VHS Racial Equity Report Report created by the Iowa State University team: Jason Salisbury, Ph.D. Manali Sheth, Ph.D. Daniel Spikes, Ph.D. Katy Swalwell, Ph.D.

Process • Met with the leadership team throughout the fall semester • Requested data to complete an “equity audit” • Analyzed data that were released • Recruited participants for focus groups and interviews during the spring semester • Hosted focus groups for parents and students • Conducted interviews of staff and school leaders

Part II: Quantitative Findings • General Demographic Data • Students with Special Needs • “At Risk”, Discipline, and Attendance Data • Students Labeled as “Gifted” • Achievement and School Performance Data • Other Data

Disaggregation

The proportion of the category, which should be the same as the proportion of the school as a whole The proportion of the school population as a whole

Disaggregation

Disproportionally high

Disproportionally low

Disaggregation Whenever there is a discrepancy, that should raise a red flag for further investigation. Disproportionally high even without disaggregating further

Racial inequities exist, and there are school-based explanations for them.

Research-Based Explanations According to decades of research documenting these trends nationwide, these gaps are due to: • Staff’s implicit and explicit biases • Curriculum that is not relevant, accurate, or inclusive • Discriminatory policies and practices • Traditions and routines that privilege White students and families These disadvantages accumulate over years of schooling and culminate in high school.

What Research Does NOT Say According to decades of research documenting these trends nationwide, these gaps are NOT attributable to: • Other identity factors Social class (and gender) absolutely can and do compound the negative effects, but are not explanations for them. • Student or parent apathy While they may have different access to and experience with schools, research shows that the parents and students of color care just as much about their education as White families.

Part III: Qualitative Findings Majority of Participating White Students/Staff Fearful/Uncomfortable/Unprepared to Discuss Race and Racism Confusion About Key Concepts Unaware of Inequities/Incidents Inconsistent Interpretation of Messaging Support Reputation of Excellence Advise Students of Color to Take Advantage of Opportunities to Reduce Inequities

“There seems to be so much charge to the discussion that I think people are hesitant to talk about things openly and tell how they feel … and so people are trying to say what they think is politically correct or appropriate because they want to make sure they don’t say the wrong thing and be labeled or be identified the wrong way. … We [adults] have got our red flags up or our chips on our shoulder.”   —White staff

Confusion About Key Concepts • Outdated terminology • Essentializing/Stereotyping • Belief that equity and excellence are incompatible • Belief that race/racism are not relevant to the curriculum

• Shifting focus away from race • Privileging freedom of expression over anti-racism

“I’m positive there is no problem here.” —White staff

“I hope there’s not a feeling of disrespect. I truly hope that.” —White staff

“I don’t really see racism that much on a day-to-day basis.” —White student

Confusion About Key Concepts • Show everyone kindness and respect • Uncertain about messages • Race is not the most important issue at the school • More ghettoes and problems so we need to be cautious • We should celebrate differences • If a kid has a problem with racism, they should tell an adult • We should excuse behavior of students of color / let things slide

“Valley is one of the very top schools in the state and the nation, and their expectations are high. I was attracted to that—to be pushed, to be challenged, to be the very best teacher and person I could be. The reputation of the school is incredible and I wanted to be part of that very successful learning community.” —White staff

“Anybody coming into a new environment has to get acclimated to that environment that’s been established for many, many years.” —White staff “If they’re open, they will learn to adjust and that’s what this whole process is about.” —White staff

Part III: Qualitative Findings Majority of Participating White Students/Staff

Majority of Participating Students of Color and Minority of Participating White Students/Staff

Fearful/Uncomfortable/Unprepared to Discuss Race and Racism

Frank and Open Conversations

Confusion About Key Concepts

Clear and Cohesive Understandings

Unaware of Inequities/Incidents

Aware of Many Inequities/Incidents

Inconsistent Interpretation of Messaging

Critical of “Kindness and Respect” Messaging

Support Reputation of Excellence

Want Excellence and Equity/Inclusion; See Reputation As Potential Barrier to Change

Advise Students of Color to Take Advantage of Opportunities to Reduce Inequities

Advise Shift in Policies and Practices to Reduce Inequities

“I have been noticing everyone just trying to careful with their words. Why are they acting like that? … Don’t be afraid to talk about it. And the principal or the teacher should be able to teach students this is wrong… that they shouldn’t be like that. If the school is scared or if they don’t want to talk about it, we’re not going to know what is right and what is wrong.” – Student of Color

