Equity Commitment
EQUITY DEFINITION
Recognize, respect, value, and respond to the diverse needs of our students and community.
Joliet Public Schools District 86 believes and is committed to all students deserving and having every opportunity to reach their full potential and succeed personally and academically. To accomplish that goal, students will have access to rich learning experiences that provide a strong foundation of confidence that continues throughout their lives. District 86 schools will be safe and welcoming havens where all students have the tools they need to achieve success, including skills to be socio-economically able to follow their chosen pathways in life after graduation including work, college, apprenticeship, or university.
Some highlights of our efforts include:
- The Board of School Inspectors' adoption of the District's Equity Blueprint for Action and Equity Policy.
- Establishment of the District Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee which represents various stakeholder groups who provide feedback on our work and progress towards goals.
- New administrator responsible for supporting all equity initiatives.
- Full-time District Translator in place to translate all District correspondence to Spanish.
- Ongoing equity-focused professional development for administrators and all District staff.
- Continuous review of student data to identify gaps and disproportionate patterns that need to be addressed.
- Culturally relevant curriculum resources for students in all grade levels.
- Equity Champion Committee of teachers developed to support schools in providing culturally responsive learning environments.
- Our 10-Month Equity Journey Challenge shared with all staff, parents, and community members to help build awareness and growth of equity related topics.
These efforts are driven by our Equity Blueprint for Action adopted in June 2019 and our new five-year Strategic Plan. Our goals continue to focus on identifying and eliminating persistent inequities in the educational system. As a community of learners, with our renewed focus on achievement and well-being, Joliet's educational system will be fair-minded and more inclusive for all students, educators, and staff regardless of ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation or identity, size, gender, or any other factor related to individual identity.
Tanisha Cannon, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent