Equity Policy Mission Statement
The Office of Equity supports policy revision efforts in CPS and ensures an equity lens, community voice, and system redesign in all decisions toward race and social indicators no longer predicting education and life outcomes.
In Spring 2019, CPS engaged in an initial comprehensive review of all existing Board Policies with a focus on equity.
Our work focuses on Fair Policies and Systems, one of the dimensions of the CPS Equity Framework, and we believe all dimensions of the equity lens — Liberatory Thinking, Inclusive Partnerships, and Resource Equity — must operate together. Inclusive Partnerships requires our stakeholders voices are factored into decisions to equitably support communities historically and presently most impacted by structural racism and systemic oppression.
CPS 5 Year Vision
CPS’ Equity Framework will address primary drivers of equity across four areas: organizations and structures, policy and advocacy, adults, and students. We know that to truly address the inequities, it takes a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach. We have started a top-to-bottom policy review to ensure our policies align with our values...And, it means our decisions need to reflect equity through and through.
CPS 5 Year Vision (2019–2024)
Equitable Policy and Finance Strategy Feedback
We recognize students and families are actively showing up to advocate for equitable learning environments while continuing to navigate the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. The CPS Office of Equity engaged over 3000 stakeholders, including a one year equity audit and listening campaign with community-based organizations, a focus group series, a public survey, BIPOC town halls, and an empathy interview series.
Current Chicago Board of Education Policies
Equity Policy Revisions
Three of the district’s board policies are under review by the Office of Equity. We are seeking community collaboration to help inform these policy revisions. With your input, we will define cultural relevance, apply an equity lens, and plan for instructional shifts to disrupt predictability in academic achievement differences. We will also create precedent for auditing CPS environments to ensure cultural responsiveness from wall-to-wall in the school district. Finally, we will revisit how we accommodate the religious practices of CPS students and families to continuously improve in affirming the cultures and identities of our communities.
- Culturally Responsive Education and Diversity Policy (Released for public comment in July 2021)
- Naming or Renaming of a School, Mascot, Logo, Learning Environment, and Physical Marker (Adopted June 2023)
Equity Policy Revisions
Three of the district’s board policies are under review by the Office of Equity. We are seeking community collaboration to help inform these policy revisions. With your input, we will define cultural relevance, apply an equity lens, and plan for instructional shifts to disrupt predictability in academic achievement differences. We will also create precedent for auditing CPS environments to ensure cultural responsiveness from wall-to-wall in the school district. Finally, we will revisit how we accommodate the religious practices of CPS students and families to continuously improve in affirming the cultures and identities of our communities.
- Culturally Responsive Education and Diversity Policy (Released for public comment in July 2021)
- Naming or Renaming of a School, Mascot, Logo, Learning Environment, and Physical Marker (Adopted June 2023)
Board Policies
As part of the School Board Policy Review process initiated in 2019, all Board Policies are revised with an equity lens and supported by the Office of Equity. For more information about our Board Policies revisions and feedback opportunities, please visit Proposed Policies or Rule Changes Open for Public Comment.
Advancing Racial Equity
A racial equity lens always asks the question: how will this shift in practice affect the lived experiences of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and all students of color? If the answer is it will negatively affect them or contribute to accumulated burden, we need to redesign the policy or practice. In designing or redesigning policies and practices, we must ensure our students and communities of color, and especially those most impacted by inequity, are at the table to co- create solutions.
Advancing Racial Equity
A racial equity lens always asks the question: how will this shift in practice affect the lived experiences of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and all students of color? If the answer is it will negatively affect them or contribute to accumulated burden, we need to redesign the policy or practice. In designing or redesigning policies and practices, we must ensure our students and communities of color, and especially those most impacted by inequity, are at the table to co- create solutions.
Accommodation Requests
Do you have ideas about how we can better accommodate CPS stakeholders in our community engagement (Inclusive Partnerships) efforts related to policy and finance redesign strategies ? If there are specific accommodations requests, please share with us at equity@cps.edu.
Partners
Our Offices are partnering closely with several Chicago-based organizations who focus on creating equity across Chicago Public Schools. Organizations include:
