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BMOC Presentation by Junious Williams
The document outlines the Urban Strategies Council's initiatives focused on improving educational and social outcomes for African American males and boys of color in California, particularly Oakland. It highlights economic benefits linked to higher graduation rates, estimating significant financial returns both for individuals and taxpayers. The document also presents various strategies, partnerships, and action plans aimed at addressing disparities and fostering equity in education and community involvement.
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BMOC Presentation by Junious Williams
- 1. URBAN STRATEGIES COUNCIL African American Male Achievement & Boys and Men of Color Initiatives Prepared by: Junious Williams Rebecca Brown Alicia Olivarez Sarah Marxer 1 www.urbanstrategies.org
- 2. Urban Strategies CouncilMission Work with partners to eliminate persistent poverty by building vibrant, healthy communities. 2
- 3. Urban Strategies Council… isa social impact organization using tools of research, policy, collaboration, innovation and advocacy to achieve equity and social justice. 3
- 4. Why Focus onAfrican American Male Achievement & Boys and Men of Color? 4
- 5. Alameda County PopulationProjections by Race/Ethnicity: 2000-2050 100% 7% 11% 9% 8% 15% 13% 90% 80% 21% 25% 28% 31% 33% 35% 70% 60% Black 20% 25% Asian 50% 29% 33% Hispanic 37% White 40% 41% 30% 43% 20% 37% 32% 27% 21% 10% 17% 0% 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 Source: State of California, Department of Finance, Race/Ethnic Population with Age and Sex Detail, 2000-2050.
- 6. All Californians… …stand tobenefit by ensuring that young men of color have the chance to grow up healthy, to get a good education, and to make positive contributions to their communities. If California increased the graduation rate just 10% for African-American and Latino males, the higher graduation rates would result in $7.39 billion in additional income, tax revenue, social service savings and economic productivity — over the course of the students’ adult life.9 A study from Columbia University’s Teachers College found that for each youth added to the graduation rolls, taxpayers saved $127,000 in the form of additional tax revenues paid by the graduates and in lower public health, welfare, and criminal justice costs.10 In addition, a 2007 study found that African-American and Latino men graduating high school generate $681,130 and $451,360, respectively, in additional dollars for the state of California.11 9 Belfield, Clive and Levin, Henry. “The Economic Losses from High School Dropouts in California.” California Dropout Research Project. August 2007. 10 Levin, Henry, Clive Belfield, Peter Muennig, and Cecilia Rouse. 2007. “The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America’s Children.” Teachers College, Columbia University. New York. 6 11 Belfield, Clive and Levin, Henry. “The Economic Losses from High School Dropouts in California.” California Dropout Research Project. August 2007.
- 7. Oakland stands tobenefit, too… If Oakland were to achieve the goal of 100% graduation rate for all boys of color, taxpayers would realize an additional benefit of $117 million over the lifetimes of a single year’s high school graduates. While the lifetime economic benefit of achieving a graduation rate of 100% in a single year would be $117 million, if OUSD achieved a 100% graduation rate for boys of color over a decade, the lifetime benefit to taxpayers would be approximately $1.2 billion. SOURCE: Fact sheet-Economic Benefits of Investing in the Education of BMoC. Prepared for the Assembly Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color in California for the Oakland-Bay Area Hearing. Prepared by Urban Strategies Council on January 20, 2012 7
- 8. National Efforts forBoys and Men of Color Black Male Achievement Leadership & Sustainability Institute (LSI)- Open Society Foundation, PolicyLink & Root Cause http://leadershipandsustainabilityinstitute.com/ Campaign for Black Male Achievement- Open Society Institute http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/topics/black-male- achievement 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys- The Ford Foundation, The Twenty First Century Foundation, the National Urban League & others http://www.2025bmb.org/ 8
- 9. National Efforts forBoys and Men of Color City Leadership to Promote Black Male Achievement- National League of Cities http://www.nlc.org/find-city- solutions/institute-for-youth-education-and-families/at-risk- youth/city-leadership-to-promote-black-male-achievement Schott Foundation Black Male Initiative- The Schott Foundation for Public Education http://www.schottfoundation.org/funds/black-male-initiative White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans- Executive Order from President Obama http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press- office/2012/07/26/executive-order-white-house-initiative- educational-excellence-african-am 9
- 10. Alliance for Boysand Men of Color 10
- 11. includes change agentsfrom across the state of California who are committed to improving the life chances of California’s boys and young men of color. http://www.allianceforbmoc.org/ Statewide Partners Regional Conveners Oakland Fresno LA 11
- 12. Assembly Select Committeeon the Status of Boys and Men of Color Alliance members partnered with the Committee to organize hearings in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno, Los Angeles, and Coachella Valley and to solicit recommendations from a diverse cross section of stakeholders. The Committee's draft action plan, which includes 65 practical and scalable recommendations can be found here: http://www.allianceforbmoc.org/ 12
