June 2026

By Angel Villalobos, ETB Co-Director

As we continue offering the CREE Learning Series this year, I’ve been thinking about what it means to keep a doorway open.

For many learners, the series has been a starting point. Past participants have shared that it helped them understand the language of culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE), build a stronger foundation, and begin recognizing where CREE already shows up in their work. That still matters, especially at a time when equity-centered language, resources, and practices are being challenged, removed, or made harder to access.

The current series was developed several years ago, and much of its foundation remains relevant today. It provides an introductory overview of CREE principles, theory, and application, while creating space for learners to explore how culture shapes evaluation and how CREE can be applied in practice. At the same time, the field has changed. The questions evaluators, funders, community-based organizations, and learning partners are asking today are shaped by a different political, institutional, and funding landscape.

That is why we are approaching this year’s CREE Learning Series as a bridge.

We had considered pausing the series until we could fully update it alongside former Learning Guides and members of the ETB community. However, after conversations with ETB Advisory Team members in the Field Building Workgroup, we heard a clear message: keeping the series available still matters while we plan for what comes next.

This year’s series is asynchronous and self-guided, with rolling registration so learners can begin when the timing is right for them. We also reduced registration fees to reflect the shift in format and the financial realities many individuals and organizations are navigating. The series includes video content, a workbook, and a Teachable Community space where learners can reflect on how they are applying CREE in their work and lives.

To support accessibility, free registration is available for students, ACE Evaluation Network Members, LEEAD Scholars, Alumni, and Mentors, as well as ETB Pricing Model Subscribers.

The CREE Learning Series is one doorway into ETB’s broader work and into a shared language for culturally responsive and equitable evaluation. For some, it may be a place to begin. For others, it may be an opportunity to return, reconnect, and continue practicing.

As we continue offering the current series, we are also imagining what the next version can become alongside the ETB community.

For now, we are grateful to keep this doorway open.

*A limited number of scholarships are also available for evaluators and learning practitioners who may need financial assistance. Full registration details, pricing, and scholarship information are available on the CREE Learning Series registration page.