COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN 20042005 through 20062007

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COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN2004-2005
through 2006-2007  

• FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS
• FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS IN
  DEVELOPING
• A COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN TO PROVIDE EQUALITY
  AND EQUITY IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Due Date May 5, 2004
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HISTORY EQUITY CODE

• Equity Code in existence since 1972 with no
  sunset date i.e., could go on forever!
• Process began to develop a new equity code, which
  was adopted by the State Board in May 2003 with
  sunset date of 2008.
• New Code N.J.A.C. 6A7 Managing for Equality
  and Equity in Education

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• A. Purpose of 6A7
•   Assigns responsibility to school boards to
• identify and correct all discriminatory and
  inequitable policies, programs, practices and
  conditions within or affecting the public schools
  
•  

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• HOW?????
• District needs are identified through self
  assessment and
• The development of a Comprehensive Equity Plan
  (CEP), covering the school years 2004 2007

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The plan will enable districts to comply with the
following laws, codes, and regulations
Federal Laws 1) Titles VI and VII of the Civil
Rights Act, 1964 2) Title IX of the Education
Amendments, 1972 3) Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act, 1973 4) The Americans with
Disabilities Act, 1990 5) Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) of 1997
6) Equal Pay Act of 1973
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• State Laws
• Article I, Paragraph 5 of the NJ State
  Constitution
• N.J.S.A.18A36-20, Equality in Educational
  Programs, Prohibition of Discrimination
• 3) N.J.S.A.105 NJ Law Against Discrimination
• 4) NJ Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) 6A7
•  5) N.J.S.A.18A35-1, History of the United
  States
•  

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B. Submission Requirements  Districts/charter
schools must submit one original to your County
Office of Education and one (1) copy to the
Office of Specialized Populations in Trenton
 The deadline for submission is May 5, 2004.
Implementation of the Comprehensive Equity Plan
begins in all districts/charters on July 1, 2004.

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Questions and Technical Assistance Call
individuals in your region  Northern Region Dr.
Patricia Mitchell Phone [phone] Dr.
Ursula Cargill Phone [phone] Dr.
Geraldine OConnor Phone [phone]
(Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex
and Warren Counties) Central Region Dr. Beverly
Hetrick Phone [phone] Ms. LaCoyya
Weathington Phone [phone] Mr.
Anthony Bland Phone [phone] (Hunterdon,
Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset and Union
Counties)  Southern Region Dr. Christopher
Campisano Phone [phone] Ms. Marsanne
Reid Phone [phone] Dr. Jennifer
Beaumont Phone [phone] (Atlantic,
Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland,
Gloucester, Ocean and Salem Counties)
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•  Step 1 Formation of the Affirmation Action
  Team
• Each district/charter school board shall
• annually designate a member of its staff as the
  affirmative action officer (AAO)
• form an affirmative action team (AAT), of which
  the AAO is a member
• conduct a needs assessment and to develop the
  Comprehensive Equity Plan

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Step 2 Conduct Needs Assessment Appendix A
The District Needs Assessment Checklist MUST be
completed. This document is a checklist to help
the AAO and the AAT identify problem areas. It
must be submitted as part of the documentation
that accompanies the Comprehensive Equity Plan.

The checklist document contains four sections
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• Board Responsibility -- Types of policies and
  resolutions that the Board must adopt, create or
  revise to comply with applicable law, and to
  include adequate yearly progress targets for
  closing the achievement gap as specified in NCLB.
  
• II. Staff Development -- Training on equity
  matters that is required annually for all staff,
  certificated and non-certificated.

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•  III. School and Classroom Practices -- Equity
  requirements for four categories curriculum,
  student access, guidance, and physical
  education/athletics.
• IV. Employment/Contract Practices -- Outlines the
  basic practices to comply with equity
  requirements.

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• The AAT should
• Determine whether the district is in compliance
  with each requirement in the checklist (Appendix
  A)
• 2. Cite documentation to support compliance
• Ensure that there are internal monitoring
  procedures in place to certify compliance.
• Refer to sources of legal authority and become
  acquainted with the mandates they contain.
• See www.nj.state.us/education
• Go to Equity in drop down menu
•  

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• Step 3. After completing the needs assessment,
  identify
• 1. Items needing correction
• 2. Items requiring a monitoring procedure
• or system

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Step 4 Developing the CEP Design
improvement strategies for the next three years,
which include an ongoing staff development
program of activities.
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• Forms specific to each assessment area are
  provided in Appendix B and include
•   Staff Development (one form)
•   School and Classroom Practices (four
  forms)
• Employment and Contract Practices (one form)

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• ON EACH FORM IN APPENDIX B
• LIST NON COMPLIANT AREAS
• DEVELOP IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES
• ASSIGN STAFF RESPONSIBLE for implementing
  proposed strategies/activities
• PLAN THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
• IDENTIFY INDICATORS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

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MAKE ADDITIONAL COPIES OF EACH FORM AS
NEEDED
More . . .
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• Step 5 Complete the Statement of Assurances and
  Obtain the Required Signatures
•  Step 6 Obtain the required Board Resolutions
• 1. Resolution appointing the AAO
• 2. Resolution authorizing the AAT to conduct
  the needs assessment and develop a CEP
• Resolution authorizing the submission of the
  proposed Comprehensive Equity Plan.

