Equity

The Office of Equity and Community Engagement at the Virginia Department of Education created an Equity Audit designed to assist divisions in their planning efforts. In Hanover County Public Schools, the Task Force designated a team comprised of numerous stakeholders, both internal and external, to complete this work. The information found below includes the language from the Equity Audit and HCPS’ self-assessment. The gaps identified in the audit will be a focus as the division moves forward in both planning and implementation.

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

  • Did we use disaggregated data to inform our planning?

Yes

  • Did we engage in representative stakeholder voices in the development of our plan?

Yes

  • Did we conduct a needs assessment of our community to inform our planning?

Yes

  • Did we evaluate our plan to ensure that it does not perpetuate lower expectations for particular student groups?

No

The Equity Task Force completed their task in July. Many members of the equity team have expressed interest in continued contributions through the establishment of a team to further address racial equity. There was a clear call from teachers and students to establish expectations and to establish routines for both face-to-face and online learning.

CULTURAL COMPETENCE

  • Does our plan reflect that we value diversity?

No

  • Does our plan ensure that curriculum and instruction (including remote delivery) is culturally affirming?

No

  • Does our plan ensure that our instructional model (Remote/virtual/blended etc) reflects and celebrates students’ cultures?

No

  • Does our plan include a process to ensure that cultural competency principles are executed in the delivery of our recovery plan?

No

  • Does our plan utilize strategies/interventions that rely on assumptions about student groups?

No

Hanover County Public Schools will begin working with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) to better understand racial equity and to prepare our leaders to have difficult conversations. The division’s return-to-learn plans need to be reviewed to make sure they convey that the division values diversity and that its curriculum is culturally affirming. The equity team recommends that this be done by a variety of HCPS equity and/or instructional teams.

MEETING STUDENT NEEDS

  • Does our plan include a process to assess each student and tier services to meet their needs?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a process and procedures for engaging wrap around service providers to meet student/family needs?

Yes

  • Does our plan assess the ways in which social determinants of health and health inequities affect our school(s) and communities?

Yes

  • Does our plan evaluate our student code of conduct and student discipline referral process to ensure it includes safeguards that assess student trauma manifesting through behaviors (especially for students disproportionately impacted by exclusionary discipline policies and economic insecurity)?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a review of our student code of conduct and student discipline referral process?

Yes

  • Does our plan include strategies to foster safe and supportive school climates for all students and families?

Yes

  • Does our plan include measurable goals to monitor progress that narrows gaps between the least and most advantaged students?

No

  • Does our plan place an emphasis on high expectations for all students while providing proper scaffolds and support?

Yes

  • Does our plan include providing ongoing support for student social and emotional needs?

Yes

  • Does our plan specify provisions for students with disabilities and students in need of specialized instruction, related services, or other supports?

Yes

  • Does our plan Specify supports and instructional strategies to meet the needs of English Learners (ELs)?

Yes

  • Does our plan Include a process for measuring student progress?

Yes

In conjunction with the social-emotional wellness team, the equity team recommends that a high emphasis be placed on the social and emotional needs of our students and faculty. Each school will have access to Connect with Kids (social/emotional curriculum) to begin the year, and will have a school-based social emotional team. A district social-emotional wellness team will continue to address progress.

STUDENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

  • Does our plan allocate resources to engage families?

Yes

  • Does our plan include an assessment of student and family needs?

Yes

  • Does our plan include built in processes for ongoing evaluation of family needs?

Yes

  • Does our plan include staff training on engaging with families post COVID?

Yes

  • If yes to the question above: Is this training inclusive of strategies focused on communicating with marginalized groups (especially families marginalized by language, poverty, race, and ability)?

Yes

  • Does our plan include targeted engagement strategies? (especially families marginalized by language, poverty, race, and ability)

Yes

  • Does our plan establish protocols to ensure that family engagement strategies and initiatives are developed and implemented through an economic and cultural competency lens?

Yes

  • Does our plan include resources to build the capacity of caregivers to support instruction?

Yes

  • Does our plan include providing ongoing support for student social and emotional needs?

Yes

  • Does our plan specify provisions for students with disabilities and students in need of specialized instruction, related services, or other supports?

