School-Based Equity Roundtables

Equity Roundtables aim to ensure we hold conversations amongst a community of stakeholders to push one another's thinking to ensure we are doing everything we can as a school, district, and community to eliminate opportunity and achievement gaps for Boston Public School students.

The Equity Roundtable should be convened by the school leader, and select a co-convenor. The co-worker may be a staff person, parent/caretaker, or another person who is committed to ensuring equitable access to quality education and supports for students.

The Roundtables should generally be held at least every other week with an agenda and notetaking and should focus on planning in response to continually updated data around access to instruction, food, technology, and mental health services, and other supports. 

The BPS Racial Equity Planning Tool should be used to ensure that Black and Latinx students, English Learners, students with special needs, and low income, homeless and other historically marginalized students are prioritized in schools' and regions' responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Close attention must be paid to who is at the table, who is not, and the power dynamics therein. Use the Racial Equity Planning Toolkit (REPT) to document who is at the table. Document voices, concerns, and aspirations that were elevated most and what constituency and racial/ethnic group they represent. Integrate questions in the REPT that compels the group to prioritize students, especially Black, Latinx, EL, and students with special needs. Ask questions such as, "Who Disagrees? or Have our students or families weighed in on this? or What must we do to uplift the voice of students and Black/Latinx and immigrant families?"

Equity Roundtables' recommendations and decisions should be shared with the school superintendents and other school leaders within their region to ensure equity across schools. School superintendents will share equitable practices across regions to highlight best practices and ensure district-wide cohesion, alignment, and equitable outcomes.