Highline Public Schools is deeply engaged in work around equity, race and identity to better foster and support an environment in which our students, families, and staff grow, thrive, and succeed. This work, and the language used to describe it, is rapidly evolving. This procedure will be reviewed at least annually to reflect current practices and language.

Instruction on race and identity ensures students learn about how race and other elements of identity function in society. From grades K through12, students learn key ideas from a variety of perspectives to understand the why and how race and identity play a role in shaping our society. At the same time, students learn about how they can actively respond to and shape the evolving role of race and identity. This instruction is anti-racist in nature and engages family and community in its development and implementation.

Objective: Highline Public Schools is committed to working directly with students on topics of race and identity. This includes engaging with families to identify tools and metrics that are culturally relevant to teach this content. To do this we will:

• Use the Social Justice Standards created by Learning for Justice in this work. These standards provide a clear and well-designed trajectory to engage students in learning about race and identity, among other critical components. The standards are broad enough to respond to evolving political and social situations, yet specific enough to support well-sequenced instruction. This strong set of standards aligns with Highline’s approach to standards-based instruction by providing clarity to students and support to guide tachers and other staff who regularly interact with students.
• Provide teachers with guidance and exemplars on teaching about race and identity.
• Incorporate instruction on race and identity throughout instructional guidance.
• Facilitate opportunities to provide feedback on instruction on race and identity.

Accountability: At least annually, the Superintendent will issue a report updating each area of work, including progress made and areas for improvement, as well as areas that will be changing for the upcoming year. The report should include both qualitative and quantitative data and may result in recommendations to change policies, procedures, or practices throughout the district.

Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Board: November 2019

Revised by the Board:  August 2023