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DEI committee outlines recommendations on culturally responsive instruction and student leadership
Summary
The district’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee presented its objectives, subcommittee structure and near‑term recommendations — including a focus on welcoming environments, student‑led conferences, growth mindset, inclusive curriculum and SEL inventory — and said it will return with proposals by June.
Board members heard a report from the district’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) committee on March 17 that described committee structure and early recommendations.
Committee purpose and structure: the DEI committee said its role is to make recommendations to the superintendent and board on implementing the culturally responsive sustaining education (CRSE) framework from the New York State Education Department, and to examine policies, procedures and reporting tools to measure progress. Membership includes board representatives, teachers, administrators, support staff, higher‑education partners and community members.
Subcommittee work and recommendations: committee subgroups are focused on four tenants of the framework: welcoming/affirming environment; high expectations and rigorous instruction; inclusive curriculum and assessment; and ongoing professional learning. Among initiatives the committee said it plans to recommend are district‑scale student‑led conferences in elementary grades, expanding student leadership opportunities across grade levels, and conducting an SEL inventory to ensure growth‑mindset strategies are integrated. A representative described a recent professional‑development session on addressing harmful language and a local history curriculum unit that ties civic action to local context.
Community engagement: the committee flagged survey participation challenges, noted plans to use multiple outreach methods (focus groups, website reviews) and said it will present formal recommendations to the superintendent and board in coming months.
Next steps: subcommittees will continue work and return with specific proposals — including a timeline for possible pilot programs and measures to assess implementation — by June.
