Eau Claire board accepts OE‑2 equity report, approves targeted indicator amendments after extended presentation and discussion

The Eau Claire Area School District board on Tuesday accepted the district's OE‑2 equity monitoring report after a detailed presentation by Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Dan Yang and Director of Special Education Dana McConnell and extended board discussion. The board voted to approve the monitoring report with several targeted amendments to indicator assessments.

The report, an annual equity review, summarized eight key performance indicators including climate survey results, disproportionality in special education identification and discipline, attendance trends and nondiscrimination complaints. Dan Yang told the board that the district defines educational equity as "making sure that students have the right things at the right time, regardless of their background," and said the presentation would highlight climate, attendance, nondiscrimination complaints and disproportionality in special education.

The nut graf: The report showed mixed results — statistically significant gains in several climate survey measures and in district attendance overall, but continuing disproportionalities in discipline and in some subgroup outcomes. Board members pressed for continued root‑cause work and clarified next steps; the board approved the monitoring report but amended several indicator findings to note exceptions and ongoing work.

Yang and Dana McConnell led the presentation. McConnell reviewed the district's joint federal notification related to special education and said that, for the 2023–24 school year, the district was identified for…