School Diversity Advisory Group Recommendations

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Goals, Metrics and Accountability

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
In the short-term, DOE's goals for diversity at the elementary and middle schools should be based on district demographics, and goals for diversity at high schools should be based on borough demographics.
In addition to the goals set by the DOE in its 2017 report, which will be amended based on SDAG recommendations, goals for diversity should be developed by school, district, and community leaders based on the racial, economic, Multilingual Learner (MLL), and Students with Disabilities (SWD) percentages of their community. 		Short-term and Medium-term: Elementary and middle schools should be measured against their district’s racial, economic, Multilingual Learner (MLL), and Students with Disabilities (SWD) percentages. Upon hitting these targets, individual schools should work towards reaching their borough percentages in the mid-term.
Adopted as proposed.Long-term: DOE should aim for all schools to look more like the city. This will encourage the DOE to challenge the neighborhood segregation that exists and support schools in further diversifying their populations
In 2017, the DOE set a goal to increase the number of students in a racially representative school. Based on the SDAG’s recommendation, the DOE will expand its definition of representative to include a broad range of racial groups. Racial representation (as defined within the DOE's diversity goals) should consider all races. Previously defined DOE goals focused on percent of Black/Latino students at a school combined.
School- and district-level goals for socioeconomic integration should be based upon research. Public diversity goals for socioeconomic integration should incorporate research-backed information about the ideal target for socioeconomic diversity
In 2017, the DOE set a goal to increase the number of inclusive schools that serve Emergent Multilingual Learners (MLLs) and Students with Disabilities (SWDs). All schools should serve MLLs and SWDs; based on the SDAG’s recommendations, the DOE encourages communities, schools, and districts to strive to enroll MLLs and SWDs in proportions close to district averages. MLL and SWD targets should be narrowed (i.e., the goal should be for all schools to have a percentage of MLL/SWD students closer to their district average than what DOE has previously defined as the goal)
For schools in economically stratified communities, we should consider other factors beyond poverty to ensure that schools are serving representative populations of students. Adjust goals for schools located in areas with concentrated vulnerability (i.e., for a school in a high poverty district, goals related to socioeconomic diversity will need to be framed differently than in a district with mixed income families)
Adopted as proposed.Track and publish a single set of metrics related to diversity in an annual report.
NOT ADOPTING Create the position of "Chief Integration Officer"
Goals should be developed by communities and districts, and we will support mechanisms for students, parents, and others to reinforce these goals and ensure transparency and progress at the district/community level.Create mechanisms for students to hold the system accountable to the diversity goals
Adopted as proposed.Add metrics to the School Quality Report related to diversity and integration
Adopted as proposed.Consider incentives to secure charter school commitments to diversity and integration goals

Race, Diversity and Enrollment

General

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
Strongly support and encourage the nine districts with sufficient demographic diversity of population to develop diversity and integration plans (Districts 1, 2, 3, 13, 15, 22, 27, 28, 31). Require all nine districts with sufficient demographic diversity of population to develop diversity and integration plans (Districts 1, 2, 3, 13, 15, 22, 27, 28, 31).
DOE will strongly support and encourage districts to examine different admissions policies and programs as they explore potential changes. The specific programs and policies under consideration may vary by district. Require that districts analyze controlled choice, screens, gifted and talented and other admissions policies and programs in terms of improving or perpetuating schools that are isolated based on race or other factors. (i.e., consider unintended consequences of any new enrollment policy)
Adopted as proposed.All admissions fairs and events should be held in fully accessible buildings.

Accessibility and Integration of Students with Disabilities

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
Adopted as proposed.All admissions fairs and events should be held in fully accessible buildings.
Adopted as proposed.School staff should be trained to welcome and accommodate students and family members with disabilities as well as immigrant families, and students and families who need interpreters on tours and school visits, as well as at school fairs
Adopted as proposed.All Family Welcome Center staff should be trained to support students with disabilities and should be prepared to help students consider all school options within their community
As the City moves more of its admissions processes online, we have aligned materials to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. As the City moves more of its admissions processes online, all applications should utilize the Universal Design for Learning Framework for presenting information and increasing accessibility.

