As schools continue to make strides in diversifying enrollment, a critical question remains: what happens after access and how do we move beyond access to improved outcomes? Too often, students of color enter schools unprepared for the racialized realities they will navigate—experiencing isolation, hypervisibility, or pressure to assimilate without adequate support. This session challenges educators and administrators to move beyond admissions metrics and toward designing school environments where students of color can truly thrive. Grounded in the work of Private School Village (PSV), a national nonprofit supporting families of color in independent schools, this interactive session introduces “The Belonging Blueprint”—a comprehensive, research-informed framework for institutional transformation. Participants will explore PSV’s four-pillar model—racial socialization, racial literacy, representation, and research—and examine how these interconnected strategies foster safety, engagement, identity development, and long-term student success. Through real-world examples, student and parent insights, and practical tools, attendees will gain actionable strategies to assess and strengthen belonging within their own communities. This session is designed for school leaders committed to building not just diverse, but truly inclusive and sustaining environments. Participants will be able to: - Identify key barriers to belonging experienced by students of color - Distinguish between access-focused and belonging-centered diversity efforts - Discuss the role of racial socialization and racial literacy in student development and school culture - Illustrate how representation and family engagement impact student well-being - Better connect dots between belonging and recruitment and retention - Plan actionable steps to strengthen belonging within school communities