B-ESD Educational & Racial Equity Policy

Vision: The mission of the Burlington-Edison School District is to educate each student for lifelong success. To achieve and maintain its mission, the Board commits the District to

• Promoting the success of each and every student;

• Working actively to eliminate institutional and structural barriers, policies, and practices that advertently or inadvertently perpetuate inequities among racially and currently underserved students and staff;

• Creating systems and providing resources to increase student academic achievement and eliminate the disproportionality of access and outcomes.

Foundation: We believe in the brilliance, high intellectual performance, and academic achievement of each and every one of our students. We are aware that local, national and global complex societal and historical factors, including systemic racism, ableism, sexism, implicit and explicit bias, as well as generational and race-related trauma, contribute to the inequities our students face.

The purpose of this policy is to achieve educational justice for each and every student and staff member by establishing expectations, resources, and structures related to the identification and elimination of disparities in educational opportunities, access, and outcomes. The unique characteristics of our students and staff are valued and celebrated as strengths that contribute to the overall well-being of our community.

Beliefs: We believe that each and every student has the potential to achieve and to enrich our learning environment. It is the responsibility of our District to give students and staff the opportunity and support to reach their highest potential. We believe that each and every member of the Burlington-Edison School District

• Has intrinsic value and the capacity to contribute to society;

• Brings a diversity of ideas and lived experiences that enrich our community;

• Performs best when engaged, connected and supported.

Focus Areas: To achieve our mission and maintain educational justice for each and every student, the Burlington-Edison School District will

• Provide each and every student with equitable access to high quality instruction that is racially and culturally responsive and curriculum that honors the experiences and cultures of students.

• Engage, include, and collaborate with families, students, residents, communities, regional districts and other stakeholders, recognizing that active involvement is essential to the Board’s own responsibility for effective and equitable governance.

• Allocate fiscal, facility and human resources, differentiated by school, to equitably meet the individual needs of students and the school community.

• Ensure that all stakeholders are treated as authentic partners in the educational process, including listening to and valuing student, staff and family voice across our system.

• Create multiple learning pathways to success tailored to the assets and unique needs of students’ identities, lived experiences and realities to ensure their success in college, careers and life.

• Recruit, employ, support and retain highly qualified, ethnically, racially and linguistically diverse, racially conscious, and culturally competent administrative, instructional and support employees whose culture and experiences are reflective of the student population.

• Provide culturally-relevant professional learning opportunities to strengthen employees’ knowledge and skills for eliminating racial disparities in student academic achievement.

• Review and develop District policies, structures, and practices using the Racial Equity Analysis Tool that advance educational justice and contribute to increased access and academic outcomes across schools.

Accountability Measures:

The Board holds itself and all District administrators, instructional staff, and support staff accountable for building a District-wide culture of equity. District leaders have a special responsibility to develop their own racial consciousness and identify, at the same time, that this is an expectation of all employees. Every Burlington-Edison School District employee is responsible for contributing to the success and achievement of each and every student.

The Board understands that the above are long-term goals and the urgency to continue this work as quickly as possible. The Board will require quarterly updates from the Superintendent or designee with regard to progress towards the above focus areas.

Adopted: 4.2022