DEI Definitions

 

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Educational Equity

Educational equity means that each child receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential.

Equity

All educational partners (students, parents, staff, and community) will commit to end systemic racism and discrimination that harms students, families, and staff because of their cultures, disability/special education status, socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, gender identification, gender expression, immigration status, race, religion, and/or sexual orientation. We will develop the knowledge that systems harm the historically and currently marginalized, the belief in cultural responsiveness, and the will and skill to identify and address barriers. We will center the needs of our Black, Indigenous, Latino, People of Color and students with disabilities/special education status to deliver an excellent educational experience to all students.

Underserved

Underserved students are defined as those who do not receive equitable resources as other students in the academic pipeline. Typically, these groups of students include low-income, racial/ethnic minorities (“people of color” or “students of color” is the preferred use, not “minorities”), and first-generation students, among others.

Underrepresented

Underrepresented refers to racial and ethnic populations that are represented at disproportionately low levels in higher education. Historically means that this is a 10-year or longer trend at a given school.

Underrepresented Minorities (URMs)

URMs are African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Latinos, who have historically comprised a minority of the U.S. population. The term is mostly used for reporting aggregate student data.

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

Tends to refer to a combination of factors related to a student’s social class. In the context of students, this typically includes family income, parental education (e.g., first-generation status), and parental occupation.