On Tuesday, Feb. 14, the Culver City Unified School District’s board of education celebrated Valentine’s Day by voting unanimously in favor of the Black Student Achievement Plan Resolution.
The aim of the resolution is to “address opportunity gaps that have long hindered African American/Black students in the school district.” According to a press release, the resolution “acknowledges the school district’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and the need to ensure that all students develop strong academic knowledge, skills, and dispositions to prepare them for life beyond their secondary school years. The resolution specifically notes that the school district has approximately 7,100 enrolled students, of which 12.64 percent identify as African American/Black.”
In a Twitter statement, School Board Member Triston Ezidore, the Board’s only Black member, and the first Black male to serve on the body notes that, “For the first time in our district’s history, we stand with actionable plans to be unequivocal about our Black kids. This is an important step towards addressing the institutional racism and systemic bias that have historically and currently placed structural barriers before African American/Black students.
“I am pleased that the Culver City Unified School District is acknowledging the opportunity gaps that have led to over half of CCUSD African American/Black students not meeting the state’s English Language Arts standard and three-quarters of African American/Black students not meeting the math standard. The plan’s initiatives will ensure that all African American/Black students can attain their fullest potential as learners and succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.”
The Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will now submit a full African American/Black Student Achievement Plan for the Board to adopt by May 2023, and put into effect for the 2023-24 school year. The Superintendent will also create a Superintendent’s DEI Student Advisory Committee.
