BP 0415

Philosophy, Goals, Objectives and Comprehensive Plans

The Governing Board believes that the diversity that exists among the district's community of students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members is integral to the district's vision, mission, and goals. Addressing the needs of the most marginalized learners requires recognition of the inherent value of diversity and acknowledgement that educational excellence requires a commitment to equity in the opportunities provided to students and the resulting outcomes.

(cf. 0000 - Vision)

(cf. 0100 - Philosophy)

(cf. 0200 - Goals for the School District)

(cf. 0410 - Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)

(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)

In order to eradicate institutional bias of any kind, including implicit or unintentional biases and prejudices that affect student achievement, and to eliminate disparities in educational outcomes for students from historically underserved and underrepresented populations, the district shall proactively identify class and cultural biases as well as practices, policies, and institutional barriers that negatively influence student learning, perpetuate achievement gaps, and impede equal access to opportunities for all students.

The Board shall make decisions with a deliberate awareness of impediments to learning faced by students of color and/or diverse cultural, linguistic, or socio-economic backgrounds. To ensure that equity is the intentional result of district decisions, the Board shall consider whether its decisions address the needs of students from racial, ethnic, and indigent communities and remedy the inequities that such communities experienced in the context of a history of exclusion, discrimination, and segregation. Board decisions shall not rely on biased or stereotypical assumptions about any particular group of students.

(cf. 6173 - Education for Homeless Children)

(cf. 6173.1 - Education for Foster Youth)

(cf. 6174 - Education for English Learners)

(cf. 6175 - Migrant Education Program)

(cf. 9000 - Role of the Board)

(cf. 9310 - Board Policies)

The Board and the Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement policies and strategies to promote equity in district programs and activities, through measures such as the following:

1. Routinely assessing student needs based on data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds in order to enable equity-focused policy, planning, and resource development decisions

(cf. 0400 - Comprehensive Plans)

(cf. 0460 - Local Control and Accountability Plan)

(cf. 6162.5 - Student Assessment)

2. Analyzing expenditures and allocating financial and human resources in a manner that provides all students with equitable access to district programs, support services, and opportunities for success and promotes equity and inclusion in the district. Such resources include access to high-quality administrators, teachers, and other school personnel; funding; technology, equipment, textbooks, and other instructional materials; facilities; and community resources or partnerships.

(cf. 0440 - District Technology Plan)

(cf. 3100 - Budget)

(cf. 4113 - Assignment)

(cf. 7110 - Facilities Master Plan)

3. Enabling and encouraging students to enroll in, participate in, and complete curricular and extracurricular courses, advanced college preparation programs, and other student activities

(cf. 6141.4 - International Baccalaureate Program)

(cf. 6141.5 - Advanced Placement)

(cf. 6143 - Courses of Study)

(cf. 6145 - Extracurricular and Cocurricular Activities)

(cf. 6152.1 - Placement in Mathematics Courses)

4. Building a positive school climate that promotes student engagement, safety, and academic and other supports for students

(cf. 5137 - Positive School Climate)

5. Adopting curriculum and instructional materials that accurately reflect the diversity among student groups

(cf. 6141 - Curriculum Development and Evaluation)

(cf. 6161.1 - Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials)

6. Providing and/or collaborating with local agencies and community groups to ensure the availability of necessary support services for students in need

(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)

(cf. 6164.2 - Guidance/Counseling Services)

(cf. 6164.5 - Student Success Teams)

(cf. 6179 - Supplemental Instruction)

7. Promoting the employment and retention of a diverse staff that reflects the student demographics of the community

8. Providing district staff with ongoing, researched-based, professional learning and professional development on culturally responsive instructional practices

(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)

(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)

(cf. 4331 - Staff Development)

9. Conducting program evaluations that focus on equity and address the academic outcomes and performance of all students on all indicators

(cf. 0500 - Accountability)

The Board shall regularly monitor the intent and impact of district policies and decisions in order to safeguard against disproportionate or unintentional impact on access to district programs and achievement goals for specific student populations in need of services.

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

200-262.4 Educational equity

52077  Local control and accountability plan

60040  Selection of instructional materials

GOVERNMENT CODE

11000  Definitions

11135  Nondiscrimination in programs or activities funded by state

PENAL CODE

422.55  Definition of hate crime

422.6  Interference with constitutional right or privilege

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

4900-4965  Nondiscrimination in elementary and secondary education programs

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20

1400-1482  Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act

1681-1688  Discrimination based on sex or blindness, Title IX

2301-2415  Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act

6311  State plans

6312  Local education agency plans

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29

794  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42

2000d-2000d-7  Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964

2000e-2000e-17  Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended

2000h-2000h-6  Title IX

12101-12213  Americans with Disabilities Act

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 28

35.101-35.190  Americans with Disabilities Act

36.303  Auxiliary aids and services

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34

100.1-100.13  Nondiscrimination in federal programs, effectuating Title VI

104.1-104.39  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

106.1-106.61  Discrimination on the basis of sex, effectuating Title IX

Management Resources:

CSBA PUBLICATIONS

Meeting California's Challenge:  Access, Opportunity, and Achievement:  Key Ingredients for Student Success, 2017

The School Board Role in Creating the Conditions for Student Achievement, 2017

African-American Students in Focus:  Closing Opportunity and Achievement Gaps for African-American Students, 2016

African-American Students in Focus:  Demographics and Achievement of California's African-American Students, 2016

Latino Students in California's K-12 Public Schools, 2016

Research-Supported Strategies to Improve the Accuracy and Fairness of Grades, 2016

Climate for Achievement Governance Brief Series, 2015

Math Misplacement, 2015

CENTER FOR URBAN EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS

Protocol for Assessing Equity-Mindedness in State Policy, 2017

WEB SITES

CSBA:  http://www.csba.org

California Department of Education:  http://www.cde.ca.gov

Center for Urban Education:  http://cue.usc.edu

Safe Schools Coalition:  http://www.casafeschools.org

Policy   SONOMA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Adopted: October 9, 2018   Sonoma, California