The vote came after weeks of community debate, with those opposed saying the new policy would worsen discrimination, while proponents argued the new rules would help students with specific needs.
The final version of the policy states educational equity means acknowledging all students are capable of learning, and the district will provide equal opportunities based upon the needs of each individual student.
That goes beyond the formal definition of equality, where all students are treated in an identical manner.
The goal is to “give each student what they need to reach their potential whether that is remediation or skills building, acceleration, social/emotional support, or any other tool that is available to educators.”
It also states the school district will recruit and employ a workforce that includes racial, gender, and linguistic diversity — while complying with non-discrimination laws.
School board president Andrew Caplan reiterated Tuesday the new code reflects what the school district has been doing for some time.
“It’s a document that can always be revised,” Caplan said. “It’s probably the policy that’s seen the most attention, certainly in the last seven or eight years. That’s a good thing; people should be paying attention to it. I’d encourage everyone to read the final one that’s being approved, and recognize that it’s a continuation of what we do for every student every day.”
Board member Nick Hill said the final version reflects a lot of the feedback they received.
“I just want to say thanks to so many different people who put in the work on this and reviewed it, revised it,” board member Wendy Crossland said. “I feel excited about seeing the implementation plan and adopting this tonight.”
The policy says the progress of educational equity in the district will be reviewed annually, and will include a plan to address systemic change related to increasing student outcomes.
The new policy is compliant with state laws centered around equity in schools.
