Midland Public Schools releases findings from equity audit
MIDLAND, Mich. — The results of an equity audit conducted for Midland Public Schools by a third party organization – Insight Education Group – were revealed at the March 21 board of education meeting.
De’Ondre Hogan, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), presented key findings from the audit, which largely looks at curriculum and instruction. Positive areas that were highlighted include the district’s commitment to equity, professional learning and personal growth, as well as its curriculum. The full 46-page report has been published on the MPS website.
Mr. Hogan told the City Paper in an interview that the district selected Insight to conduct the equity audit after a lengthy process of screening and narrowing down proposals from 18 organizations.
From there, Mr. Hogan and Penny Miller-Nelson acted as the primary liaison with Insight, working on a schedule for the audit and working to disperse surveys to M.P.S. stakeholders (faculty, staff, administrators, and students).
“We worked very closely with [Insight], in determining all that – building out that cadence and creating all those schedules, and after all the data collection, worked with them in helping us interpret the equity audit results,” Mr. Hogan said.
Among the areas needing improvement are having a comprehensive strategic plan, more effort to employ staff of color, and more parent involvement in planning initiatives.
Mr. Hogan told the City Paper that he feels the district’s lack of a clear definition of equity reflects heavily on his role. He also noted that there are several positives.
“We already have a good foundation where families feel comfortable interacting with teachers and principals,” Mr. Hogan said, adding that diversifying talent pools will be a challenge going forward.
Mr. Hogan also remarked that teachers feel they have access to different learning resources and opportunities and that more than 90% of students feel that they have opportunities to participate in class.
The game plan, as Mr. Hogan told the City Paper, is to follow the recommendations provided by Insight Education, identifying an equity framework and creating metrics.
“It won’t be treated as another thing that we have to do; it will just be ingrained in the fabric of how we operate. Once we get more practice at doing that – practice at having conversations, practice at being inuncomfortable spaces, the better we will be,” Mr. Hogan said.
10 community members signed up for public comment at that meeting. A few of them commended the district for their work in getting the findings from the audit. A few of the comments referred to the Alphabet Safe Space Club – a middle school group focused on introducing LGBTQ issues – which received criticism from parents at the Feb. 28 meeting.
One of the parents thanked the school for providing a safe space. Another argued that the district’s Alphabet Safe Space Club mirrors the objective of Dow Chemical’s GLAD employee resource group in representing LGBTQ individuals, and that as an area employer, Dow is an example that M.P.S. should follow.
Previous criticism about the Safe Space Club revolved around students being invited to an after-school event at the club without parents knowing in advance what the club was.
“The group is there to support students, and – not to get into too much detail – practices going forward will include more robust notification of group events and such that are going on,” Mr. Hogan told the City Paper.
Mr. Hogan clarified that parent permission slips are required for students to participate in after-school club events.
Hogan was hired by MPS in early 2021 as the district’s first full-time DEI director. Over the past few years, the district developed a Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, adopted an Inclusion and Diversity vision statement, and created the Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Council consisting of parents, students and staff. Hogan was hired to help the district continue to move forward with these actions.
The vision statement reads: “Lead with respect, trust and courage. Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture. Enable all to achieve success.”
Michael Piwowarski covers education, including higher ed and Midland Public Schools, for the City Paper.