School Diversity Grant Program

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
CONTINUING TO REVIEW Make resources available for any district to receive support for planning diversity, if the DOE receives more applications than the $2 million can support.
Adopted as proposed.Permit districts to apply jointly for school diversity planning funds
CONTINUING TO REVIEW Consider a separate pot of funds for districts that have not yet begun conversations about integration
Adopted as proposed.Consult the SDAG on the roll-out of the school diversity grant program

Resources

System-wide Recommendations

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
Adopted as proposed.Support efforts in Albany to collect all Campaign for Fiscal Equity funding owed to the City’s schools.
Launch a Task Force to examine PA and PTA capacity – including with resources/fundraising and structure/organizing– to make recommendations to increase capacity for PTAs overallLaunch a Task Force to recommend equitable PTA fundraising strategies
Adopted as proposed.Examine Title 1 and its relationship to integration
Adopted as proposed.Gather information from schools to determine what resources and changes in policies they feel they need to create greater diversity in their communities
CONTINUING TO REVIEW Develop and invest in accelerated enrichment programs in elementary schools
Invest in programming that would create intentionally diverse communities at all City schools. Invest in programming that intentionally creates diverse populations.
Adopted as proposed.Invest in programs and offerings that will attract more diverse families to schools they might not have considered before.
Adopted as proposed.Invest in program offerings to ensure high poverty schools have the same curricular, extra-curricular and after school opportunities as schools in more affluent communities.
Adopted as proposed.Invest in college and career prep resources.
Invest in growing and strengthening high-performing schools in communities with historic underinvestment Invest in growing and strengthening high-performing schools outside Manhattan

Student Empowerment

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
Adopted as proposed.Every school should have the resources for a high-quality student council
Adopted as proposed.Borough Student Advisory Councils should be expanded to include seats for student council representatives from every high school
Adopted as proposed.A General Assembly should be created with representatives from every high school to develop a citywide student agenda and vote on key issues
Adopted as proposed.The Chancellor’s Student Advisory Committee should be transformed into a leadership body that utilizes youth-adult committees to promote authentic partnership
Create a Student Leadership Team, comprised of one student from each BSAC to meet regularly (i.e., quarterly) with the Chancellor Create a Student Leadership Team, comprised of one student from each BSAC to meet monthly with the Chancellor
Adopted as proposed.Create a new leadership position within the central DOE office to focus on student voice
Adopted as proposed.Create a standing committee on high school admissions to advise the Chancellor in decision-making

Pedagogy & Curriculum

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
Adopted as proposed.Provide culturally responsive pedagogical practices at all schools and for all students.
Adopted as proposed.
Adopt a common definition of Culturally Relevant Education (CRE) that will inform and shape work across the DOE
Adopted as proposed.Create partnerships with institutions of higher education to ensure CRE is an essential component of all pre-service teacher training efforts.
Adopted as proposed.Collaborate with the New York State Education Department and Alternative Certification Programs (i.e. NYCTF/Americorps/Teach for America/NYC Men Teach) to utilize CRE principles as part of teaching certification.
Adopted as proposed.Work with NYSED, under the state’s ESSA plan, to secure additional funding to train and support teachers and staff in culturally responsive instruction.
Develop and implement ethnic and culturally responsive courses that include religious literacy and disability studies, and support teachers to embed culturally responsive material in existing courses. Implement ethnic and culturally responsive courses for all students that include religious literacy and disability studies.
Adopted as proposed.Utilize trauma-informed research to guide the development and implementation of curricula
Adopted as proposed.Seek partnerships with qualified vendors who supply Culturally Responsive instructional materials, training, and resources

