What is the name of your organization?
Layers Consulting
What is the name of your solution?
CLD Peer Advisory Group
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
A professional learning community improving outcomes for CLD students through peer coaching, shared resources, and inclusive dialogue.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Lakewood, CO
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
United States
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
The Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Peer Advisory Group (CLD PAG) addresses critical disparities in service delivery for culturally and linguistically diverse learners. In the United States, over 22% of residents aged 5+ speak a language other than English at home, yet 90.2% of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) identify as White, with only 8.6% being multilingual service providers. This demographic mismatch contributes to documented disproportionality in special education, where multilingual learners constitute 16.31% of the special education population by third grade, compared to 12.76% of native English speakers.
The problem extends globally, with UNESCO reporting that 40% of people worldwide lack access to education in their native language, rising to 90% in some low-income countries.
These disparities are exacerbated by inadequate training and resources for professionals serving Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) populations, leading to misdiagnoses, inappropriate educational placements, and diminished outcomes for marginalized learners.
What is your solution?
The CLD PAG is a technology-enabled professional learning community that provides a collaborative virtual space for SLPs and allied professionals serving culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Through monthly Zoom meetings featuring case discussions, expert presentations, and peer coaching, participants gain practical strategies for culturally responsive practice.
The solution leverages several integrated technologies: Zoom Pro for HIPAA-compliant virtual meetings, Circle for an online community platform housing resources and facilitating discussions, JotForm Gold for collecting case information and feedback, and Canva Pro for creating accessible materials.
A tiered membership model ensures sustainability while maintaining free access to core resources, including monthly meetings and the discussion forum.
Participants earn professional development hours by attending sessions and completing feedback forms, which also inform continuous improvement of the program. The resource hub provides evidence-based materials, templates, and tools that practitioners can immediately implement in their work with CLD learners.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
The CLD PAG directly serves speech-language pathologists, educators, and allied professionals who work with culturally and linguistically diverse populations. These professionals often lack access to specialized training tailored to the unique needs of CLD learners, with studies showing significant gaps in preparation for culturally responsive assessment and intervention.
Since March 2024, 294 professionals have registered for the CLD PAG, demonstrating strong demand for this support. Participants represent diverse practice settings and geographical regions, including international practitioners seeking to enhance their cultural competence. Feedback reveals that many join seeking strategies to address disproportionality and improve service delivery for underserved populations.
Indirectly, the solution serves thousands of CLD learners who benefit from improved professional practices. Assuming each registered professional serves approximately 30 CLD children, the current membership represents a potential impact on 8,820 children through enhanced assessment accuracy, culturally responsive intervention, and more equitable educational experiences.
