Shakopee Public Schools is committed to raising the achievement of all students while narrowing the gaps between the lowest and highest performing students and eliminating the racial or cultural predictability and disproportionality of which student groups occupy the highest and lowest achievement categories including rates of graduation. By committing to this, we are ensuring educational equity for all students.

According to the MN Department of Education, Educational equity is the condition of justice, fairness and inclusion in our systems of education so that all students have access to the opportunities to learn and develop to their fullest potentials.  The pursuit of educational equity recognizes the historical conditions and barriers that have prevented opportunity and success in learning for students based on their races, incomes, and other social conditions.  Eliminating those structural and institutional barriers to educational opportunities requires systemic change that allows for destruction of resources, information and other support depending on the student’s situations to ensure an equitable outcome.

The MN Department of Education has also identified ten commitments to Equity:

1. Prioritize Closing the Gaps
2. Start from Within
3. Measure what Matters
4. Go Local
5. Follow the Money
6. Start Early
7. Engage More Deeply
8. Value People
9. Improve Conditions for Learning
10. Give Students Options

  As Shakopee Public Schools continue to make Equity a priority, we must commit to the following:

1. Equity is a core value
2. Equity will be formalized into the strategic plan for our district
3. Infrastructure will sustain the commitment of Equity
4. Professional Development will be provided to all staff to prepare them for equity work engrained in academic and social emotional engagement
5. Data analysis will include collection, reporting and collaborating to identify where disproportionality exists
6. When faced with resistance to equity, we will remain aligned to the core value of equity

We have identified Excellence with Equity as one of the pillars committed to Equity work.  By creating a strong vision, we will be able to move forward in building the capacity of leadership, staff, students, families and community members to develop a raised awareness to engage, inspire, and communicate on issues of Excellence with Equity.