School Climate

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation
Adopted as proposed.Assess the roles and responsibilities of School Safety Agents in school communities.
NOT ADOPTING Analyze the benefits and drawbacks of moving School Safety Agents to DOE supervision from NYPD supervision.
Adopted as proposed.Train School Safety Agents, and Family Welcome Center, DOE central- field- and school-based staff in CRE.
Adopted as proposed.Bolster school-based equity teams and ensure they include parent and student reps to advance welcoming school climates.
Require all schools to monitor student discipline practices and develop a plan to reduce any disparities in how students are disciplined. Require all schools to monitor student discipline practices and develop a plan to reduce any disparities in how students are disciplined.
Adopted as proposed.Expand community schools initiative and other models that connect schools to community based organizations.
Adopted as proposed.Include metrics for accountability related to school climate directly on Quality Review/School-wide Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP) Goals.

Parent & Teacher Empowerment

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation Language
Adopted as proposed.Utilize varied outreach efforts to meaningfully engage parents in school decision-making processes with the goal of including families that have not participated in prior activities. These may include altering the time, location, setting, or language of the gathering to reflect family needs.
Increase availability of information in most common languages other than English about changes to admissions policies and procedures.Ensure families are meaningfully engaged in decisions about changes to admissions policies and procedures in their native language.
Increase access to tools related to application and enrollment for families without internet access or a computer at home.  Ensure families without internet access or a computer at home are able to utilize all tools related to application and enrollment.
Adopted as proposed.Consider cultural relevance or acceptance of new tools for families and students (e.g., online application and enrollment) before release and establish supports for families who will likely not utilize new tools
Increase translation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and provision of interpretation and translation support for IEP-related meetings. Ensure that Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are translated and provide interpretation and translation support for IEP-related meetings.
Adopted as proposed.Support current efforts to share best practices between teachers, administrators and parents on CRE, school climate, and parent empowerment.
Create opportunities for all educators, including coaches and school-based mentors, to share best practice across schools, especially as it relates to culturally responsive education. Collaborate with the Division of Teaching and Learning alongside the UFT so that School Based Mentors, Teacher Leaders, Chapter Leaders/Delegates, and Instructional Coaches can participate in the sharing of best practices citywide.

Restorative Justice and Practices

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation Language
DOE continues to work through recommendations from the Mayor’s Leadership Team on School Climate and Discipline and will share an update on the recommendations implemented to date. In 2015, the Mayor, in partnership with the DOE, the Police Department, and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, convened the Mayor’s Leadership Team on School Climate and Discipline. This working group ultimately made a set of recommendations, which are included in this report at a summary level. The SDAG endorses these recommendations and calls upon the DOE and its partner agencies to provide an update on the implementation of these recommendations.

Representation

Adopted Recommendation Original Recommendation Language
To the extent that DOE is able to collect this information in a valid and reliable manner, report on the diversity of school-based staff by position at the district- and city-level, and at the school level where appropriate (considering sufficient numbers). Report diversity of staff by position (e.g., teacher, administrator, para, other staff) as part of the school quality report.
Study the impact of current initiatives to recruit diverse staff (i.e., NYC Men Teach) and make targeted investments to expand diversity in staff across the City. Study the impact of current initiatives to advance staff diversity and make targeted investments to expand diversity in staff across the City.
To the extent that DOE is able to collect this information in a valid and reliable manner, report annually on the diversity of the DOE’s workforce.
DOE OEO already does regular reporting on diversity and inclusion pursuant to 2590-h. Learn more here. 		Monitor diversity of workforce, to the extent possible, based on race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Adopted as proposed.Explore career pipeline opportunities for parent coordinators within the school system.
Adopted as proposed.Explore opportunities to build an educator career pipeline for high school students.
Adopted as proposed.Launch a task force to investigate the current state of the DOE’s workforce in greater detail and make recommendations about best practices learned from existing efforts. This task force should also look at examples of success from other school districts and sectors.