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Harrisonburg schools outline equity roadmap and MTSS expansion
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Richards told the board the district’s equity work — including an equity audit, CARES teams and a community‑built framework — is producing measurable gains for some student groups while the division moves to scale MTSS over the next 3–5 years.
HARRISONBURG, Va. — The Harrisonburg City School Board heard a detailed update April 7 on the division’s equity work and rollout of a multi‑tiered system of supports meant to improve outcomes for historically underserved students.
Superintendent Dr. Richards presented the equity section of the district’s strategic plan and described an equity audit that produced a three‑year roadmap. The division has formed an Equity Advisory Council and CARES teams to monitor recommendations, Richards said, adding that the work is intended to remove barriers and broaden access to advanced courses and fine‑arts programs.
“Equity is not an add‑on,” Richards said. “It is infused throughout everything we do.” He said the district has seen steady progress: in recent years Harrisonburg’s Black students have outperformed state averages on some graduation measures and receive advanced diplomas at higher rates than the statewide figures.
At the same time Richards acknowledged areas that still need work. Discipline remains disproportionate: Black students represent about 10% of the student body but about 14% of suspensions, he said, and students with disabilities show substantially lower SOL scores than peers.
Tony Walker, director of special education, told the board the division will add small, data‑driven resource classrooms for students with complex needs and invest in professional development, co‑teaching models and monthly IEP monitoring. The division also plans a JMU partnership to support staff credentialing.
“Students placed in these settings are placed by the IEP team based on data,” Walker said, and the goal is eventual reintegration into general education when progress supports it.
Carrie Martel, who led a presentation on MTSS, said the system is a preventative, data‑driven framework that aims to reduce adults’ bias in placement decisions and improve Tier‑1 instruction so fewer students require intensive intervention later. Martel said the district is already seeing strong early outcomes at the youngest grades and expects system‑level change to take three to five years.
Board members asked how the plans will be resourced; Richards pointed to both budget proposals and grant partnerships to grow a pipeline of qualified staff.
The board did not take action on policy from the floor during the equity presentation; Richards said work will continue and the division will bring additional data to future meetings.