- 13. Oakland-Alameda County Alliance forBoys and Men of Color 13
- 14. Oakland-Alameda County Boysand Men of Color Goals: Increase… educational outcomes including academic performance, graduation and readiness for careers and/or post-secondary education; participation in the labor force in “high quality” jobs and careers; and utilization of a fully-integrated “health home” that improves health outcomes. 14
- 15. Oakland Boys andMen of Color (BMoC) Leadership Table Goal: 100% Graduation Systems Leaders Objectives: Alameda County Health 95+% attendance for all students Care Services Agency Meaningful internship or paid employment Alameda County for all high school students Probation Department 100% access and appropriate use of health Alameda County Social care and social services by OUSD students Services Agency Oakland Unified School The Leadership Table is working on: District inter-agency data sharing; Oakland Human Services A portfolio highlighting evidence-based Department policies, practices and programs to improve Oakland Police outcomes for BMoC; Department a system of individualized education and Oakland Office of wellness plans for boys of color; and Economic and Workforce Development economic and workforce development 15programs
- 16. BMoC Portfolio Policies Juvenile Health Justice Practices Programs Employment Youth & Assets Development Education 16
- 17. Oakland Boys andMen of Color (BMoC) Community Partners Table Oakland Community Partners Allen Temple Baptist The table has identified several opportunities for action in Oakland Church and Alameda County in the areas of: East Bay Asian Youth Center Education East Oakland Building 1. Implementing Full Service Community Schools Healthy Communities 2. Reducing school push-out, drop-out and suspension Black Organizing Project Criminal and Juvenile Justice Ella Baker Center 1. Advocating for criminal and juvenile justice reform under Intertribal Friendship California’s criminal justice realignment (AB109) and House juvenile justice realignment Oakland Community Organizations Workforce Development and Employment Street Level Health 1. Leveraging public employment and procurement policies Project 2. Creating quality employment for BMoC through creation of The Unity Council alternative business models which build community wealth The Mentoring Center and ownership Youth Uprising 3. Linking economic development projects to requirements Youth Alive for job creation for boys and men of color 17
- 18. Examples of PublicSystems and Community Partner Work The Unity Council Latino Men and Boys Program EBAYC Boys and Men of Color Mentoring Project The Oakland Unified School District Manhood Development and AAMA Alameda County Health Care Services Agency has implemented an Emergency Medical Technician Program Social Services Fatherhood Initiative 18
- 19. Joint Systems Leaderand Community Partner Work Community Communication Plan the Initiative looks forward to its first joint project: • to effectively communicate within public systems and organizations, across communities of color, and to the public and policy makers the importance of improving the outcomes for BMoC; and •to actively contribute to changing the narrative around BMoC to an asset frame including stories about their many successes and contributions to family, community and society. 19
- 20. Oakland Unified School District African American Male Achievement Initiative 20
- 21. African American MaleAchievement Initiative Began in fall 2010 Partnership: Oakland Unified School District East Bay Community Foundation Urban Strategies Council Partners in School Innovation Focus: Eliminating disparities and improving educational and social outcomes for African American male students in OUSD 21
- 22. Urban Strategies Council’sRole 1. Develop indicators, measures and targets for goal areas and conduct analyses to determine status of African American males in these areas 2. Literature reviews to better understand causes of disparities and strategies for addressing them 3. Special studies on key issues for African American male students (three reports) 22 4. Policy analysis to inform interventions
- 23. Reports Goal Areas,Indicators and Targets Developed indicators and targets Conducted longitudinal analysis Compared across school levels Compared across ethnic groups Graduation Likelihood Attendance Suspensions 23
- 24. Goal Areas, Indicatorsand Targets http://www.urbanstrategies.org/programs/schools/docs/A AMAI%20Goal%20Data%20Packet%2004-04-11.pdf
- 25. Initiative Goal Areas 1. Achievement Gap (English Language Arts and Math) 2. High School Graduation 3. Literacy (4th Grade) 4. Suspension 5. Attendance 6. Middle School Holding Power 7. Juvenile Detention (Incarceration) 25
- 26. Students Proficient orHigher in English Language Arts (California Standards Test): Grades 2-11 2005-06 to 2010-11 100% 90% 2015 Target: 90% 79% 78% 80% 78% 76% 76% 73% 70% 60% 50% African American Males White Males 40% 28% 29% 30% 25% 19% 20% 20% 16% 10% 0% 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 26 Source: Oakland Unified School District (OUSD)
- 27. Graduation Rate: 2008-09 100% 2015 Target: 98% 90% 80% 72% 70% 61% 60% 49% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% African American Males White Males OUSD Total (All Students) Source: California Department of Education Research Files (OUSD calculations) Note: Graduation rate equals the number of graduates divided by graduates plus 27 dropouts in grades 9-12.
