The Beaverton School District has created a new 2010-2015 strategic plan focused on equity and closing the achievement gap. The plan aims to ensure equitable outcomes and continuous progress for all students regardless of their race, ethnicity, or background. Currently, white and Asian students significantly outperform black and brown students on standardized tests. However, with nearly half of students now being minorities, the district is working to ensure future student performance cannot be predicted based on race alone through customized learning plans and hiring more diverse staff.

1. Addressing Beaverton’s
Achievement Gap
Beaverton School District has a new strategic plan for 2010-15. Equity is woven
through all components of the plan to address the achievement gap that exists
between our white and Asian students and our black and brown students.
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2. Core Values
Equity. Student
achievement
belongs to each
student and will
not be predicted
by race, ethnicity,
family economics,
mobility, gender,
disability, or initial
proficiencies.
This is the equity vision of our Strategic plan. Equity means equitable outcomes for
all students regardless of how they come to us.
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3. Diversity. An essential asset of our
community and a source of learning
and opportunity in our schools.
We find strength in our diversity and know it will prepare our students for the world
after high school.
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4. District Goal All students will show continuous progress toward
their personal learning goals, developed in collaboration with
teachers and parents, and will be prepared for post-secondary
education and career success.
This is a personalized education for every student to be prepared for college AND
work.
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5. All Means All
The first two words in our district goal are All Students. We believe all students will
have the choice of going to college upon graduation, and will not be denied the
opportunity by default. All students will complete course work required for entering
college, and all students will take the ACT college entry exam in 11th grade.
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6. The Power of the “And”
The district goal ends with: will be prepare for post-secondary education AND
career success. It does not say “or”. One simple word change in our goal means
we believe all students will be prepared for college entry upon graduation.
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7. Historical Beaverton
The district was formed in 1960 about the time that President Kennedy was elected
into office. It was a suburb of Portland, and was primarily white, middle class. Third
generation Beavertonians still perceive Beaverton as a white, middle class
community.
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8. Beaverton Today: 92 Languages
Over the last fifty years, student demographics have changed significantly. There
are 92 languages and dialects spoken by our students and their families.
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9. 45% Minority Students
Our district’s minority population has been growing significantly over the past
decade, and soon white students will be a minority. Having the Nike Global
Headquarters and large Intel campuses in our community brings families from
around the world. Some stay for a year or two for training, and return to their home
country. They bring their children with them to our community.
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10. Our Families Come from India
There are many Intel programmers in our community who bring their families from
India. They are some of our highest performing students.
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11. Our Families Come from Korea
Nike has a large Korean workforce.
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12. Our Families Come from Somalia
Several churches in our area have brought in whole villages from refugee camps in
Somalia. Some of these students have never worn a pair of shoes before arriving
to Oregon let alone attend a school with electricity and indoor plumbing.
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13. Our Families Come from Pakistan
Schools create a safe environment for all families which leads to individual student
success. Students may enter school with very traditional values from their
homeland, and are welcomed in our schools.
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14. Our Families Come from El Salvador
Migrant families that follow the agricultural trade across the state are mixed with
families that are now second generation Oregonians.
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15. Acceptance
Our message is acceptance. No matter how a child enters school, we accept them
with what they bring with them. English language learners, no prior school
experience or high achieving, our schools work with each individual child to ensure
annual growth in achievement.
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16. We Have
Work to Do
With so many varied needs, we have our work cut out for us. We want all students
to have high annual growth based on their individual needs and goals.
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17. Work of Heart, Hands & Mind
Emotional responses to the work lives in the heart, intellectual in the mind, and
social in the hands and feet. Each of us will respond to this work in varying ways at
different times. So much of the work is in the heart.
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18. We Need to Use our Best Minds
We need to grow our own, so our staff demographics equal our student
demographics.
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19. Hire, develop and retain qualified, committed
and diverse staff throughout the district.
If we grow our own, we are more likely to retain them, and they are committed to
our community.
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20. Respect for Human Rights.
Maintain a safe and caring learning
environment for students and staff.
Hand in hand, students and staff working together to close the achievement gap.
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21. Equity in Student Outcomes. Develop a
customized learning plan for every student
that is relevant, current and challenging.
Every student will have success.
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22. Can You Predict Who Will Meet
Benchmarks by Race?
100
90
80
70
60
Math
50
Reading
40
Writing
30
20
10
0
? ? ? ?
As you look at our current state test scores broken down by race, can you tell which
set of scores belongs to which group of students?
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23. Current % of Students who Meet &
Exceed Standards by Race
100
90
80
70
60
Math
50
Reading
40
Writing
30
20
10
0
Asian Black Hispanic White
Right now we can predict which scores belong to our black and brown kids.
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24. We Must!
100
90
80
70
60
Math
50
Reading
40
Writing
30
20
10
0
Asian Black Hispanic White
In the future – it won’t be predictable – we have work to do!
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