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The Role and Function of the Equity Coordinator and the Equity Review Process. AEA 267, April 2, 2014. *Frequent Citations.
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The Role and Function of the Equity Coordinator and the Equity Review Process AEA 267, April 2, 2014
*Frequent Citations • Look for the * during this presentation. These are some of the most frequent citations of noncompliance found during accreditation/school improvement and focused equity visits!
Designation of Coordinator • Coordinate compliance efforts for federal civil rights laws • One or more persons can be assigned • Documentation and Record Keeping • Known to staff, students and parents • Carry out responsibilities under the law • Job description and annual objectives • District employee; OCR recommends someone other than superintendent
*Role of Equity Coordinator • Knowledge of Federal and State Civil Rights Laws • Board Policies and Administrative Procedures • Dissemination of Information (Notification) • Professional Development • Facilitating the Grievance Process • Monitoring and Analysis of Disaggregated Data and Diversity on Advisory Committees
Knowledge of Federal and State Civil Rights Laws • Title IX Educational Amendments of 1972 (gender equity) • Title VI – Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race and national origin equity) • Office for Civil Rights Vocational Education Guidelines 1979 (equity in CTE programs) • Title II Americans with Disabilities Act Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (disability equity)
*Accessibility of Facilities • Central administration/board room • Offices, classrooms, and labs • Gymnasium/auditorium/playing fields • Restrooms/locker rooms/water fountains • Computer labs/ICN rooms • Cafeteria/media center • Parking/access route/entrance • Signage • Website
Compliance is Not Conditional Based Upon Demographics • Even if no student with a physical impairment is enrolled, a recipient or public entity must be prepared to take steps to make its program or activity in existing facilities accessible as the need arises and in a timely manner. • Standards for new construction apply regardless of the number of persons with physical impairments
Board Policies and Administrative Procedures • To ensure the agency has the required board policies and grievance procedures in place • Board-adopted policies on nondiscrimination in programs and employment • Cover all the protected classes, including socioeconomic status • Reviewed, revised or reaffirmed every five years
*Non-Discrimination Policies • Program and Employment • Race, Color, National Origin (Language) • Gender & Marital Status • Disability • Religion & Creed • Age (Employment Only) • Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity • Socioeconomic Status (Program Only)
Seven Categories for Race • Hispanic/Latino • American Indian or Alaska Native • Asian • Black or African-American • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander • White • Two or More
Nondiscrimination Chart Guidance on requirements for protected classes for programs, employment, and bullying/harassment. Provides sample notification which must include: • Nondiscrimination for all protected classes • Grievance procedure for processing complaints • Name, title, address and phone number of equity coordinator
Employment • Board policy EEO/AA • *Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Plan EEO/AA • Job descriptions • Job applications and hiring process • Staff evaluation
Harassment, Bullying and Hazing • Person designated to investigate complaints • Grievance procedure • Responsibility for incidents on school site, on school vehicles, and at school sponsored events • Policy must cover employees, students, and volunteers • Report on state data base
*Dissemination of Information • Non-Discrimination Policy • Identity and Contact Information for Equity Coordinator • Information About Grievance Procedure and Distribution of Grievance Forms • Major Annual Publications, Brochures, Handbooks, Registration Handbooks, Website • Public Posting and Local Newspaper • Website • Harassment and Bullying Notifications
Professional Development • Incorporated into Everything • Equity and School Improvement • Multi Cultural and Gender Fair • Cultural Proficiency • English Language Learners • Students with Disabilities • Common Core Must Ensure Equity
Common Core Must Ensure Equity • Ensure comparable positive outcomes for all students on all achievement indicators • Ensure equitable access to education services and inclusion for all students • Ensure equitable treatment for all students • Ensure equitable resource distribution • Ensure equitable opportunities to learn for all students • Ensure equitable shared accountability
Resources • Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders by Dr. Randall Lindsey, to assist staff in bringing more cultural awareness into classroom environment and to prepare students for living in a diverse society • Teaching with Poverty in Mind and/or Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen to learn how schools can improve the achievement and life readiness of economically disadvantaged students.
Facilitating the Grievance Procedure • Aligned with Non-Discrimination Policy • Students, Parents, Employees and Applicants for Employment • Grievance Forms • Facilitated by Equity Coordinator
An Effective Grievance Procedure • Clearly Describes the Process for Filing a Grievance • Provides impartiality on the part of the investigator • Clearly spells out time limits on process steps • Provides written documentation from grievant, the party grieved against and the investigator
*Monitoring and Analysis of Disaggregated Data • Integration and Inclusion on the basis of Gender, Race/National Origin and Disability • Attendance centers and courses • Monitor integration/inclusion by reviewing enrollment data annually (at a minimum) • Provide a summary of attendance center, program and course enrollment trends noted over the past three years and a description of how these data are collected and used, with what frequency, by whom, and for what purposes.
EdInsight Equity Reports • Purpose is to examine student, employment and course data • Student and course data disaggregated by gender, race, special education, 504 plan, ELL status and SES • Employment data by gender and race • Originate from multiple sources • Available from 2009-2010 forward • Each district has a trained staff person • AEA can provide training
When Isolation/Segregation Exists • Counselors and instructors of classes where isolation exists must be notified. • Counselors and instructors must review their policies, practices, and curriculum to ensure that they are not contributing to the isolation. • Counselors and instructors must document that they are currently implementing strategies to involve students from groups that have been underrepresented. • Strategies should be documented and kept in equity file.
*Monitoring of Diversity on Advisory Committees • Board Policy that Promotes Inclusion • Gender Balance, Racial/Ethnic Diversity & Persons with Disabilities on the SIAC • Gender Balance, Racial/Ethnic Diversity & Persons with Disabilities on Career & Technical Advisory Committees • Equity Advisory Committee
Purpose of the Equity Review • Office for Civil Rights Compliance • Recommendations • Inclusive environments • School Improvement
Civil Rights Monitoring Process Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education requires state education agencies to develop “Methods of Administration” to reasonably assure that sub-recipients of federal financial assistance are in compliance with federal civil rights laws and to correct areas of non-compliance.
Selection Criteria • Course enrollment data in career and technical programs disaggregated by gender, disability and race • Changing demographics • Complaints or referrals • Time elapsed since last equity review
Letter of Finding • Equity Policy and Process • Equity, School Improvement and the Educational Program • Physical Education, Extra-Curricular Activities and Athletics • Access, Integration and Inclusion • Support Services for Special Populations • Climate and Discipline • Employment, Personnel, and Advisory Committees
Voluntary Compliance Plan • The LEA will develop a voluntary compliance plan (VCP) addressing any non-compliance issues and send the plan to the DE within 60 calendar days of the date of the Letter of Finding • The Equity Consultant will notify the LEA if revisions to the plan are needed and will approve the final plan
Monitoring and Follow Up • Documentation of evidence of remedies will be submitted to the equity consultant • A follow up visit to monitor completion of all items, including accessibility, will occur about a year after the visit
Civil Rights Iowa Civil Rights Commission 400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, Iowa 50319 515-281-4121 Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education Citigroup Center , 500 W. Madison Street,Suite 1475, Chicago, IL 60661-7204Telephone: (312) 730-1560 Facsimile: (312) 730-1576Email: OCR.Chicago@ed.gov
Contact Margaret Jensen Connet Equity Consultant Iowa Department of Education Office: 515-281-3769 Cell: 515-402-2739 Email: margaret.jensenconnet@iowa.gov
Iowa Department of Education Website Educateiowa.gov Equity Education