- 28. Percentage of Studentsin All Grades Suspended Once or More, 2005-06 to 2010-11 25% 20% 19% 18% 17% 17% 17% 17% 15% African American Males 11% White Males 10% 9% 10% 10% 10% OUSD: All Males 10% 2015 Target: 5% 5% or fewer 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 2% 0% 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Source: Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) 28 Note: District average includes African American males.
- 29. Percentage of Studentsin All Grades Chronically Absent (Absent 10% of School Days or More) 2006-07 to 2010-11 25% 24% 23% 23% 23% 20% 20% 16% 15% 15% 15% 14% 12% African American Males OUSD (All Students) 10% 2015 Target: 5% or fewer 5% 0% 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Source: Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) 29 Note: OUSD figures include African American males.
- 30. Percentage of AfricanAmerican Male Oakland Residents Ages 10-17 Detained by Alameda County Probation Department 20% 18% 17.2% (954 youth) 16.2% (903 youth) 16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 2015 Target: 8% or fewer 6% 4% 2% 0% 2009 2010 30 Source: Alameda County Probation Department, Census 2010
- 31. Examining Graduation Likelihood http://urbanstrategies.org/aamai/images/docs/AAMAI_ OnCourseToGraduate.pdf z:EducationExcellenceEquity FrameworkData DisaggregationData disaggregation ppt 4.17.12 rb
- 32. How did wemeasure “Graduation Likelihood”?* Academic Achievement Attendance On-Course to Graduate At-Risk Off-Course Suspensions Retention 32 *Note: indicators varied by grade level
- 33. African American Malesand OUSD Students in Grades K-12, by Graduation Likelihood: 2010-11 African American Males All OUSD Students Off Course (K- 12) Off Course 20% (K-12) 34% On Course (K-12) 45% At Risk (K- On 12) Course 17% (K-12) 63% At Risk (K- 12) 21% 33
- 34. Off-Course African AmericanMale Students, by Risk Factor & School Level, 2010-11 Elementary Middle School High School (877 students) (798 students) (504 students) Chronically Absent 73% 38% 65% Suspended Once or More 33% 73% 41%** Poor Academic Performance* 28% 41% 63% Retained (Left Back) 7% 0% 18% *Below Basic ELA for Grades 2-5, F in English or Math for Grades 6-8, GPA below C for Grades 9-12 **In our rubric, off-course for high school was defined as having more than one suspension. 34
- 35. Recommendations for SupportingHS Graduation Early Warning System AAM are Engaged in Afterschool Programs School-Based Health Centers Reach AAM Healthy School Climates for AAM High- Quality, Effective Instruction for AAM 35
- 36. Examining Chronic Absence http://www.urbanstrategies.org/aamai/images/docs/AAMAI _AttendanceReport.pdf z:EducationExcellenceEquityFrameworkData DisaggregationData disaggregation ppt 4.17.12 rb
- 37. Percentage of Studentsin All Grades Chronically Absent: 2010-11 37
- 38. Types of Absences– Elementary Students OUSD 2010-11 3.5 3.0 2.9 2.5 Average Days Absent 2.0 Other students 1.5 AAM 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 avg # excused avg # days ill avg # unexcused avg # unverified avg # days absences absences absences suspended 38
- 39. Types of Absences– High School Students OUSD 2010-11 39
