2260.03 - EDUCATIONAL AND RACIAL EQUITY

In Plymouth-Canton Community Schools our goal is to increase learning for every student. Every student needs to feel welcomed and supported in his or her learning. To do this, we need to work together with families and community partners to recognize and respond to the needs of all students. P-CCS students are counting on us to stay engaged, reflect on our practices, hear their voices and honor their perspectives.

To accomplish this, the following guidelines shall be used to ensure that the Board of Education’s Policy 2260.03 on equity is implemented. In order to achieve educational equity for all P-CCS students, the District shall:

1. Equitable Access – Continue to provide every student with equitable access to a high quality curriculum, support, facilities and other educational resources, even when this means differentiating resource allocation in order to provide greater supports to students who may need such to succeed academically;
    

2. Racial Equity Analysis – Review existing policies, programs, professional development and procedures to ensure the promotion of racial equity and all applicable new policies, programs and procedures will be developed using a racial equity analysis tool;
    

3. Student Discipline- Support and retain students by modifying discipline policies to be better connected to educational goals and re-connect students to learning. Strategies such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports are designed to promote a climate of safety and learning and can be more effective than zero tolerance discipline strategies.
    

4. Workforce Equity – Work to have the teacher and administrator workforce be balanced and better reflect the diversity of the student body.
    

5. Professional Development – Provide professional development to strengthen employees’ knowledge and skills necessary to decrease opportunity gaps and other disparities in achievement;
    

6. Welcoming School Environments – Ensure that each school creates a welcoming culture and inclusive environment that reflects and supports the diversity of the school’s student population their families, and communities;
    

7. Partnerships – Actively pursue partnerships with others who have demonstrated culturally specific expertise – including families, government agencies, institutes of higher learning, early childhood education organizations, community based organizations, businesses, and the community in general – in meeting our high goals for educational outcomes;
    

8. Multiple Pathways to Success – Provide multiple pathways to success in order to meet the needs of the diverse student body and shall actively encourage, support and expect high academic achievement for all students;
    

9. Recognizing Diversity – Provide materials and assessments that reflect the diversity of students and staff and which are geared towards the understanding and appreciation of culture, class, language, ethnicity and other differences that contribute to the uniqueness of each student and staff member.