Planning - Series 0000

Equity - 0540

The primary responsibility of the Mukilteo School District is to ensure that each student graduates career and college ready. Students shall be educated in environments that respect them as individuals, respect their families, and respect their cultural heritage in order to facilitate successful academic outcomes. This means each student is known by name, strength, and need.

The Board acknowledges that institutional racism exists and that longstanding institutional biases have resulted in significant, measurable, system-wide achievement inequities for students. Understanding how individual identities such as race, language abilities, religion, disabilities, socioeconomic status, country of origin, sexual orientation, and gender intersect with education will allow us to reduce instances of inequity and dis-proportionality. Our shared focus is to eliminate racism, inequities, and institutional bias, which will help increase achievement and graduation rates for all students, while narrowing the academic and opportunity gaps between the highest and lowest performing students.

The Board is committed to providing on-going professional development for staff, examining our organizational systems, and analyzing disaggregated data as it relates to academic achievement and student discipline for disparate results. We will develop strategies to ensure that all students reach their potential in an environment free of racism, discrimination, or institutional bias. To be successful, we must work together to make equity for all students a clear and shared focus and commitment for the Mukilteo School District.

The foundation for our District commitment and work is based upon the following beliefs:

• We believe the District’s diversity is a quality to be valued, respected, and celebrated.
• We believe students excel in a safe and positive climate that promotes trust, empathy, respect, and collaboration.
• We believe students must have equitable access to a rigorous and relevant curriculum.
• We believe each student learns differently, and understanding and addressing the individual needs of students while building upon their strengths will result in high levels of student achievement.
• We believe in the equitable distribution of resources to meet the needs of all students.
• We believe strong relationships between students, staff, and families ensure student academic and socio-emotional needs are understood and addressed effectively.
• We believe parents/guardians are strategic partners in the success of students.
• We believe that we need to empower families in our partnership in order to ensure student-centered engagement.
• We believe that effective communication is two-way, and must support cultural and language needs.

The Board directs the Superintendent to develop and implement a system-wide equity plan with clear accountability, transparency, and measures. The Superintendent or designee will report to the Board at least bi-annually on the progress of the plan.

AdoptionDate:July10,2017 Revised: March 19, 2020