• [DRAFT] Action Plan for Addressing Racial Equity and Creating

    A Culturally Proficient District

    Printable Version

    School:  District Wide

     

     

    Time Frame: 

    11/16/16 – 6/30/21

    Team Members:   Principals, Assistant Principals, and Educational Staff

     Core Intelligence:  Standard 1.0

    All policies, decisions, agreements, and procedures developed and implemented by policy makers and leadership in the New Paltz Central School District are compatible with the mission, vision and guiding principles, and enhance and assure the learning and success for all students.

    Program Coherence: Standard 2.0

    All programs, curriculum, and instruction strategies employed within the district are coherent and provide the learners with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are expected of the citizens of the future; are founded on strategies that lead learners to the highest levels of understanding, empathy and self-knowledge; and empower learners to be curious self-directed, responsible, ethical, confident and reflective who have a love of learning.

    Teacher Skill and Competency:  Standard 3.0

    All teachers in the district demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content area they teach, knowledge and application of current learning theories and principles, and proficiency in conducting, guiding, and assessing the teaching and learning process.

    Learning Environment:  Standard 4.0

    A safe and supportive learning environment is sustained throughout the district to promote inquiry and learning for all.

    Leadership Capacity:  Standard 5.0

    Leadership in the district is collaborative, aligned with the district mission and vision, invites staff input in collegial inquiry and decision making, promotes excellence, to enhance and to improve student learning.

    Resources:  Standard 6.0

    The District assures that all resource (human, physical, and financial) are allocated and provided equitably, efficiently, and in a timely fashion, to support and enhance student learning.

     

    Evidence of Achievement (What it looks like when we have achieved the Standard):

    Create and implement an articulated (K – 12) Racial Equity Curriculum.

    • The racial equity curriculum will be initially embedded within the existing social studies curriculum with the intent of expanding into the humanities disciplines where meaningful connections can be made. The curriculum will possess grade level guideposts which represent critical racial concepts which are developmentally appropriate for each grade level.

    Implement Instructional Practices that are engaging and congruent with the district’s racial equity philosophy and its Core Intelligence.

    • Teachers will be knowledgeable and confident in instructional practices which will enhance the implementation of the racial equity curriculum.  In particular, the professional development will enable teachers to be careful not to engender misconceptions about race and racial equity. 

    Professional Development 

    • The district will provide a comprehensive and focused professional development program designed to provide an equity framework that permeates the district. The program will be twofold:  a series of workshops that focus on the core principles of achieving a culturally proficient educational community and job-embedded professional development.

    Create and maintain a Culture of racial and cultural proficiency.

    • All students, leaders, and teachers will assess their own culture, the culture of their school and surroundings and learn to manage the dynamics of difference between all parts.
    •  All staff will display a racially competent disposition aligned with the New Paltz Central School District’s Core Intelligence.    
    •  All staff and students will be competent in recognizing and addressing micro-aggressions, racial slurs, and other incidents based on bigotry, racism, and ignorance.
    • Policies, practices, values, and procedures are aligned to meet the needs of all students, regardless of culture, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

    Needs Statement (Where we are right now – Our Reality):

    The New Paltz Central School District is committed to the children of the community. Our Mission is clear and articulates an understanding of the whole child and the necessity to address both academic and social learning. We understand that our students, as human beings, are social and collective in nature and learn best when this uniquely human characteristic is honored. Therefore, we are dedicated to creating an environment that supports and respects all students—a culturally proficient environment.  To this end, the New Paltz Central School District is embarking on a social justice journey. 

    School SMART Goal (To bring us to or close to the criteria in the Evidence of Achievement)

    On or before June 30, 2021, in accord with the District’s Standards and Core Intelligence,  District Administration and specific faculty and staff will create a culturally proficient environment as demonstrated by the following:

    • Data culled from building discipline logs will demonstrate that all staff and students are proficient in identifying (naming) acts of racism, including micro-aggressions, and that all staff and students are proficient in consistently applying the consequences and corrective actions which result in a change in the racist behavior.
    • Data culled from developmentally appropriate building surveys administered to all students demonstrate that students of color feel physically and emotionally safe in school, included in the social fabric, and note specific examples of how they see themselves in all aspects of the school environment. (Priority will be given to High School students and staff.)
    • Data culled from surveys administered to all staff demonstrate that all staff continue to move to greater levels of cultural competency as defined by the “Cultural Proficiency Continuum.”
    • Opportunities for parent and community input are implemented including, but not limited to, presentations at Board of Education meetings  and a dedicated page on the district’s website.
    • A Comprehensive Professional Development program which is targeted, monitored, and evaluated on an ongoing basis. Changes to the plan will be made based on data and addresses:
      • Cultural competence at the individual, building and district level by addressing individual biases and Institutional Racism,
      • Continuous cycle of focus on racial equity and cultural proficiency that continues to build leader, teacher, and staff capacity, and
      • Racial Equity Curriculum Development and Related Instructional Practices.
    •  An articulated racial equity curriculum will be implemented in Grades K - 12.
    • 100% of teaching and administrative staff will implement instructional practices that are engaging and congruent with the district’s racial equity philosophy and its Core Intelligence.
    • 100% of students understand critical racial equity concepts as demonstrated by research-based assessment tools.
    • 100% of staff will demonstrate a culturally proficient disposition as evidenced by research-based assessment tools. 
    • The disproportionality between the demographic compostion of NPCSD students and the demographic composition of NPCSD certificated staff will decrease.