• Dimension - School Culture

    Using a racially equitable, culturally competent framework that is inclusive of diverse perspectives and that addresses African-American students’ needs, abilities and aspirations in order to enhance learning.

    Priorities:

    • Teach through culturally responsible and inclusive pedagogy and curriculum so that each child can equitably access rich and inclusive learning (Culturally Responsive Instruction).
    • Ensure that each child has a learning environment that offers rich and rigorous instruction where the student feels welcomed and empowered to take risks in his or her thinking and academic growth (Rigorous and Empowering Schools and Classrooms).
    • Prioritize school and District culture where teachers and parents all feel connected and valued as critical partners in ensuring each child’s equitable access to learning and opportunity. All students and families feel connected to school (relationships) by seeing themselves as contributing and valued members of the community (Inclusion).
    • Ensure restorative justice awareness and practices to minimize a child’s missed instruction due to discipline, and to ensure that District and school consistently prioritize child’s academic learning (Equitable and Just School Procedures and Disciplinary Practices).
    • Redefine and broaden our definition and indicators and measures of success.


    Dimension - Data

    Using a racial equity framework to gather, compile and analyze data to share and to inform decisions to responsibly reduce the racial disparity gaps and increase achievement, social-emotional well-being, and participation rates in classes, activities and leadership opportunities.

    Priority:

    • Develop and implement a systematic process for examining student data for African-American students in each school in the areas of:
      • achievement
      • social-emotional well-being
      • participation rates
      • opportunities
      • barriers

    Dimension - HR/Personnel

    Using a racial equity framework to design and implement processes for recruiting, hiring and retaining a diverse workforce capable of ensuring and sustaining academic progress for a racially, ethnically and socially diverse student body.

    Priority:

    • The human resource priority is a diverse and culturally responsive/effective staff that understands issues of equity while providing our students with rich and rigorous instruction.

    Dimension – Parent Partnerships/Community Engagement

    Using a racially equitable, culturally competent framework that builds a more comprehensive school community that values, supports and includes the diverse perspectives of our families of African-American students regarding their children’s needs, abilities, school experiences, and aspirations.

    Priorities:

    • Engage and support community in conversations about race, racial equity (and inequities), access and opportunity gaps, school culture, and ideas for improving our District to meet the needs, abilities and aspirations of all our students.  
    • Develop Parent to Parent Community to strengthen family knowledge, school access and community.
    • Improve Parent/School Relationships by strengthening information flow and dialogue between parent and school to support child's academic and social/emotional development.
    • Allocate resources to support parent connections and partnerships that include opportunities outside of the school day for learning and community building.
    • Develop systems to simplify the process for parents/teachers to access/exchange information. Teachers need to help ALL parents to understand where/how their children are doing. Help parents understand unwritten rules. Look with an equity lens to ensure that communication systems effectively and equitably communicate to families their children’s learning, challenges and opportunities.
    • Ensure that voices of families are equitably considered, valued and included in District and school work. Include parent voice to ensure that the experiences, concerns and contributions of parents of District African American students are considered, valued and included in District and classroom work.

    Dimension - Research and Best Practices

    Using a racially equitable, culturally competent framework to inform and strengthen teaching to enhance student learning for African-American students.

    Priorities:

    • Build in equity training for professional development for all teachers, staff and contracted staff as a part of the culture of our District.
    • Ensure that content and pedagogical (theory) practices are culturally responsive based on the audit. Utilize effective instructional (application) practices around equity.
    • Develop a deep knowledge base around best practices in instructional strategies to ensure that every student is challenged through learning, growth and risk-taking.
    • Make learning and enrichment activities accessible for all students (e.g., building schedules, strings, before/after school clubs, timing of programming, etc.)