Board Policies

Board Policy
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Governing Board believes that the diversity that exists among the district's community of students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members is integral to the district's vision, mission, and goals. Addressing the needs of the most marginalized learners requires recognition of the inherent value of diversity and acknowledgement that educational excellence requires a commitment to equity in the opportunities provided to students and the resulting outcomes.

 (cf. 0000 - Vision)
 (cf. 0100 -  Philosophy of Education Statement)
 (cf. 0200 - Goals for the School District)
 (cf. 0210 - Annual Review for the Status of the School District)
 (cf. 0410 - Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)
 (cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)

In order to address and remedy the adverse impacts resulting from institutional bias of all kinds, including implicit or unintentional biases and prejudices that affect student achievement, and to eliminate disparities in educational outcomes for students from historically underserved and underrepresented populations, the district shall proactively identify class and cultural biases as well as practices, policies, and institutional barriers that negatively influence student learning, perpetuate achievement gaps, and impede equal access to opportunities for all students.

The Board establishes this policy to ensure all students from cradle to career, regardless of disability/special education status, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, immigration status, language, nationality, parental status, race, religion, sexual orientation socioeconomic status or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, will have access to equitable resources and opportunities to participate fully in the educational process. To ensure that equity is the intentional result of district decisions, the Board shall consider whether its actions address the needs of students from racial, ethnic, and indigent communities and remedy the inequities that such communities experienced in the context of a history of exclusion, discrimination, and segregation. Board decisions shall not rely on biased or stereotypical assumptions about any particular group of students.

(cf. 6164.4 – Identification of Individuals for Special Education)
(cf. 6164.6 – Identification and Education Under Section 504)
(cf. 6173 - Education for Homeless Children)
(cf. 6173.1 - Education for Foster Youth)
(cf. 6174 - Education for English Language Learners)
(cf. 6175 - Migrant Education Program)
(cf. 9000 - Role of the Board)
(cf. 9310 - Board Policies)
(cf. 9311 - Formulation, Adoption, Amendment of Policies)

The Board and the Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement policies and strategies to promote equity in district programs and activities, through measures such as the following:
 

1. Routinely assessing student needs based on data disaggregated for identified groups in order to enable equity-focused policy, planning, and resource development decisions and differentiated supports.

(cf. 0400 - Comprehensive Plans)
(cf. 0500 - Accountability)
(cf. 6162.5 - Research/Standardized Testing)
 

2. Analyzing expenditures and allocating financial and human resources in a manner that provides all students with equitable access to district programs, support services, and opportunities for success and promotes equity and inclusion in the district. Such resources include access to high-quality administrators, teachers, and other school personnel; funding; technology, equipment, textbooks, and other instructional materials; facilities; as defined in Education Code 35186 and community resources or partnerships.

(cf. 0440 - District Technology Plan)
(cf. 3100 - Budget)
(cf. 4113 - Assignment)
(cf. 7110 - Facilities Master Plan)
 

3. Enabling and encouraging all students to enroll in, participate in, and complete curricular and extracurricular courses, and other student activities.

(cf. 6145 - Extracurricular and Cocurricular Activities)
 

4. Invest in building an equitable, diverse and inclusive positive school climate that promotes student and parent engagement, safety, enhance proficiency, and provide academic, social emotional, and behavioral supports for all students.

(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)
(cf. 5131.2 - Bullying)
(cf. 5142 - Safety, Arrival, Departure and Supervision of Students)
 

5. Adopting curriculum and instructional materials that accurately reflect the diversity among student groups.

(cf. 6161.1 - Procedures and Criteria for Selection and Evaluation)
 

6. Providing and/or collaborating with local agencies and community groups to ensure the availability of necessary support services for students in need.

(cf. 1230 - Other School-connected Organizations)
(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)
(cf. 1410 - Local Agencies)

        7.   Promoting the employment, inclusion, and retention of a diverse staff that reflects the student demographics of the community.

8.  Providing district staff with ongoing, researched-based, professional learning and professional development on culturally responsive instructional practices.

 (cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
 (cf. 0500 - Accountability)
 

9. Conducting program evaluations that focus on equity and address the academic outcomes and performance of all students on all indicators.

• Including a critical examination of evaluation standards and practices of student performance to move to a more equitable grading system designed to close achievement gaps.

(cf. 0500 - Accountability)

The Board shall regularly monitor the intent and impact of district policies and decisions in order to safeguard against disproportionate or unintentional impact on equity, access, and inclusion to district programs and achievement goals for specific student populations in need of services.

 Santa Maria-Bonita School District does not harass, intimidate, or discriminate on the basis of
 race, color, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, ancestry, age, creed, religion, political
 affiliation, gender, gender identity or expression or genetic information, mental or physical
 disability, sex, sexual orientation, parental or marital status, military veteran status, or any other
 basis protected by law or regulation, in its educational program(s) or employment.

Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
200-262.4 Educational equity
52077 Local control and accountability plan 60040 Selection of instructional materials GOVERNMENT CODE
11000 Definitions
11135 Nondiscrimination in programs or activities funded by state PENAL CODE
422.55 Definition of hate crime
422.6 Interference with constitutional right or privilege CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
4900-4965 Nondiscrimination in elementary and secondary education programs UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1400-1482 Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act 1681-1688 Discrimination based on sex or blindness, Title IX
2301-2414 Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act 6311 State plans
6312 Local education agency plans UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
794 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
2000d-2000d-7 Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964
2000e-2000e-17 Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended 2000h-2000h-6 Title IX
12101-12213 Americans with Disabilities Act CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 28
35.101-35.190 Americans with Disabilities Act
36.303 Auxiliary aids and services
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
100.1-100.13 Nondiscrimination in federal programs, effectuating Title VI 104.1-104.39 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
106.1-106.61 Discrimination on the basis of sex, effectuating Title IX

Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Meeting California's Challenge: Access, Opportunity, and Achievement: Key Ingredients for Student Success, 2017
The School Board Role in Creating the Conditions for Student Achievement, 2017
African-American Students in Focus: Closing Opportunity and Achievement Gaps for African- American Students, 2016
African-American Students in Focus: Demographics and Achievement of California's African- American Students, 2016
Latino Students in California's K-12 Public Schools, 2016
Research-Supported Strategies to Improve the Accuracy and Fairness of Grades, 2016 Climate for Achievement Governance Brief Series, 2015
Math Misplacement, 2015


CENTER FOR URBAN EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Protocol for Assessing Equity-Mindedness in State Policy, 2017 WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov Center for Urban Education: https://cue.usc.edu
Safe Schools Coalition: http://www.casafeschools.org


Policy:                                                        SANTA MARIA-BONITA SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved:  March 10, 2021                                                                  Santa Maria, California

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