None.

None.

What challenges do you face in this work?

Danielle: How to set up subgroup goals that are compelling and driving, but also realistic. Given the resources available, it is often a hard balance to strike. Sometimes goal-setting research from outside the organization is challenging.

Danny: Although teaching to realities of dehumanization is done in the classroom, it is often hard to address the at-home challenges that students are facing.

Dr. O'Leary: At Equity in Action workshop at CAASA, one of the speakers said we can no longer do equity lite and think that we'll make a difference.

Alison: Organizational challenge is how to prioritize given everything the organization does, still keeping equity priorities high.

Prior to the start of this session, a new norm was added: balance self-care with community care.

Danny Cristales presented the ECMS-Inglewood site taskforce update:

ECMS-Inglewood's major goal is to empower African-American parents to feel more supported and confident in assisting their child in Math. Primary vehicle is parent workshops, after which student GPA and other measures were assessed.

Original focus was narrowed to two major components: how to provide parents Math resources and how to provide parents a way to track their student's progress.

2 of 3 parent workshops have been completed. Parents were surveyed and provided 18 responses. The survey data was examined.

Final EDC activity of the school year is a Math night for parents and students.

ECMS-I impact data slides were then shown, noting overall progress for African-American students.

Major takeaways were that 1) it is important to provide multiple opportunities for parents to learn and engage with Powerschool. 2) Subject-specific workshops are desired 3) African-American parents are attending parent conferences and workshops, although there is still a need for more strategies to address parents who don't regularly get updates on their student's academics.

Next steps will be to provide resources such as math game ideas, materials for math games, online resource games for parents. Also, to provide additional supports such as math teacher recruitment for Math Night, and advertisement of Math Night/Workshop.

Sabrina Johnson presented the ECMS-Gardena site taskforce update:

ECMS-Gardena's major goal is to increase math proficiency rates in math grades and improve engagement and positive attitudes towards Math. Piloting a math peer mentoring program for underperforming 6th-grade students, taught by 7th and 8th-grade students. This will be measured by CAASPP Math proficiency rates and progress on IBM math standard and by evaluating engagement and math attitudes through pre and post surveys.

A major takeaway after conducting a survey in the Black Excellence Club was that learners want leadership opportunities to engage with academic content.

Toward this end, The Gardena Mathlete group was created. The data showed AA learners had academic challenges in math. EDC parents influenced the idea of reciprocal teaching in efforts to support the mentor. Peer mentorship will support the mentees. Two-pronged approach for how the trainers were providing resources to the peer mentors.

ECMS-G impact data slides were then shown, noting overall progress for African-American students.

Major takeaways were that having this defined program has the potential impact to build community and build on systems to support African-American learners. The program has created a culture of awareness and transparency of being in support of vulnerable populations, which in turn influences transparency across the school.

Next steps are the launch of the Mathlete's program the following week (week of April 15).

Sara Diaz presented the ECHS site taskforce update:

ECHS has three major interventions as their EDC goals for the year. In particular, they have a focus on the intervention for ongoing gradebook analysis with support from a Master Teacher. A key focus is having teachers intentionally analyze gradebook results for African-American and Latinx students. A key aim for this intervention is to develop an accountability structure rooted in data, intentionally developing practices that speak to Black students’ needs

Although progress has been made in both ELA and Math CAASPP scores over the past two years, there is still a significant discrepancy between the overall population and African-American students.

ECHS impact data slides were then shown, noting overall progress for African-American students.

Major takeaways were that challenges include battling deficit thinking, developing and implementing strategies that involve differentiation of instruction and the need to provide PD that provides teachers with a toolbox that isn’t calling parents or placing the burden on students. Takeaways on what works is having a thought partner, having an explicit timeline (to observe, act, and reflect) that holds us accountable, teachers get to enact agency, and teachers have ownership of data (learning to navigate and use data).

Fish bone protocol was used to get to root causes so that effective strategies to overcome challenges can be identified.

Next steps are holding two more meetings, the next meeting focused on implementation and the following on reflecting on the implementation plan and its results. Also, doing qualitative research on the black student experience and focusing on hiring with an equity lens.

Tabled.

Next steps: between current date and the end of the school year in June: continuing action plan, collecting data and reflecting on site-based project, all toward the culminating Equity and Diversity Committee meeting on June 6.