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Kyrene outlines equity metric for proportionality in advanced coursework, gifted identification and discipline
Summary
District staff reviewed a proportionality-based equity metric used to track representation in advanced coursework, gifted programs and office referrals/suspensions; the board received the baseline and methodology and asked for year-over-year detail at the school level.
At its data retreat the Kyrene Elementary District reviewed a new equity metric that compares subgroup representation in advanced coursework, gifted identification and disciplinary actions to subgroup representation in the total student population.
How the metric works: staff said they compare the share of a subgroup (race/ethnicity, English-language learners, economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities) in a target population (for example, advanced coursework) with the subgroup’s share of the district enrollment. Cells that are within plus or minus 3 percentage points are judged proportionate; a subgroup that is more than 3 points above or below is flagged as over- or underrepresented. The district presented a dashboard showing baseline values for 2023–24 and noted the metric’s baseline year is 2023–24.
Items tracked: the metric examines representation in advanced coursework, gifted identification, office discipline referrals and suspensions. Staff noted three special cells (ELL in advanced coursework, students with disabilities and gifted and students with disabilities in advanced coursework) are tracked but not included in the 33-cell proportionality calculation used to compute the overall equity aggregate.
Why it matters: the metric operationalizes the district’s equity strategic imperative by calling attention to disproportionalities across enrollment groups and program rosters. Staff said the measure helps the district target interventions and resource allocations to ensure proportional access to advanced classes and to reduce disproportionate discipline.
Board response and next steps: trustees asked for year-over-year changes to be shown alongside the baseline and requested school-level detail (an asterisk or flag for schools in the Rise Up designation, and explicit percent-change columns). Staff said they would provide a more detailed table showing school-level changes and year-over-year deltas.
Ending: staff reminded trustees they receive a weekly suspension report in board memos and that the equity dashboard will be updated annually as the district adds each year’s column to the strategic-plan dashboard.
