Equity Vision Implementation - Independent Schools
The NEASC Commission on Independent Schools is committed to an ongoing course of action begun in 2019 to review and revise the accreditation and school improvement process and its supporting documents to ensure they reflect the essential importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The supporting documents include the language and content of all standards, indicators, the required materials each school submits with its self-study, and the comprehensive Manual for School Improvement.
In addition, through a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging lens, and the support of the representatives on the NEASC Equity Working Group, the Commission has updated, revised, and added Equity case studies to its visiting chair workshops, visiting team workshops, self-study workshops, strategic planning workshops, and summer accreditation leader retreat. All future workshops and professional learning experiences will go through a similar review. As requested by schools, the Commission staff is committed to creating diverse visiting teams and adding Diversity Officers/Coordinators as part of the Foundation Visit Teams.
With the accreditation process as a catalyst for advancing equity and inclusion, and recognizing and honoring the diversity of its member schools, the Commission expects each school to reflect and act on the meaning and practice of equity and inclusion in its cultural, social, or religious context, educational mission, and community, including with those who may have been traditionally marginalized or excluded from the community.
The Commission is dedicated to developing and providing resources and best practices to support equity, inclusion, and belonging for its member schools.
Please contact Beth Hamilton, Interim Director for Accreditation and School Improvement, Independent Schools, at bhamilton@neasc.org.
Belonging: Assessing the “B” in DEIB Work, NAIS
“Common Beliefs,” Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center
Dysfunctional Equity Implementation, an introduction to Belonging through a Culture of Dignity: the keys to successful equity implementation (Cobb & Krownapple, 2019)
Equity Audit Surveys - free, downloadable, developed by the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium
Our definitions
Diversity
The existence of a range of human differences and aspects of identity, including but not limited to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, economic status, language, ability, and religion.
Equity
Ensuring that everyone has what they need to fully participate. Equity is achieved when disparities of historically under-represented groups are eliminated and therefore outcomes cannot be predicted by identity.
Inclusion
All members of the community/organization are actively and intentionally made visible, heard, considered, and valued, and recognize the unique experiences of historically marginalized groups.