Candidate Responses: Stillwater Area Public Schools

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My experience in equity and inclusion in the district is limited. I will need to further understand the equity differences our communities experience to be a better

neighbor, citizen and if elected, a better board member. I hope this community,

Woodbury for Justice and Equality, can give me a view into more of my neighbors’ experiences.

My limited exposure to equity questions within our district is primarily related to

the GATE program, which has had gender, racial, and social-economic diversity

issues. Additionally, I saw very different experiences for female and minority

coaches in some athletic settings.  

The board should be an ally and advocate for all communities especially those that

are experiencing equity and inclusion concerns, are underrepresented, or have sub-optimal outcomes.  While a lot of hard work is being done, there is still more work

to be done, especially in areas of socioeconomic differences, race, gender and sexual identity. 

To address these the board could do 4 things. First and foremost, engage, listen and learn in the communities. Second, understand the equity impact in each program, vote, or topic before the school board (as possible). Third, the board could ask the administration to study and prioritize areas of equity differential experience. And lastly, the board could push the administration to provide additional specific programs to address these issues beyond the push in the normal course of business. 

Additionally, the board could ask to for perspectives, to grow their understanding,vision, or north star for what great equity looks like.

The school board plays a critical role in addressing inequities within the district by

creating a strategic vision and setting equity-driven policies. Recent data from

Stillwater shows that students of color continue to face significant gaps in

proficiency across all areas—reading, math, and science—compared to their white

peers, and while there has been some progress in narrowing the gaps for certain

groups, disparities remain widespread and persistent. Additionally, Stillwater has

fallen short in its diversity hiring goals, despite evidence that representation

impacts academic achievement.

These disparities and others, exacerbated by the pandemic, require a data-driven

response from the board. To close these gaps, the board must develop policies that

promote equity in hiring, curriculum, and resource allocation while addressing the

unique needs of students of color and the underlying causes of these achievement

gaps.

Engaging the broader community, especially underrepresented groups, is essential

for understanding the full scope of challenges and shaping policies that reflect the needs of all students. The board must create avenues for diverse voices to be heard in decision-making.

Transparency and accountability are also critical. The board must communicate its

goals, monitor district performance, and regularly review progress in closing

achievement gaps. Ongoing evaluation will enable the board to refine its approach

and sustain efforts toward equity.

By setting this vision, the board empowers the district to take meaningful steps

toward ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Over the last decade, our community demographics have continued to diversify,

particularly in the south of our district. Naturally our school district has been

following the same trends. Unfortunately achievement gaps have developed and

continue to widen as noted in the 22-23 Achievement & Integration report.

Additionally, our schools have been working to address incidents of racial harm as

they occur. The board must not lose focus of our racial equity issues although there

certainly are other equity needs as well.

ISD 834’s current strategic plan has already identified school culture, equity and

inclusion as a priority. There are already ways the school board is supporting this

effort. We will be receiving cultural competency training this year as part of our

own professional development.  Additionally we have supported a new calendar

that will provide more time throughout the year for professional development

within the staff. 

One area we could improve is building a staff within our schools that more closely

reflects the students we serve.  Our district does have a ‘Grow Your Own Educator’ program to recruit and train Teachers of Color and American Indian Teachers (TOCAIT) within our own student body.  Student leaders who complete

the summer program are encouraged to continue on the path to an education

degree.  Ideally these graduates will return to teach in our schools down the road. In the meantime, the board can support these efforts by examining the policies and practices preventing us from hiring and retaining a diverse teaching force right now.