- 40. Selected Recommendation forReducing Chronic Absence Data Collection & • Track attendance from start of year to intervene early • Conduct research on relationship between chronic absence and Analysis tardiness & truancy Accountability & • Adopt school and district standards Standards • Create district and school level plans for attendance improvement • Designate single administrator responsible for attendance efforts Policy & Process • Identify groups to focus on issues and interventions • Include families and students in policy review and revision Student, Family & •Communicate connections between attendance, achievement, and Community graduation •Problem solve with families and students 40 Engagement
- 41. Examining Suspensions http://www.urbanstrategies.org/aamai/images/docs/AAMA_OUSD_ SuspensionAnalysis.pdf z:EducationExcellenceEquityFrameworkData DisaggregationData disaggregation ppt 4.17.12 rb
- 42. Percentage Suspended Onceor More by School Level OUSD 2010-11 35% 33% 30% African 25% 22% American Males 20% 18% 17% All OUSD 15% Students 11% 10% 9% 9% 7% 7% White Males 5% 3% 2% 1% 0% District Elementary Middle High 42
- 43. Percentage Suspended byReason (Grade K-12) OUSD 2010-11 10% 9% 9% 8% Proportion 7% 7% of Other 6% Students Suspended 5% 4% Proportion 3% 3% of AAM 2% Population 2% 1% Suspended 1% 1% 0% 43
- 44. Top Three Offenses: 75%of suspensions of AAM 1. Disruption/defy authority (38% of suspensions of AAM); 2. Caused/attempted/ threatened injury (28% of suspensions of AAM); 3. Obscene act/ profanity/ vulgarity (9% of suspensions of AAM). 44
- 45. Percentage of StudentsSuspended, by Times Suspended, OUSD 2010-11 Non-African American Students African American Boys 1% 3% 9% Not 9% Suspended Suspended Once Suspended More than Once 82% 96% 45
- 46. Selected Recommendations: Suspension • School- and district- • Focus interventions level targets on offenses driving • Accountability plans disparities • Expand array of interventions Accountability Offense Focus Records & Process Data • Use site discipline • Track specific committees behavior • Create district-level • Require reporting of intervention team referrals & classroom suspensions 46
- 47. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY-OUSDWORK Ensure city agencies collect and analyze data by gender and ethnicity Ensure city programs and services are responsive to needs of BMoC Leverage procurement and employment powers to create jobs, business opportunities for BMoC Support and align resources with the district’s full service community school efforts Use City-OUSD Partnership Committee as vehicle for joint work on issues such as attendance, safety to and from school, and other issues impacting achievement and success of BMoC 47
- 48. FOR MORE INFORMATION Oakland-Alameda County Boys and Men of Color http://www.urbanstrategies.org/bmoc/ African American Male Achievement Initiative http://www.urbanstrategies.org/programs/schools/AAM AI.php; http://thrivingstudents.org/33 Building an Educational Equity Framework http://www.urbanstrategies.org/programs/schools/docs/ Equity%20Framework%20Concept%20Paper_5.9.12final. pdf 48
Editor's Notes
- #3 Who we are:a social impact organization using the tools of research, policy, collaboration, innovation, and advocacy to achieve equity and social justice.Our mission: to eliminate persistent poverty by working with partners to transform low-income neighborhoods into vibrant, healthy communities.
- #4 Who we are:a social impact organization using the tools of research, policy, collaboration, innovation, and advocacy to achieve equity and social justice.Our mission: to eliminate persistent poverty by working with partners to transform low-income neighborhoods into vibrant, healthy communities.
