April marks the second quarterly update for the African-American Equity Task Force (AAETF). The Implementation Team Leads (ITLs) continue to learn and collaborate on existing efforts across the district to help improve the experiences of African-Americans in DPS. This update will focus on key areas of progress that have taken place since January 2018. All work continues to align to the recommendations and with the multi-phase journey set forth for the AAETF.
The Wisdom Team (WT) will advise and work side-by-side with the AAETF implementation teams to ensure the recommendations are effectively implemented and evaluated on an ongoing basis. The second round of interviews are currently taking place and an announcement will be made once the selection of team members is finalized. Similar to the implementation teams, the Wisdom Team’s commitment to the work will be ongoing.
The Culturally Responsive Education team continues to engage stakeholders from across the district in the design and development of the work. Teachers have been selected to participate in design teams with the task of finalizing a definition for Culturally Responsive Teaching and constructing the mindsets, beliefs and practices of a culturally responsive educator.
The two teams are collaborating on the implementation of Opportunity Gap cohort schools. Though a partnership with Dr. Eddie Fergus, the Opportunity Gap cohort schools receive school-based support through personalized, differentiated activities based upon their current problem of practice. As the first cohort come to an end, we are seeing improvements in closing disproportionalities in discipline actions, intervention plans, and Gifted & Talented/Advanced Placement (GT/AP) programming. The next Opportunity Gap cohort will expand to 11 additional high schools with high populations of African-American students. Eleven out of 17 schools from the first cohort will continue with a second-year focus on culturally responsive teaching practices.
If you have not had a chance to visit the Mile High United Way Center for Family Opportunity (CFO), we invite you to do so. The center is located at McGlone Academy, 4500 Crown Blvd., Denver 80239. To learn more about the CFO and the programs and services offered, please visit the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) website.
To stay informed, visit celt.dpsk12.org for the latest news and events, and look for the next formal update on the African-American Equity Task Force this summer.
Questions? Email: AAETF@dpsk12.org