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Highline Public Schools
15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW Burien, WA 98166

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Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Highline Public Schools
15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW Burien, WA 98166

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Equity

We will disrupt institutional biases and end inequitable practices so all students have an equal chance at success.

We are deeply engaged in work around equity, race and identity to better foster and support an environment in which our students, families and staff grow and thrive. We strive to be an anti-racist organization focused on eliminating racism, institutional bias, and racial and other identity inequities. Our work is focused in four main areas.

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Institutional Practices

Our equity policy guides our work. We use an Equity Lens in our decision-making processes to reduce inequities, including disproportionality in student outcomes.

 

Adult Learning on Race & Identity

We support the adults who work with and surround our students— employees, parents, community members—as they learn more about equity, including race and identity.

 

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Culturally Responsive Practices

We engage our families and community to identify culturally responsive practices. We work with staff to use these practices in their interactions with each other, students, families and the community.

 

Instruction on Race & Identity

We are committed to working directly with students on topics of race and identity. We engage families to identify tools and metrics that are culturally relevant to teach this content.

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Equity Lens

How do we make sure we are practicing equity? One way is to use our Equity Lens in making decisions. You'll find the Equity Lens in procedure 0010 P2. It is a series of questions to help us consider impacts on historically marginalized groups and communities. It gives us a common vocabulary and protocol for developing and evaluating policies, programs, practices, and decisions.

The Equity Lens might look different at the school, department and district levels. It should be considered in decisions such as staffing; budgeting; initiating, developing, or ending programs or procedures/processes; developing design specifications; allocating resources and opportunities; and purchasing or implementing instructional materials. 

Equity Lens Questions 

  1. Who are the groups affected by this policy, program, practice or decision?  What are the potential impacts on these groups?  
  2. Does this policy, program, practice or decision have unintended consequences, such as ignoring or worsening existing disparities?
  3. How have we intentionally involved stakeholders who are also members of the communities impacted by this policy, program, practice or decision?  Can the stakeholders validate your assessments in questions 1 and 2?
  4. What are the barriers to a more equitable implementation of your policy, program, practice or decision?  (Consider mandates, politics, emotions, finances, or programs.)
  5. How will you mitigate any negative impacts and address any barriers that you have identified?

Below is a pdf that staff can print for conference rooms or offices.

Equity Lens Print PDF in 18x24 or 8.5x11

Video Shorts

Understanding White Supremacy

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Living Our Equity Policy

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Recent Conversations About Race

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School System Perpetuating Racism

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