Equity and SEL

Yes.  Here it is:

Board of Education Equity Statement

We recognize, embrace, and defend the identities, abilities, and voices of our

diverse school community. As a Board of Education, we value the multiple

perspectives of our students, parents, faculty, staff, and administration. We

commit ourselves to support an equitable and inclusive learning environment for

all stakeholders.

The Board of Education will direct the administration to operationalize its

commitment to advancing racial equity. We will encourage the use of high-impact

and district-wide strategies that address day to day organizational culture, build

institutional capacity, leverage our workforce, apply community engagement

practices, and focus on internal processes and procedures to eliminate systemic

barriers.

The Board of Education will be equitable, inclusive, transparent, respectful, and

impactful in how we serve and engage with students, parents, faculty, staff, and

the administration. To be clear, hate has no place in Barrington 220 schools and

harassment, bullying, or intimidation of any kind will not be tolerated.

Why a commitment statement?

The Board of Education wants to fully understand and appreciate the richness

and diversity of who we are as a school community while recognizing a history of

racial inequities that have taken place within our country and school system.

Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ErRpfDtI07pWjv4CgWIBwF3pJpolxPJ8/view

This Equity Statement was approved by six board members (one person was not in attendance) on November 17,  2020 and verbally affirmed by all seven of the current board members in 2021.

SEL stands for Social and Emotional Learning, which is a framework for supporting the development of social and emotional competencies in students and staff. It involves teaching students the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to understand and manage their emotions, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

In public schools, SEL is typically incorporated into the school's curriculum and instructional practices. This can include explicit instruction in SEL skills and concepts, as well as integrating SEL into other subject areas, such as language arts, math, and science.

The specific competencies that are taught through SEL can vary, but typically include skills related to self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. For example, students might learn how to identify and regulate their emotions, understand and respect different perspectives, and communicate effectively with others.

Research has shown that SEL can have a positive impact on student outcomes, including improved academic performance, better social relationships, and increased resilience and well-being. By supporting the development of social and emotional competencies, schools can help students to be more successful in all aspects of their lives, including academic achievement, career readiness, and personal fulfillment.

Why does this matter?

In 2010, District 220 implemented a 10-year strategic plan called Vision 2020, which indicated SEL as a priority.  The death of five students to suicide over a three year period (2007-2010) was influential in this decision.  

Since then, Social Emotional Learning has continued to be a priority for District 220,  including Educational Equity, which is an ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) strategic priority.

Yes.

The 2019 Illinois Report Card shows the most current achievement data for Illinois schools. 

This latest report card demonstrated that Illinois’ achievement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress remained flat from 2009 to 2019. 

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) 2020-2023 strategic plan addresses the “staggering achievement gaps” via an emphasis on Educational Equity as a lens/lever to close the gaps.

As stated in ISBE's 2020-2023 Strategic Plan, "Strategies and Related Success Measures" will include:

2.1.1 Support schools to address the social and emotional needs of students, educators, and staff impacted by COVID-19 by providing them with high-quality professional development.

2.1.2 Support district implementation of policy and guidance to promote students’ safety and wellbeing, including non-discrimination and inclusion.

2.1.3 Adopt culturally responsive teaching and leading standards for educator preparation programs.

2.1.4 Support implicit bias training through professional development in schools and classrooms.

2.1.5 Embed the history and accomplishments of historically underrepresented groups (e.g., Latino/a, African-American, LGBTQ) in the Illinois Social Science Learning Standards.

Read the entire ISBE strategic plan here.

The state has provided the Equity Journey Continuum, an informational tool for districts to track their progress. Through the lens of equity, the tool analyzes a continuum of district-level data points to make that data more useful for improving outcomes for all students.

How District 220 currently scores on the Equity Journey Continuum:

Why does this matter?

The state has identified that District 220 has small gaps in each of the three goal areas. Within its strategic plan, Framework 220, District 220 has indicated plans to continue prioritizing Educational Equity efforts. Learn more about how Framework 220 addresses Educational Equity