In 2005, the ICSD’s Equity Strategic Plan articulated four compelling reasons why community involvement is a key factor in closing the education gap:

• Many problems related to educational equity are beyond the scope and resources of the school district
• Schools cannot affect children’s lives beyond the school day without an active partnership with the community
• The school district cannot develop and implement an effective equity strategy without the perspective and insights of the broader community
• Many people and organizations in the community are committed to the equity goal, but the work they do in support of it, in partnership with the schools, is not as well coordinated and consistent as it could be

The Plan went on to say that “achieving educational equity is a goal that requires the support, strategies, and resources of the whole community. A partnership between the school district and the community makes achievement of this goal possible.”  The Equity and Inclusion Leadership Council (EILC) was formed to allow that partnership to flourish.

The EILC is an autonomous liaison between the ICSD and community groups, whose mission is to help the district achieve its equity goal.  According to its mission statement, the EILC will function by “monitoring, assessing, and guiding district and community equity efforts, and by initiating proposals that reflect the needs, perspectives and insights of the community."
 
The EILC was formed in late 2007 by Superintendent Judith Pastel during the implementation phase of the Equity Strategic Plan.  Dr. Pastel invited various individuals and community groups to be represented on the new Council, including The Village at Ithaca, the Ithaca Youth Bureau, GIAC, Southside Community Center, ACTION, the Latino Civic Association, the Asian American Association, the Ithaca Council of PTAs, Cornell’s American Indian Program, city and county agencies, civic and religious associations, the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), Family & Children’s Service, law enforcement, Cornell University, and Ithaca College.  Joining these community representatives are ICSD staff and administrators, and several members of the ICSD Board of Education.

Early Council meetings were devoted to formulating strategies for working together, defining the group’s mission, developing a greater understanding of the notions of equity and disproportionality, and understanding how the District is addressing the priority elements of the Equity Strategic Plan.

Complementing its role as a liaison between the district and community groups, the EILC and its members provide an important institutional memory of equity issues within the district, which has experienced significant turnover—from building principals, to directors, to every assistant superintendent position within the last two years.  The district’s Board of Education similarly undergoes frequent change, with only two members of the current BOE having more than three years of Board experience, underscoring the importance of the EILC’s ability to offer a historical context for current equity work.
 
This spring the EILC focused on developing budget recommendations for the ICSD in time for district budget discussions. Because the budget directly impacts the implementation of the equity goals, individuals believed it was important to address equity-related budget needs. As one committee member put it, individual concerns and specific agenda items had to be deferred until the budget work was done. This demonstrates the commitment of EILC members to work together over the long haul “until we achieve (and maintain) equity”.  While some of its recommendations were funded by the BOE, the EILC nevertheless faces challenges working with the District and the BOE, both in terms of commitment to a common vision and a shared understanding of the EILC’s role. 

Over the summer months Dr. Pastel has actively solicited input from the community through the EILC: first, on proposed changes to current administrative structure, and second, regarding job descriptions for the now-vacant Human Resource Specialist and Bias Prevention Officer positions.  To the EILC, this is evidence of movement toward a more inclusive process on the part of district administration.  As our working relationship with the District matures, we hope to see the District inform and involve the EILC as early as possible about initiatives that aim to address the education gap.

Although there is much work to be done, the Equity and Inclusion Leadership Council is committed to the work that lies ahead in ensuring equity for all students in the district. The perspectives, support, and resources of the entire community will be required in order to achieve this goal, but the work of the EILC and its growing collaboration with district administration signals movement in the right direction.

Susan Piliero is on the Board of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative.  Steve Cariddi is on the Board of the Village at Ithaca. Both represent their organizations on the Equity and Inclusion Leadership Council.