Partnering with equity-focused committees and agencies is one way AWSP focuses on educational justice for historically underserved populations. 

On Tuesday, Director of Government Relations, Roz Thompson and I traveled to Renton for a meeting of the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversite and Accountability Committee (EOGOAC).

A highly influential group of decision-makers, the EOGOAC’s mission is to address the opportunity gap in Washington state.

Reacting to a report provided by OSPI, they voiced concerns about how best to ensure achievement data is available and usable at the district, school and community level. They also gave specific feedback about an initial draft-proposal from OSPI and the State Board of Directors for a newly revamped school recognition system.  The proposal includes a number of important conceptual ideas including:

• Establishing a shared understanding of values they want to bring into a new recognition system.
• Creating a system of recognition that mirrors the breadth and depth of perspective featured in the new ESSA accountability requirements.
• Acknowledging and naming the institutional racism and bias in our existing system in order to design a system that recognizes our schools and communities as assets.

Out of the box thinking and bold steps are needed to call out inequity and have in-depth conversations about race. Doing so in partnership with OSPI, the State Board of Education and the EOGOAC will continue to be a priority for AWSP.

Learn more about the EOGOAC by visiting their website.

Learn More