diversity, equity, and inclusion
Chair: OPEN
Contact information: diversity@mccpta.org
Subcommittees:
The MCCPTA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee was created in summer 2020 after hundreds of Montgomery County Public Schools students publicly shared their experiences of negative and discriminatory experiences due to their race, gender, religion, disabilities or sexual orientation. MCCPTA leadership responded by launching the DEI Committee. The DEI Committee seeks to ensure that equity is a critical part of the foundation of all MCPS and MCCPTA programs, activities, policies, and priorities.
What Equity Means To Us
We recognize:
the power of education to transform lives;
the beauty and value that diverse individuals and families bring to MCPS;
The need to address the broad range of student needs across our system to ensure that MCPS meets its core purpose to prepare all students to thrive in their futures.
We are committed to achieving educational equity and academic excellence.
What Diversity Means to Us
MCCPTA values diversity and inclusion. Diversity encompasses a wide range of people based on, but not limited to, race, sexual orientation, age, culture, economic status, education, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, legal status, marital status, mental ability, national origin, organizational position, parental or guardian status, physical ability, political philosophy, religion, and work experience.
What Inclusion Means to Us
Inclusion is the intention for and action of including all people, regardless of their circumstance, abilities, or needs. Everyone in our community has the right to be respected and appreciated as a valuable member of our community. Within MCPS, an inclusive education is about making sure our schools, classrooms, programs, and policies are designed in a way that allows all students to actively participate, learn, and thrive.
Our Goals
Educational equity, including achieving positive outcomes for all students
Ensuring access and inclusion
Ensuring equitable resource distribution and academic support
Creating multiple opportunities to learn, ensuring shared responsibility and ensuring accountability
What We Do
We seek to support MCPS as it addresses disproportionality at all levels, systematically support student needs, and examine policies and practices for identification and selection of those supports, including advocating for:
Equity in the MCPS online school for Fall 2020 (online learning, transportation, technology and language access, meals access, inclusion for all learners)
Annual unconscious bias and antiracist training for all MCPS staff, students, and MCCPTA/PT(S)A leaders
African American history as a graduation requirement
Parent Academy courses to offer expanded diversity-related topics and an incorporation of diverse voices into curriculum throughout the grades
PTA-wide liaison role: a DEI liaison/committee at all MCPS schools, with resources and toolkits provided
Membership/Diversity: A representative from each cluster on the MCCPTA DEI committee
Programming: Develop joint programs, sponsor forums and workshops with MCPS action groups and other stakeholders, particularly ensuring student voice as the center of our work and including restorative practices and restorative justice strategies to address disproportionality in discipline.
Our Collaborations
The DEI Committee is deeply committed to working closely with the MCPS Equity Unit and linking numerous county and community-led entities together toward the common purpose of advancing a high level of educational excellence and equity for all students.
Those entities include other MCCPTA Committees and its Board, as well as organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Identity, the Black and Brown Coalition, the LGBTQ Alliance, Special Education Services families, disability rights organizations, No Place for Hate advocates, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) anti-bias group, the LGBTQ Student Advocacy Group; the African American Student Achievement Action Group, the Asian Pacific Student Achievement Action Group; the Latino Student Achievement Action Group; ESOL groups, and MCPS’ Family Engagement Committee, among others.
The DEI Committee also seeks to partner with a wide array of stakeholders within and outside of the school system to offer programs that amplify and celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion within all MCPS schools in positive, respectful ways.MCPS’ stated objectives are: to ensure every student has the academic, creative problem solving, and social emotional skills to be successful in college, career and community, regardless of background.While many of our students achieve at the highest levels, not all have had the opportunities, support and resources needed to meet their full potential. MCPS is committed to addressing disparities in student outcomes by closing gaps in opportunity and achievement for all students, in all classrooms, in all of our schools.
