WHPS has established a PreK- 12 Vision for the Graduate in which the aspirations that we hold for our children in school, in the community and in adult life require that we ensure equal opportunities for success. Educational Equity s a fundamental right that all students deserve and all families should expect.

When we create and sustain equitable schools in operations, programs, practice and policies, we can improve outcomes in academic achievement, social-emotional wellbeing, school engagement and connectedness, college and career readiness and much more as youth and adults.

What equity in education looks like in transparent and accountable policy and practice:

• Fair and Optimized Resource Allocation and Distribution
• Culturally Responsive and High Quality Curricula and Pedagogy
• Diverse Educator Recruitment, Support and Retention
• Positive School Culture, Climate and Identity-Affirming Learning Environments
• Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement (culturally responsive, anti-bias, anti-racist, equitable educator and leadership skills and dispositions)

The WHPS Educational Equity Policy intends to serve and support the wellbeing and successful school, community and postsecondary life outcomes for all students regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, special needs, sexual orientation, socio-economic status and religious faith.

WHO WE ARE

Our student population and community culture are changing and so must we.

• WHPS serves almost 9500 PreK-12+ students.
• Our students enrich our district with over 70 home languages spoken.
• About 16% of our students receive special education services and 6% receive English Language Learner supports and services.
• Just over 26% of our students are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Parents/caregivers managing a family of four with a salary of $34,000 or less qualifies for free or reduced lunch.
• Our family households are beautifully diverse in composition: two parents/caregivers, single parents/caregivers, blended families, same sex, interracial, multi-generational households.
• Enrollment by race indicate that students of color make up 43% of our population which reflects our growing racial diversity over the past decade.

Again, our demographics and culture are changing and so must we.

WHPS acknowledges in our Commitment to Equity and Ant-Racism Statement, as Equity Policy recognizes, that for far too long, achievement and opportunity disparities in and among groups of students have persisted with predictability under both status quo and well-intentioned efforts. Disproportionality in representation of students, families and educators in many areas of district educational programs and opportunities signal the need for a deeper commitment and set of actions for equity, accountability and development of our cultural humility.

Research affirms the assertion of Great Schools Partnership that educational equity benefits everyone because it:

• Improves our communities
• Challenges the imbalance of power and privilege.
• Strengthens the economy

• Submit comments via the Electronic Public Comment Collection Form. All submissions are anonymous unless you disclose your identity.

• Submit your comments to the Board of Education to boardmembers@whps.org