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• STEP 7 ASSEMBLE SUBMISSION PACKAGE
• 1. Statement of Assurances
• 2. Resolution appointing the AAO
• 3. Resolution authorizing the AAT to conduct the
  needs assessment and develop a CEP
• 4. Resolution authorizing the submission of the
  proposed CEP
• 5. List of the AAT members
• 6. District Needs Assessment Checklist (Appendix
  A)
• 7. CEP forms (Appendix B)

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STEP 8 (WHEW!!!)

• SUBMIT THE ORIGINAL TO YOUR COUNTY OFFICE OF
  EDUCATION AND MAIL ONE COPY TO THE NJDOE OFFICE
  OF SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS IN TRENTON.
• DUE BY MAY 5, 2004

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• CEP ACCOUNTABILITY
• Each district will report its progress in meeting
  targets for all equity goals in the Quality
  Assurance Annual Report,
• A sampling of districts will be reviewed on an
  annual basis for compliance of the CEP.

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• CEP SANCTIONS
• N.J.A.C. 6A7-1.9(f), If the district board of
  education does not implement the CEP within 180
  days of the approval date, or fails to report its
  progress annually in the QAAR, sanctions deemed
  to be appropriate by the Commissioner of
  Education . . . . shall be imposed and may
  include action to suspend, terminate or refuse to
  award federal or state financial
  assistancepursuant to N.J.S.A 18A55-2.

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APPENDIX A

• CEP
• ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

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DISTRICT/CHARTER SCHOOL NEEDS ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

• Use the checklist to determine your areas of
  need.
• Indicate compliance (v)
• Non compliance (v)
• Areas identified as non compliant MUST be
  addressed in the CEP
• Provide the documentation or evidence used to
  substantiate compliance

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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• It is important to involve the internal and
  external community throughout the CEP process.
• Suggestions for informing the community are in
  your packet.
• Be sure to publicize your CEP Plan after it is
  approved.

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• APPENDIX B
• Comprehensive
• Equity Plan
• FORMS

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COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN, Academic Years
2004-2007
DISTRICT___________________
STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OBJECTIVE
Describe the plan to be implemented for Academic
Years 2004-2007 to provide in-service training
for school personnel on a continuing basis to
identify and resolve problems with the student
achievement gap and other iniquities arising from
prejudice on the basis of race, creed, color,
national origin , ancestry, age, marital status,
affectional or sexual orientation, gender,
religion, disability or socioeconomic
status. STAFF DEVELOPMENT IS ONGOING (see above)
(List by corresponding section/subsection from
the district/charter school needs assessment
checklist and use more than one page as needed.)
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COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN, Academic Years
2004-2007
DISTRICT____________________ SCHOOL
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN
CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE Describe the plan to be
implemented for Academic Years 2004-2007 for
developing and/or revising curriculum to
eliminate discrimination, add multicultural
content, and promote understanding and mutual
respect among all students. NON COMPLIANT AREAS
(List by corresponding section/subsection from
the district/charter school needs assessment
checklist and use more than one page as needed.)
III. A. 1) a, g, h 2), 3), 4)
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COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN, Academic Years
2004-2007
DISTRICT____________________
SCHOOL CLASSROOM PRACTICES

EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN STUDENT ACCESS OBJECTIVE
Describe the plan to be implemented for Academic
Years 2004-2007 to provide equal and bias-free
access for all students to all school facilities,
courses, programs, activities and services,
regardless of race, national origin, sexual
orientation, gender, religion, English
proficiency, socio-economic status or
disability. NON COMPLIANT AREAS (List by
corresponding section/subsection from the
district/charter school needs assessment
checklist and use more than one page as needed.)
II. B. 4.
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COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN, Academic Years
2004-2007
DISTRICT____________________
SCHOOL CLASSROOM PRACTICES
EQUALITY EQUITY IN GUIDANCE
PROGRAM SERVICES OBJECTIVE Describe the plan to
be implemented for Academic Years 2004-2007 to
provide equitable treatment, adequate and
appropriate counseling services for ALL students,
including females, minority students, limited
English-proficient students, non-college bound
students and students with disabilities ,and to
ensure exposure and counseling services focused
on careers in the science and technology
industries, non-traditional career options and
pot-secondary opportunities for minority and
female students. NON COMPLIANT AREAS (List by
corresponding section/subsection from the
district/charter school needs assessment
checklist and use more than one page as needed.)
II. C. 1

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COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN, Academic Years
2004-2007
DISTRICT____________________
SCHOOL CLASSROOM
PRACTICES EQUITY IN
PHYSICAL EDUCATION ATHLETIC PROGRAMS OBJECTIVE
Describe the plan to be implemented for Academic
Years 2004-2007 to ensure that there is gender
equity in all physical education and athletic
programs, and to ensure equitable opportunities
for all students to participate in athletics
regardless of race, national origin, gender
sexual orientation, religion, English
proficiency, socio-economic status or
disability. NON COMPLIANT AREAS (List by
corresponding section/subsection from the
district/charter school needs assessment
checklist and use more than one page as needed.)
II. E. 3),4),5)
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COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN, Academic Years
2004-2007
DISTRICT________________
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
PRACTICES OBJECTIVE Describe the plan to be
implemented for Academic Years 2004-2007 to
ensure equitable practices in employment at all
levels of responsibility, an to avoid engaging in
business with firms that discriminate on the
basis of race, national origin, sexual
orientation, gender, religion, English
proficiency, socio-economic status, or
disability. NON COMPLIANT AREAS (List by
corresponding section/subsection from the
district/charter school needs assessment
checklist and use more than one page as needed.)
IV. A 1)