From the #DitchTheGap Coalition:
Recent national NAEP test scores for JCPS students in 4th and 8th grade reading and math showed—with only one exception—that none of the learning gaps among racial/ethnic/socioeconomic gap groups and corresponding, more privileged groups has changed significantly since 2009 (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/districts/). Monday night, November 23, the JCPS will discuss, possibly modify, and then vote on draft 33 of the JCPS five-year plan, VISION 2020. This version isn’t everything we asked for, but it has important first steps toward raising the focus on reducing learning gaps. We need to support all the work done to make these changes in language and protect them from being watered down or removed before the vote!
Contact your Board members today and urge them to support the key “draft 33” sections that clarify, and focus on the priority of, learning gap reduction between groups in JCPS. Then, join us on Monday, Nov 23 at the JCPS Van Hoose Center to push for approval of the VISON 2020 with the gap reduction language. Come to any or all of these three actions, (and bring friends/carpool!):
- 5 – 6 pm – A presence with signs at the Board’s Vision 2020 Work Session. The public cannot speak at work sessions, but this action is especially important to show we want to stop any last minute changes!!!
- 6:30 – 7 pm – Support our speakers, goals, and impending success at a Rally in front of Van Hoose.
- 7 –8:15 pm – Signs/support at Board Meeting (Speakers must sign in before 7pm). Contact Chris Harmer (502) 468-0487 if you are available to speak.
Contact your JCPS Board member, Board Chair David Jones, Board Strategy Group Chair Lisa Willner, Superintendent Hargens, and Director of Strategy Jonathan Lowe. The general JCPS number is (502) 485-3022. For Board members it is (502) 485-3566.
Here are the individual e-mails:
District 1, Diane Porter porterschoolboard@gmail.com
District 2 and Board Chair, David Jones, Jr david.jonesjr@jefferson.kyschools.us
District 3, Stephanie Horne steph.horne@jefferson.kyschools.us
District 4, Chuck Haddaway chuck.haddaway@jefferson.kyschools.us
District 5, Linda Duncan lindadduncan@live.com
District 6, Lisa Willner lgwillner@gmail.com
District 7, Chris Brady jcps.boe7@jefferson.kyschools.us
Superintendent Donna Hargens donna.hargens@jefferson.kyschools.us
Director of Strategy Jonathan Lowe jonathan.lowe@jefferson.kyschools.us
#DitchThe Gap Coalition asks you—and family, friends, and organizations–to thank JCPS Board members and staff for hearing us, and tell them you strongly support the sections with highlighted changes below in the current draft (33) of the JCPS five-year plan, Vision 2020.
1) Core Values definition of Equity – All students receive an education that gives them what they need to thrive through differentiated supports focused on removing social factors as a predictor of success.
2) Strategy 1.1.7 Eliminate achievement, learning, and opportunity gaps: Establish the elimination of gaps in educational outcomes for students as a fundamental objective of the district
3) While the Board will not vote on the separate indicators/targets document Monday, we also support specific language there as well as an important starting point in measuring gap reduction:
Learning, Growth, and Development–Indicator 3. Closing the Gap – Meet the KDE annual delivery targets for increasing the percentage of GAP students scoring proficient or distinguished, while significantly closing the distance in performance between non-gap and gap students.
