Description: 

The goal is to create an environment where all students are engaged, excited, connected to their personal learning paths with trusted adults to help them grapple and persist through challenges. We will focus on ensuring:

• All students have safe spaces to go and be seen, receive support that allow them to engage and feel included, and have opportunities that meet them where they are based on their interests and motivations, so they can maintain their spark for learning. 
• Families and support systems (thinking more inclusively about who constitutes a “family.” e.g., parent, neighbor, counselor) are to be supported, have awareness, respect, and understanding
• District stakeholders proactively work to “heal” the east/west divide that exists currently in the district, overcoming any complacency to ensure all students and support systems feel true belonging.

Potential strategies:

• Create opportunities for student voices to be heard and for students to be a part of the decision-making process (e.g., course offerings) and amplify student voice (e.g., implement student-led conferences)
• Develop a universal approach for identifying and supporting teachers to meet student needs (at all levels across the scale - SEL and academic) and opportunities
• Embed equity, belonging, scaffolding and inclusion in the creation and offering of courses and extra-curriculars. 
• Reduce barriers and report/account for biases that negatively impact students to ensure all can participate in opportunities; proactively ensure space for “healing” (e.g., the east/west divide) 
• Focus on approaches that build trusting and meaningful relationship among all stakeholders - e.g., through affinity groups, inclusive family nights with representation from all sub-groups, opportunities for all families to provide info about their child/ren and culture and participate in the process

Description:

In this area, we will ensure all students are afforded access to high-quality, developmentally appropriate, and differentiated academic and extra-curricular experiences. To do this, the district will implement a universal way of identifying student needs (at all levels across the scale) and applying personalized and equitable opportunities, both during and after the school day. It will ensure developmentally appropriate access to grade-level standards and content, as well as non-scholastic activities, that support students to thrive academically and emotionally, both at present and beyond Mukilteo School District. As a result, students will be held to high expectations by all district educators and staff members, thereby encouraging them to meet their potential.

Potential strategies:

• Define equity, high expectations and inclusion, and utilize a shared definition across the district.
• Leverage current curricula and evidence-based adaptation to meet student academic needs; Adapt and implement culturally & linguistically responsive and relevant instructional curriculum
• Implement an aligned framework and inclusionary practices (potentially as part of the already existing inclusion work group meetings)
• Support and hold teachers accountable for teaching the same standards, and utilizing aligned assessments and grading rubrics
• Restructure secondary grading practices (e.g., standards-based grading), which includes a separation of academic and behavioral reporting; Develop a student mastery rubric which will result in student self-efficacy and advocacy, and an aligned grading system.
• Identifying staff who are successful at engaging struggling students and increasing achievement (or, another strategy that is focused on sparking students to take accountability and ownership)

Description:

To envision a future that supports students, families, staff, and excites the community, we need a culture of individual and collective responsibility in service of students. Collective learning and responsibility as our equity practice requires that we reframe ‘achievement gaps’ as systemic gaps and inequities in our services. This practice calls us to critically study, investigate and analyze our current structures, and be open to learning and adapting. 

We know this work is not easy, nor is it quick: this area focuses on doing the hard yet important work of redefining and committing to a shared vision that allows us to truly become “one Mukilteo School District” aligned around individual and collective responsibility in service of students. This work will go beyond defining the culture we seek to have, to also providing the necessary support, training, and accountability for all stakeholders to align to shared values and commitments.

Potential strategies:

• Ensure every employee understands how their work impacts student success, with a potential focus on collective responsibility, accountability, equity, and inclusion  
• Build stakeholder and staff trust that allows for vulnerability, taking chances, and embracing change. 
• Provide staff with tools, training, onboarding and resources to be effective leaders in their respective buildings. Recalibrate leader alignment through regular follow up and meetings, sharing resources and lessons learned.
• Recruit, develop, retain and grow staff, particularly staff that reflect the student body’s diversity and have the ability to engage and inspire students from preschool through grade 12. 
• Develop and share clear expectations and accountability measures for all roles, and align collective bargaining agreements during future negotiations.

Description:

To run an effective, efficient and just district, processes (e.g.,what schools students attend, what activities schools offer and how they access them, course offerings and access, how transport routes are developed) and systems (e.g., data information systems such as Qmlativ, meeting graduation requirements) must be clear, transparent, and consistently utilized across the district and adhered to by stakeholders.

The district requires data, both qualitative and quantitative, to understand their current state and if they are on track to meet their goals. Trust in the data, and the capacity to understand and use the data, are essential to ensuring that the district is driven by and makes data-informed decisions.

By developing efficient and effective data-driven information systems and processes, and a strong culture of accountability, the district will ensure that both students and staff are performing at high levels.

Potential strategies:

• Establish consistent district-level assessments and aligned reporting/grading systems across all buildings (ensure that time is provided for educators to review and anchor assessments)
• Codify/document processes and procedures, and create a system for ensuring they are used across the district
• Create clear, transparent, consistent, and data-informed decision-making systems/processes, and share them with all district stakeholders
• Strengthen communication processes and procedures, including two-way opportunities for feedback
• Implement a system for collecting, analyzing and sharing data. And, build the capacity of staff to ensure effective implementation and use.