- #14 Our overall goal is to improve the health, wellness and life outcomes for BMoC throughout their life course.Our specific goals for Oakland Boys and Men of Color include significantly improving their:Educational outcomes including academic performance, graduation and readiness for careers and/or post-secondary education; Utilization of a fully-integrated “health home” that improves health outcomes. Participation in the labor force in “high quality” jobs and careers;
- #15 Our overall goal is to improve the health, wellness and life outcomes for BMoC throughout their life course.Our specific goals for Oakland Boys and Men of Color include significantly improving their:Educational outcomes including academic performance, graduation and readiness for careers and/or post-secondary education; Utilization of a fully-integrated “health home” that improves health outcomes. Participation in the labor force in “high quality” jobs and careers;
- #17 Explain validated, promising and innovative categories.The Leadership Table will use the portfolio to guide partner agencies and the public by promoting existing validated, promising and innovative polices, practices, and programs. Agencies have a pool of validated, promising and innovative strategies for boys and men of color to employ within their agencies, give preference to in contracting, provide funding to, or build other relationships with. The portfolio will build the capacity of local organizations to promote and secure more funding for effective strategies by creating a mechanism for evaluating new or growing policies, practices, and programs. In a time of economic crisis, austere policies, and budget cuts, the portfolio also offers public systems and community partners an opportunity to better leverage social, political, and creative capital towards strategies that most effectively address life outcomes for boys and men of color. In addition to supporting what works, the portfolio fosters innovation by creating pathways for promising practices to become validated. Taken together, the programs, policies, and practices in the BMoC Portfolio will: Address issues for boys and men of color across the life spanInclude a comprehensive array of interventions at the levels of policy, program, and practiceCatalyze transformation at the societal, institutional, neighborhood, and personal levelsInclude policies, programs, and practices in each of the priority issue areas: health, education, employment, safety and juvenile justice, and youth development Support specific ethnic and geographic communities of Oakland and Alameda County boys and men of color in culturally relevant ways Foster well being among sexual minority (GBTQQ), undocumented, foster care, disabled, and other vulnerable populations of boys and men of color
- #18 Our objectives for achieving these overall and specific goals include:Reducing involvement in the criminal justice system and exposure to violence;Reducing involvement in the foster care system when possible and increasing the effectiveness of services and transitioning for those young people who are best served by participation in the foster care system; Increasing quality effective services that address the effects of trauma/chronic adversity with an anchored focus on healing;Building the capacities of families, especially fathers, to support the positive development and success of BMoC;Improving the quality of built environments serving BMoC, especially schools;Increasing the availability of and participation in engagement activities that promote positive leadership development and cultural competency; Promoting and supporting youth advocacy and organizing;Increasing community control through civic engagement and leadership development for BMoC; Developing a positive sense of manhood among BMoC, which includes positively redefining masculinity and promoting respect for gay, bisexual and transgender BMoC; andDeveloping inter-ethnic understanding, cross-cultural competency and unity as a foundation for establishing a common agenda that advances improved outcomes for all BMoC.
- #19 Our METHODS for accomplishing our goals and objectives include:Advancing a policy and advocacy agenda that moves systems toward working together, encourages comprehensive and integrated approaches across systems, addresses system inequities and holds systems accountable for investment of public resources and improved outcomes (e.g., Interagency Children’s Policy Council, Youth Ventures Joint Powers Authority); Developing and supporting community development policies and practices which transform neighborhoods and create business, job and career opportunities for BMoC; Directly investing in young people as agents of change by hiring young people for the services they can provide in improving conditions and outcomes in their communities such as peer counseling and cascading mentorship with older youth mentoring younger youth;Recognizing the importance of engaging fathers, especially young fathers, and families in the positive development of boys of color and building their capacities to support their children;
- #20 Building the capacities of programs, organizations, and agencies most intimately involved with impacting the health and well-being of BMoC to serve them effectively, in a culturally and linguistically competent manner, and holding them accountable for doing so; Supporting youth, family and community organizing so that they become effective advocates for themselves and their communities, broaden their civic engagement and build power to participate with public systems in decision making about their lives and communities; Creating a locally- and regionally-based network of systems leaders, community-based organizations, faith and business leaders, and other stakeholders that will champion the issues of BMoC and move a change agenda; andWorking with law enforcement and corrections to develop policies and practices that decrease crime and violence, and improve their relationships with and their responsiveness to BMoC.
