Proposed equity audit: Ayala and Associates offered to assess policies, instruction and community experience for up to $42,500

Summary

Board staff proposed contracting Ayala and Associates (Dr. Carmen Ayala) for an equity audit to identify root causes of inequities across policy, practice and instruction using interviews and focus groups; the contract would not exceed $42,500 and include staff, student, parent and community engagement.

Chair/board operations staff (S5) presented a proposal to contract Ayala and Associates, led by Dr. Carmen Ayala, to conduct an equity audit across district policy, practice and instruction.

S5 said the review would include interviews with each board member and the superintendent, 19 one-hour interviews at the maximum, 7 staff focus groups, 4 student focus groups, 4 parent focus groups and 3 community focus groups, plus classroom visits and data review. The firm’s contract would not exceed $42,500; final scope may be smaller depending on selected workstreams.

S5 described Dr. Ayala as the district’s former state superintendent and the person who helped bring an equity continuum to the state of Illinois; staff characterized the work as diagnostic and formative, with an option to continue into implementation support after findings are delivered. Board members asked about selection of teacher participants for focus groups and the audit’s timeline; staff said the audit would run several months and be coordinated with the district strategic plan.