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Board authorizes districtwide equity audit with University of Kentucky; public debate over partner choice
Summary
Per a February resolution the board authorized a districtwide equity audit and community Equity Action Committee to be facilitated by the University of Kentucky's Education Civil Rights Initiative; staff said the work is donor-funded, but several public commenters objected to selecting a Kentucky-based partner and urged use of local experts or federal OCR resources.
The board authorized the superintendent to execute a professional-services agreement with the University of Kentucky Education Civil Rights Initiative (UKECRI) to conduct a districtwide equity audit and convene an Equity Action Committee. The contract was approved after public comment and a roll-call vote (7 ayes).
Deputy Superintendent Anikia Fordamorte said the audit will proceed in three phases: convene a community coalition (Equity Action Committee), survey and focus groups, and a policy review leading to a set of recommendations for board action. Staff emphasized the process will also review prior local research and citywide equity efforts and that no district taxpayer dollars will fund the contract; an anonymous private donor will provide the $15,000 payment cited in the MOU.
The public record at the meeting included both support and opposition. Some community members, NAACP and local advocates urged the audit as necessary to address systemic racism districtwide; others objected to selecting an out-of-state university—citing Kentucky state laws they said conflict with San Francisco values and preferring local California-based auditors or federal OCR involvement. District staff said the resolution named UK and that the contract reflects the boarddirected scope; staff also said applications for the Equity Action Committee were open and that prior city efforts and stakeholder work will be consulted during the audit.
Board members said the process must be transparent and inclusive; staff will publish application and committee-selection steps and incorporate local stakeholder input as the audit proceeds.
