Equity Action Plan

2019-2022

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to the principles of equity through inclusive programs, curriculum, services and operations with a mission to empower students to learn and grow to their full potential in a diverse world.

Capitalizing on the Board’s strategic priorities – specifically, student learning and achievement, as well as positive culture and well-being – HWDSB launches a three-year Equity Action Plan (2019/20- 2021/22). The action plan applies anti-oppression and human rights perspectives with a goal to address inequities in achievement and well-being outcomes among students from equity-seeking groups. At the individual and institutional levels, the action plan is intended to identify and address systems of oppression, for example: ableism, racism, sexism, classism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia, etc.

The HWDSB Equity Action Plan serves as a roadmap for creating learning and working environments where all students and staff are safe, supported and accepted. Aligning with Ontario’s Education Equity Plan (2017), the plan focuses on four key priority areas:

School and Classroom Practices
Leadership, Governance and Human Resource Practices
Positive Culture and Well-being
Data Collection, Integration and Reporting

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

Identify and eliminate biases, systemic barriers and discriminatory practices
Support positive learning and workplace environments where all students and staff are safe, supported and accepted
Ensure inclusive community partnerships and engagement
Ensure accountability regarding the Board’s commitment to equity and communicating results to the public

The Plan is updated in 2022. To read the updated Actin Plan - Click Here

School and Classroom Practices

Goal: Removing systemic barriers to ensure that school and classroom practices reflect and respond to the diversity of the students, staff and community at large.

Objective 1: Strengthen inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogy, assessment and resources

Implementation of Learn. Disrupt. Rebuild @HWDSB- Creating a Community of Care initiative in classrooms. LDR is a collection of human rights education resources/lesson plans on: Mental & Physical Health and Wellness, Understanding Identity and Intersectionality, Exploring Human Rights, Equity & Anti-racism and Empowering Action and Allyship.
Develop and integrate Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP) approaches to teaching, curriculum, and assessment, including collaborating with diverse communities to ensure representation of diverse voices and perspectives.
Develop schools’ Equity, Anti-colonial, Anti-racism and Anti-oppression leadership through professional learning and the creation of community of practice/learning for administrators and educators.
Conduct equity/diversity audit of school resources, including books, media and other resources used in English, History, social sciences and other areas to remove biased and outdated resources using Anti-colonial, Anti-racist and Anti-oppression frameworks.

Objective 2: Supporting student pathway choices

Establish HWDSB’s strategy to de-streaming in intermediate and secondary schools to identify and eliminate disproportionalities resulting from streaming (Applied vs Academic and other programs and opportunities.)
Develop partnership with community and post-secondary partners to explore potential programs that will help increase awareness among underrepresented students and their families about post-secondary pathways (including work, apprenticeship, college and university)
Provide support to Black students through the Graduation Coach for Black Students program and other programs through partners.
Develop a plan to identify and remove racist and other biases in the guidance system, to address the needs and expectations of all students and their families.

Objective 3: Improved and inclusive community-school partnerships to enhance school and classroom practices and Objective 4: Increase parent engagement

Strengthen/develop partnerships with community organizations/groups from diverse communities to enhance school/classroom practices.
Develop strategies to increase representation of diverse communities on School Councils and Board advisory committees

Leadership, Governance & Human Resources

Goal: To create safe, inclusive and engaging learning and work environment where: 1) Staff make-up reflects student diversity; 2) All staff are knowledgeable, committed and accountable to equity.

Objective 1: Accountability for equity and human rights

Add accountability for equity, human rights, anti-racism, anti-discrimination in principal, vice-principal and supervisory officer performance appraisals
Add accountability for equity, human rights, anti-racism, anti-discrimination in Director’s performance appraisals.
Develop and provide human rights and equity leadership trainings/learning for Board of Trustees
Develop an Annual Equity Accountability Report Card to be included in the Director’s annual report

Objective 2: Enhance diversity in hiring and promotion at all levels

Report on the result of the employment/hiring equity audit (Employment Process Review)
Develop Employment/Workplace Equity Action Plan based on the staff census and EPR recommendations
Consult with staff groups (E.g. Racialized Staff Network) to develop a mentorship and leadership program for Black, Indigenous and other Racialized educators.
Work with community partners to establish employment programs to integrate internationally-trained teachers and other education workers.

Objective 3: Professional development focused on equity and human rights

Learning for EC: Learn. Disrupt. Rebuild/Anti-racism and Anti-oppression
Provide professional learning to identify and address systems of oppressions using human rights, Anti-Colonial, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression frameworks.
Develop and provide Human Rights Fundamentals training to all staff.

Positive Culture & Well-being

Goal: Create a positive organizational culture and Environment where all students and staff feel safe, supported and accepted.

Objective 1: Review board structures, policies, programs and practices

Develop a human rights policy and procedure and embed human rights lens in reviewing of all policies and procedures. (See also Objective 3)
Work with Human Rights and Equity Advisory Committee to develop an Anti-Black Racism policy.
Conduct an equity audit of school names, mascots and other practices to start decolonizing education spaces.
Finalize the development of Gender Identity and Gender Expression Procedure and Staff Religious and Creed-based Accommodation Procedure.

Objective 2: Establish and/or strengthen community, staff and/or student advisory committees and groups

Strengthen the Human Rights, Equity and Well-being Division by resourcing roles dedicated to support the implementation of the Equity Action Plan.
Support Human Rights and Equity Community Advisory Committee, Faith Community Advisory Committee, and others.
Support System Positive Space Committee, Racialized Staff Network, Faith/Creed Staff Working Group and others.
Establish and support student advisory groups and networks: (e.g. Racialized Students Network and Two-Sprit and LGBTQIA+ Students Network.)

Objective 3: Develop safe and inclusive human rights complaints reporting and resolutions structure/Objective 4- Increased commitment to school and workplace free from discrimination and harassment.

Review current discrimination and harassment reporting structures and develop a human rights policy and procedure
Develop and adequately resource Human Rights Office to identify and address systemic barriers, to receive and resolve complaints.
Develop a clear communication plan to students, families and staff on the human rights policy, procedure and complaints process.
Develop strategies to disaggregate suspension and expulsion data by race to identify and reduce racial disproportionality and disparities.

Data Collection, Integration & Reporting

Goal: Collect and analyze data to address barriers/inequities

Objective 1: Develop a consistent approach to data collection

Collect identity-based student data/Student Census in accordance with Ontario’s Anti-Racism Act and Data Standards (ARDS)
Engage students, families, staff and community partners to communicate the purpose of the identity-based student data/student census project.
Update student registration form(s) and Information System (PowerSchool) to collect voluntary race-based data in accordance with the Ontario Anti-Racism Act/Data Standards.
Update student registration form(s) and Information System (PowerSchool) to add gender non-binary options to be included when collecting personal information.

Objective 2: Data integration, utilization and reporting

Using the result of the employment equity audit (Employment Process Review) and the staff census, develop a comprehensive employment equity plan with a specific target to improve diversity of staff at HWDSB.
Develop strategies to disaggregate suspension and expulsion data by race to identify racial disproportionality and disparities.
Disaggregate positive school, workplace climate data and other data by race, gender and other identity-based data to be able to identify racial and other disproportionalities and disparities.