- #26 The thorniest indicators to develop were middle school holding power (because of the need to clarify the term) and incarceration/detention (because of the need to forge a new data-sharing agreement with the Alameda County Probation Department.For context: From 6th through 12th grades, nearly one in five OUSD students was an African American Male in 2010-11. Number of AAM in K-12: 6,415
- #27 ACHIEVEMENT GAP (ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS) A large gap exists between the percentage of AAM and White male students in OUSD scoring proficient oradvanced in English Language Arts on the California Standards Test. From 2005-06 through 2010-11, the percentage of AAM proficient or advanced in English Language Arts increased from 16% to 29%. The percentage of White males proficient or higher increased less dramatically over that time, so the gap between AAM and their White male peers decreased – from 57 percentage points in 05-06 to 49 percentage points in 2010-11. Exercise caution in interpreting these results, as White male enrollment is concentrated in the elementary grades, when students in all groups tend to be more likely to score proficient or advanced on the CST.2010-11 Enrollment in Grades 2-11African American Males: 4,097White Males: 1,293
- #28 GRADUATION The AAM graduation rate indicates that fewer than half of 9th graders are graduating from high school four years later. The AAM graduation rate is lower than the district-wide graduation rate and the rate for White males. Note: The graduation rate equals the number of graduates divided by graduates plus dropouts in grades 9-12. (National Center for Education Statistics formula)Number of Graduates: 2008-09African American Males: 280White Males: 48OUSD Total: 1,671
- #29 SUSPENSION The percentage of AAM students suspended once or more hovered around 17-19% from 2005-06 to 2010-11. The gap between the suspension rate for AAM and White males is very large.Enrollment in Grades K-12: 2010-11African American Males: 6,415White Males: 2,145
- #30 ATTENDANCE AAM students are more likely to be chronically absent than OUSD students as a whole. In 2010-11, the proportion of students who were chronically absent declined, both among AAM and for OUSD overall. Still, in 2010-11, one in five AAM students missed 10% of school days or more. In 2010-11, 1,267 AAM students in grades K-12 were chronically absent.
- #31 JUVENILE DETENTION (INCARCERATION) In 2009, 16.2% of African American male Oakland residents, ages 10-17, (903 youth) were detained by the Alameda County Probation Department. This includes pre- and post-adjudication detainment. In 2010, that percentage rose to 17.2% (954 youth).
- #34 African American males are more likely to be off course and less likely to be on course than students in the district as a whole (this would be more pronounced if we removed AAM from the comparison group).
- #35 In which areas are off-course African American boys struggling the most (i.e. are more of them off-course because of academic, attendance, or behavior problems)?Chronic absence is a key issue for AAM in elementary school and high school , with 73% of off-course AAM in elementary and 65% in high school displaying this risk factor. Suspension is a key issue for AAM in middle school, with 73% of off-course AAM displaying this risk factor. Poor academic performance affects nearly half of off-track AAM middle school students, and 63% of off-track high school students. More than one in six (18%) off-course AAM in high school were left back at the end of the 2010-11 school year.
- #38 Chronic absence means missing 10% or more of school days.
- #39 AAM missed more than twice as many days due to illness, on average, as other students, though illness was the leading cause of days missed for both AAM and non-African American elementary school students. For every absence reason, AAM missed more days than did other students.
- #40 At the high school level, unverified absences accounted for more days missed than any other type of absence, both for AAM and other students. AAM missed twice as many days due to unverified absences as did their peers.
- #44 Note that this is the percentage of all students suspended for each offense (e.g. 9% of African American boys in OUSD were suspended for disruption/defiance in 2010-11, while 3% of other students were suspended for that offense).
- #46 AAM were more likely to be suspended multiple times than non-AA students were to be suspended once.
- #47 Recommendations emerging from the report include:Accountability and Standards:Adopting school level and district-wide goals for suspension rates and for racial disparities.Holding school sites that exceed those standards accountable for developing annual targets and plans for reaching those standards.Offense FocusTarget the offenses that contribute most to the disparate suspension rate for AAM: defiance/disruption and cause/attempt/threaten injuryTo ensure clear behavioral standards and to evaluate which interventions and alternatives to suspension are most effective.Record Keeping and Data AnalysisAdapt the district record keeping and reporting system to record the specific conduct leading to suspensions for the three offenses contributing most to the suspension disparities for AAM.Require data collection on referrals for the target offenses, including what corrective actions and alternatives to suspension were used.Require reporting of Classroom Suspensions.ProcessUse site discipline committees as a vehicle for addressing disparities in suspensions at the school site level.Create an intervention team to assist schools in identifying and implementing prevention and corrective actions for the focus offenses.More detailed recommendations are available in the suspension report.With that, I’ll turn it over to Jean Wing from the Research, Assessment and Data department at OUSD who will begin to share some of the promising initiatives underway to address these issues.