The GRPS Cultural Landscape GRPS Office of Equity and Inclusion

We Welcome You!

Our Cultural Landscape

Background

Nationally, the U.S. population is becoming more racially/ethnically diverse. Source: Pew Research Center, http://www.pewresearch.org/next-america 3% 5% 6% 31%

This majority-minority trend is reflected in Kent County, Michigan census data and Grand Rapids Public Schools student demographics. Sources: (see below) Kent County, 2011-2016 Asian: 2.3% to 2.9% Black: 9.7% to 10.5% Hispanic: 9.7% to 10.3% White: 76.0% to 74.6% Foreign-Born: 7.5% to 7.6% GRPS, 2011-2016 Asian: 1.3% to 1.2% Black: 36.8% to 32.2% Hispanic: 32.0% to 36.5% White: 22.6% to 23.1% Foreign-Born: 6.3% to 6.8% Source: U.S. Census Bureau State & County QuickFacts website, http://quickfacts.census.gov Source: MISchoolData website, http://www.mischooldata.org & Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Information System

Student Data Snapshot

2015-16 Student Data Snapshot Source: MISchoolData, http://www.mischooldata.org Race/Ethnicity Sex ELL IEP Economically Disadvantaged Homeless

Who are the foreign-born students we serve?

Our foreign-born student population includes newcomers (first- and second-generation immigrants), migrants, and refugees. Source: Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Information System Middle East & North Africa, Percentage by Region 3.90% North America (excludes U.S.), Europe, 1.70% Caribbean, Central America, South America, 30.20% 2016 Foreign-Born Population Africa, 28.10% Oceania, 0.20% 23.80% Russian Federation & Central Asia, 0.80% South Asia, 1.50% Asia, 9.70%

How has the foreign-born student population changed over time?

2000 2005 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Information System Each dot indicates that GRPS students came from that country

2010 to 2016 Source: Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Information System 2010 2016

How has the foreign-born student population changed since 2011?

There has been a shift in the world regions where our foreign-born students originate - fewer are coming from North America and more are coming from Africa, Asia, the Middle East & North Africa. Source: Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Information System Region 2011 Percentage of foreign-born 2016 Percentage of foreign-born Change Percentage points Africa 14.9% 28.1% +13.2 Asia 6.2% 9.7% +3.5 Caribbean, Central America, South America 25.1% 30.2% +5.1 Europe 1.9% 1.7% -0.2 Middle East & North Africa North America (excludes U.S.) 2.1% 3.9% +1.8 48.5% 23.8% -24.7 Oceania 0.1% 0.2% +0.1 Russian Federation & Central Asia 0.4% 0.8% +0.4 South Asia 0.8% 1.5% +0.7

What are the characteristics of our foreign-born student population today?

The foreign-born student population is diverse, which has impacted the percentage of English language learners in our schools. Sources: MISchoolData, http://www.mischooldata.org& Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Information System different countries represented among our student body English Language Learners Percentage of All Students 21.5%21.0% 22.7%23.4%23.4%25.2% different languages spoken 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Languages spoken across the district reflect the shift in the foreign-born population from Spanish-speaking countries to African, Asian, and Middle Eastern languages. Sources: Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Information System Primary Language English, 69.8% Spanish, 26.1% Top 5 Other Languages Ranked by number of students listing as primary language 1. Kinyarwanda (153) 2. Somali (119) 3. Swahili (85) 4. Arabic (67) 5. Vietnamese (56) All Other Language s, 4.1%

The mission of GRPS is to ensure that ALL students are educated, productive and self-directed members of society.

Office of Equity and Inclusion Mission To ensure that ALL GRPS students are educated, productive and self-directed members of society by ensuring access to an equitable education experience that celebrates and capitalizes on the diversity of our students, staff and community.

Office of Equity and Inclusion Vision To accomplish this mission, we strive To become a model school district where equity and inclusion are infused in every aspect of our district landscape for all students and staff To become an organization where biases are recognized and challenged to create a supportive and inclusive environment so barriers to success are removed To be a community in which our diversity is understood, valued, and respected by all

Focus Areas Our department will focus on four key areas to support our work: Curriculum Parental Involvement Staffing Professional Learning

To know and connect the actual lived experience, personhood and learning modalities of the students who are in our classrooms. Content Know practice Teacher Student

We embrace All children, ALL communities we embrace our Diversity We are forever and inextricably one and united in our humanness, and at the same time unavoidably and irreconcilably other. I am simultaneously you and notyou, as you are both me and not-me. Together we are the dance of unity and diversity. Gary Howard Speaking of Difference: Reflections on the Possibility of Culturally Competent Conversation

References Howard, G. (2003). Speaking of difference: Reflections on the possibility of culturally competent conversation. New Horizons for Learning Online Journal,9(2). Howard, G. R. (2007). As diversity grows, so must we. Educational Leadership, 64(6), 16. Villegas, A. M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Preparing culturally responsive teachers rethinking the curriculum. Journal of teacher education, 53(1), 20-32. Howard, G. R. (2006). We can't teach what we don't know: White teachers, multiracial schools. Teachers College Press.