Yes

  • Does our plan specify supports and instructional strategies to meet the needs of English Learners (ELs)?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a process for measuring student progress?

Yes

The equity team recommends that specific expectations be created to ensure contact with families and students, especially those participating in online learning.

COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

  • Does our plan specify established channels of communication with community partners?

Yes

  • Does our plan assess the effectiveness of our communication channels with community partners?

Yes

  • Does our plan include an assessment of the resources available in the community?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a coordinated plan and point of contact overseeing community engagement?

Yes

  • Does our plan include strategies to engage non-traditional education stakeholders (i.e., civil rights organizations, out of school providers, health agencies, etc.)?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a process to ensure that engagement and communication strategies are inclusive of the language, dialects, and literacy needs of all families?

Yes

  • Does our plan include an accessibility review process for all communication materials?

No

  • Does our plan appear in publicly available spaces (accessible through district and school websites, email, and U.S. mail)?

Yes

  • Does our plan appear in publicly available spaces (accessible through district and school websites, email, and U.S. mail)?

Yes

  • Does our plan leverage multiple communication channels, strategies, and partners (email, social media, television, school and local media outlets)?

Yes

  • Does our plan specify supports and instructional strategies to meet the needs of English Learners (ELs)?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a process for measuring student progress?

Yes

The equity team recommends that through the Equity Community Advisory Board, the Equity Planning Team, and a hybrid team on racial equity, the division should evaluate programs and the process towards stated equity goals. These teams are made up of Hanover faculty, parents, students, and community business and faith leaders.

INSTRUCTION

  • Does our plan provide instruction to students previously and currently enrolled in alternative settings (i.e., state operated programs, specialty programs, alternative schools, etc.)?

Yes

  • Does our plan establish targets and indicators of success that will answer the question; are we adequately meeting the needs of all student groups?

Yes

  • Does our plan incorporate tiered and scaffolded supports for all learners?

Yes

  • Does our plan structure instructional time to meet the needs of students with varying levels of access to the internet and technology?

Yes

  • Does our plan include strategies for providing at home learning support?

Yes

  • Does our plan include professional development and instructional resources for teachers to support student engagement and cultural relevance?

Yes

  • Does our plan include professional development to support increased efficacy in delivery of remote and virtual distance learning instruction for teachers?

Yes

  • Does our plan identify internal and external barriers to student learning and success by student group?

Yes

  • Does our plan include remote instruction delivery for students unable to access internet/virtual learning resources?

Yes

  • Does our plan provide access to translated instructional materials or translation services for non-English speaking caregivers to support student learning?

Yes

  • Does our plan specify supports and instructional strategies to meet the needs of English Learners (ELs)?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a process for measuring student progress?

Yes

The equity team notes that the instructional staff will continue to meet to evaluate instructional quality and delivery. This task force team supports a review of instruction, ensuring it is culturally relevant and engaging to all of our students.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION

  • Does our plan prioritize the needs of marginalized students and vulnerable student groups?

Yes

  • Does our plan align budget allocations to the prioritization of marginalized and vulnerable students?

Yes

  • Does our plan utilize CARES Funding to close equity gaps?

Yes

  • Does our plan address teacher retention and recruitment and its impact on teacher assignment in high need schools specifically?

Yes

  • Does our plan allocate human and collateral resources to deploy new and targeted communication strategies?

Yes

  • Does our plan allocate resources to improve communication with students and families (interpretations services, multilingual collateral)?

Yes

  • Does our plan allocate resources to mitigate the impact of gaps in access to technology/internet connectivity?

Yes

  • Does our plan allocate resources to develop a division Distance Learning Plan that includes coordination of instruction across schools and assurance of equitable access for all students?

Yes

  • Does our plan allocate resources to deploy devices and internet connectivity to students in need?

Yes

  • Does our plan provide access to translated instructional materials or translation services for non-English speaking caregivers to support student learning?

Yes

  • Does our plan specify supports and instructional strategies to meet the needs of English Learners (ELs)?

Yes

  • Does our plan include a process for measuring student progress?

Yes

The equity team placed particular focus on ensuring our students and faculty have access to technology, wifi, transportation, attendance, social emotional and instructional support. The various task force teams are all addressing these needs.

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