competence is having an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and views and having the ability to learn and build on the varying cultural and community norms of students and their families. It is the ability to understand the differences that make each student unique while celebrating the variations that make our country a tapestry. This understanding informs and expands teaching practices as educators work towards having culturally competent learning environments. The goal is to eliminate academic gaps between cultural groups. Laws IC 20-28-3-3.5(link is external) - Incorporation of methods to establish culturally responsive school climates. IC 20-31-6-1(link is external) - Requires Cultural Competency Materials (pp. 1 of 1) IC 20-31-6-2(link is external) - Lists the Cultural Competency Components of a School Plan (pp. 1 of 1) Evidence-Based Best Practices The 5Essentials for School Improvement