“We don’t talk about modern racism, we just discuss it in the past tense, so it’s easy for students to distance themselves from it.” —White student “Don’t skirt around it because it’s going to offend somebody or it’s going to make somebody upset because … it’s going to make people upset. It’s going to bring up these really heavy emotions so don’t necessarily try and make it seem a lot lighter and a lot more non-existent than it really is.” —White student

Types of Incidents • Mispronunciation of Names • Racist Remarks • Insensitive Questions About Racial/Ethnic Identity • Stereotyping • Tokenization • Avoidance by White Students • Racially Segregated Tracking

“[A staff person] was talking about kindness or respect and I remember I was getting really pissed off that he said that … because I really felt that he should have done more than just say all those things.” – Student of Color

“Just imagine being in my shoes every day, trying to prove yourself, having people look at you different, question your intelligence and your ability of doing things, of your education and how you talk. … [I]n this school, I’m not happy. I am happy to go to this school—it gives me some experiences that other schools don’t have, but, at the same time, I look at things differently. People don’t understand and they don’t know.” – Student of Color

“There are a lot of great things about our tradition. … But then I think also our tradition of being high academic… We’re a very rigid building … where our teaching practice lends itself to White, college-bound students. … Our minority students… are having most success in the classes with the most innovative teaching practices. Probably our White college-bound kids are probably having better experiences, too. It’s just hard to get buy-in for that.” —White staff

“I think what bothered everyone about the whole incident was the fact that, right after it happened, [there was a focus on] how we made Valley look bad. Really? You’re just worried about how the school looks? Not about how to fix the problem inside of it?” —Student of Color

Survival Strategies • Self-Silencing • Skipping • Assimilating • Hiding Ethnic Identity

• Self-Segregating

“I don’t want to say anything. … Everybody will start to judge me, so I … [p]refer just to be quiet. … I should just be quiet and wait until someone will have a question and, hopefully, that question will be my question.” – Student of Color

“I feel like I’m more comfortable in my elective[s]. … The students and the teachers [aren’t] used to teaching minorities [in AP]. … I feel not comfortable … even though I’m on the same page as them academically.” – Student of Color

“I didn’t feel comfortable in class. … They weren’t really welcoming. That’s dumb, because you’re going to the classroom to learn but I just felt like—if I’m going to class, I want to feel comfortable because I ask questions that I want to ask. When I was in that class, I didn’t really feel like I could do that, so I would just skip … just because I was uncomfortable.” – Student of Color

“My friend is from Iraq. He doesn’t say he’s from Iraq just so people won’t say stuff to him.” – Student of Color I'm going to keep my mouth closed and not say anything to anybody except my friends so that there's no problems.” – Student of Color

“There comes a point where you just get tired and you just give up.” —Student of Color

Students of color report a differential and difficult experience.

“Deep racial disparities exist at the school, which helps to create a school-sanctioned inequitable environment that can be toxic and harmful to students of color. In other words, institutionalized and interpersonal racism exist at Valley that create very different experiences and outcomes for students of color and White students.” (p.2)

Consensus & Assets To varying degrees, all participants expressed the following ideas: • Valley’s increasing racial and ethnic diversity is a strength. • More focused and effective professional development and attention to these issues that is sustained over time could be very helpful. • More time for relationship-building is vital as these connections are the most-cited example of what has helped to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that is attentive to the needs and capabilities of all students.

What next?

“The bigger issue of race never gets dealt with because all Valley wants to do is just talk about it. …But nothing ever gets done about it. Nothing physical or tangible ever gets solved.” —White student “This is what I was worried about ... that we were going to do this study … but they don't ever actually do anything about what you guys found. They'll just sit there and be like, ‘We're trying to fix it, so we had people come in.’” —Student of Color

Part IV: Recommendations • Select an equity framework that helps to inform all decision-making • Create a school-based “equity team” to monitor progress and design future interventions • Offer sustained and focused professional development for all staff led by experienced external facilitators about these issues and how they translate into school policies and practices • Recruit and hire more staff of color and more staff whose teaching philosophy and experiences align with the school’s equity framework