JUSTNESS: RUSD implements the Equity Task Force to give all students the academic opportunities they need in order to succeed.
By Guadalupe Meza, Staff Writer
RUSD Superintendent Dr. David Hansen created the Equity Task Force for the purpose of addressing opportunity and achievement gaps in the district. The Task Force’s plan is to define equity to the members of the community and then construct a plan that will revamp the district. The team working on this includes Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Support Jacqueline Perez, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Ryan Lewis, Assistant Superintendent of Professional Growth Systems, Antonio Garcia, and Director of Parent Engagement, Dr. Keyisha Holmes.
The Task Force is using the Continuum of Cultural Competency model to work towards equity, which demonstrates the stages to achieving cultural proficiency in the community. The model begins with Cultural Destructiveness, which provides privileges for dominant groups and then moves on to Cultural Incapacity, which includes racism and stereotypes. The next stage is Cultural Blindness, where everyone is treated equally despite differences between groups of people. It moves up to the last stage, Cultural Proficiency, which is where adjustments are made based on cultural needs.
In order to further achieve equity, there is a systematic approach that is being taken. It starts with the student in the center. Next is the Danielson Framework for Teaching, which ensures that teachers have the necessary tools to teach every student. RUSD then collects data that tracks the progress students and schools are making in their education. The last approach is the “How”, which includes using leadership, inquiries, collaboration, and systems for everyone apart of the community.
Currently the district has equality, as every student has the same educational opportunity. However, the goal is to work towards equity and ultimately reach liberation, which gets rid of all educational barriers that students might face. So far, programs such as Heritage, which focuses on helping African American students, and Legacy, which helps English learners, have been created to help certain students achieve the A-G requirements.