Current Year Advocacy Priorities
Ensure access to equitable opportunities and an excellent education for all MCPS students, especially students historically disadvantaged based on race, sex, ancestry or national origin, color, religion or creed, sexual identity, gender identity, or physical or mental disability (differing abilities)
Ensure equitable allocations of resources for school facilities and operations. Identify goals based on the findings of the Anti-Racist System Audit and the evaluation of the ESOL model.
Address inequities in under-representation of both interpreter and translator services throughout MCPS and MCCPTA.
Advocate for American Sign Language to become recognized as a foreign language under the World Languages in the MCPS curriculum, and a graduate tassel offer to these students who graduate with Honors in that language.
Encourage a close examination of the current MCPS anti-bullying program and assess its effectiveness.
Research the ongoing unacceptable ratio of counselors to students in each school throughout MCPS and encourage resolutions to increase counselor supports and reduce their caseloads.
Meet with the NAACP, African American Student Achievement Action Group (AASAAG), Black & Brown Coalition, Latino Student Achievement Action Group (LSAAG), Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG), Chinese American Parent Association (CAPA)
Meet with the MCCPTA’s Special Education and Gifted Child Committees; meet with MCPS Equity team to understand and amplify MCPS’ diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
Meet with Cluster Coordinators and AVPs to understand and amplify DEI needs/concerns within each cluster.
Seek a representative/liaison from each cluster to join the MCCPTA DEI committee.
Share DEI resources via DEI listserv and webpage within MCCPTA website.
Create connections with student-led organizations, including SGAs.
Engage in DEI related activities that affect the MCPS community.
Current Year Monthly Reports
Resolutions: SRO Resolution
Resources
“The Challenge of Seeing, Part II – Shaping the Sixth Generation of Civil Rights and Educational Equity,” by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, November-December 2013
“Assuring Civil Rights Protection with State ESEA Flexibility Waivers”, by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, May 2013
“Building a Civil Rights Juggernaut Using the Common Core Standards,” by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. IDRA Newsletter, February 2013
“The Challenge of Seeing – Shaping the Sixth Generation of Civil Rights and Educational Equity,” by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, September 2012
“A Guide for School Board Members to Assess District Effectiveness,” by Abelardo Villarreal, Ph.D., & Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, June-July 2010
“Tyranny of Old Ideas About School Board Responsibilities,” by Abelardo Villarreal, Ph.D., and Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., June-July 2010
“The Role of School Governance Efficacy in Building an Equity Context for School Reform,” by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, June-July 2009
“Equalizing Funding of Texas School Facilities – A Long-Standing, Long-Neglected Need,” by Albert Cortez, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, February 2007
“Expanding Children’s Access to Science,” by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, April 2003
“We Should Not Kid Ourselves: Excellence Requires Equity,” by Bradley Scott, M.A., IDRA Newsletter, February 2000
“Equity Principles and School Reform: What it Takes to Ensure that ‘All Means All,’” by Adela Solís, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, February 2000
“From ‘DAC’ to ‘EAC’ – The Expanding Role of the Equity Assistance Center,” by Bradley Scott, M.A., IDRA Newsletter, February 1999
Calendar and resources for religious and cultural holidays
“Essays from MCPS Students and Staff” — A series of short essays written by Montgomery County students and staff about their identity. These are great conversation starters to engage colleagues or students.
Resources to Talk to Your Children about Race and Culture
EIU recommendations for books, TV shows and movies
Culturally Responsive Family Engagement -- Tools for creating more effective parent engagement strategies and events
Change the Discourse: Tools for leading and addressing challenging conversations in class and meetings
Dr. Joan’s Gems simple, specific resources (articles, strategies, videos, techniques, activators) that can be used at meetings, in planning, and in the classroom
"I’ve Got a Podcast for That" — Each month we highlight different podcasts to help bring a different lens to our understanding of equity.
Immigration — Resources to understand the changing immigration policies and the impact on MCPS families. Also resources to support families.
An Educator's Guide to This Moment, a publication by the MCPS Equity Initiative
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