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Farmington African American Parent Network updates board on tutoring, SAT/ACT supports and plans to address achievement gap
Summary
The Farmington African American Parent Network told the board it provides free Saturday tutoring for grades 1–12 and is planning discounted SAT/ACT workshops, parent meetings on AI and financial literacy, and collaboration with district DEI staff.
At the Jan. 7, 2025 Board of Education meeting Santoria Shepherd, president of the Farmington African American Parent Network (FAPN), updated the board on ongoing tutoring and family-support activities and outlined plans for the organization's 2025 fiscal year.
Shepherd said FAPN provides free tutoring every Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. at Farmington High School’s media center for students in grades 1–12. Volunteers include teachers, college professors and community members; the group is supported by the Hackbox robotics group and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she said.
Shepherd described planned offerings: SAT/ACT workshops (to be offered at a discount through a partnership with the Education Foundation and an outside vendor), parent general meetings, a session on integrating artificial intelligence into learning, financial literacy workshops and expanded programming to help families navigate 504 plans and individualized education programs (IEPs). She said FAPN will work with the district's diversity, equity and inclusion office to hold community conversations on inclusive practices.
Several board members asked operational questions: how tutors are vetted, whether tutors follow district curriculum and whether FAPN collects outcome data. Shepherd said the SAT/ACT workshops are provided by an outside vendor (Exam Expert) and that FAPN is working with district staff on alignment and supports. Board members suggested the group coordinate sign-in data, provide basic curricular materials or textbook references to tutors and work with district experts to track participant outcomes without identifying individual students.
In public comment, Sean Black praised individual teachers and the STEAM program and asked the board for a deeper conversation about the district’s academic plan to address the achievement gap between Black and white students, especially in reading and math. April Brooks and others also urged clarity on whether parents should bring concerns first to parent groups or to school staff; the board clarified that problems should start at the nearest level (teacher, then principal) while acknowledging that community groups often serve as a first place families seek support.
Board members and FAPN representatives agreed to continue conversations about data-sharing, tutor vetting and next steps for broader collaboration. Shepherd said FAPN will hold a discounted SAT/ACT workshop and host additional parent meetings; district staff said they will provide resources to help align tutoring with classroom instruction.
No formal board action was taken on the FAPN report.
