Welcome to the FYI on DEI - winter edition. This will provide snapshots and updates of the DEI work at DSST Public Schools. The FYI includes an update on our overall DEI department goal, identified success and opportunities for improvement, our commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization and a look ahead to the remainder of the school year and toward 2023-2024.

DEI department goal:

The DEI Department developed a long-range goal that will be measured over time for the next three years. The standard we want to reach is aligned to the network retention metrics where our goal has been to retain 85% of staff, and staff of color retention meets or exceed the network average. The target represents our measure of success to reach our standard for each year.

Standard: We want 85% of staff, students and families express high satisfaction with network DEI work by the end of 2025, with those who identify as African American/Black, Latin/Hispanic, or prefer not to answer scoring at or about the network average.

• Target by year:
  • SY2023 - 65%
  • SY2024 - 75%
  • SY2025 - 85%

We are currently at 69% as a Network (74% in HS and 64% in MS)

DEI Successes:

Our schools continue to work to create safe spaces for students and families where there is a sense of belonging regardless of culture, race, backgrounds and experiences. This is evidenced by the DSST: Byers Lunar New Year event hosted by the student APISA as well as DSST: GVR's Muslim Student Alliance meeting regarding the celebration of religious holidays in our community. The Tri 1 Student Survey was reflective of these efforts. Some highlights include:

• "Students of different cultural backgrounds, religions, races, ethnicities, gender identities and sexual orientations get along well at my school."
  •  93% rated 4 or 5 as Network
    • 91.1% AA/Black
    • 94.9% Latin/Hispanic
    • 95% American Indian
    • 96.7% Native Hawaiian
    • 93.7% White
• "My school has impacted the way I think about others who are different from me.”
  •  89% rated 4 or 5 as Network
    • 89.8% AA/Black
    • 95.3% Asian
    • 89.3% Latin/Hispanic
    • 86.3% Multiracial
    • 93.3% Native Hawaiian
    • 88.6% White 

Growth opportunity:

In the family survey, 74.3% of families rated as a network in the question, “My child feels seen, valued and has a sense of belonging at school,” as a 4 or 5 network-wide. However, only 60% of Indigenous Families and 64% of Multiracial rated this question a 4 or 5.

DEI team plans to connect with student groups in schools, including student affinity groups and work collaboratively with DEI Liaisons to discuss ways for students to get to know others across cultural and other lines of difference via morning meetings and advisories. In partnership with the Home Office, DEI will work with staff via coaching, development and support.

Anti-racist commitment spotlight: recruitment, retention and development:

DSST was recently named "2023 Member of the Year" by the Diverse Charter School Coalition for our work in being diverse by design and our aspirations to become an anti-racist organization. Our anti-racist commitments continue to provide us with opportunities to deepen our commitment as a network to recruitment, retention and development of staff of color and new staff. The Human Resource team has partnered the data team to find numbers that may shed some details on this commitment.

Additionally, we are reviewing how we onboard, mentor, train and develop new team members. Part of this conversation is considering how the New Staff Institute (NSI) - formerly NST and NTT - should better set up our new staff for success. As our work in DEI grows stronger and deeper, we are sure to unearth other inequitable outcomes that must be addressed.

Upcoming Home Office and school initiatives and programs:

• Data Diving with DEI lens (Home Office Data Team) - Third Trimester
• Engaging in Critical Conversations (Home Office Academic Team) - Beginning Feb. 10, 2023
• Engaging our Families of other Marginalized Identities (Community Engagement Managers) - Ongoing (Part 3 is Feb. 27, 2023)
• Montiview MS hosting the Montsoneum  - Month of February
• DSST: GVR Middle School: Black Excellence at the Ranch - Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023
  
• BSA Week at Byers - Feb. 13 - 17, 2023 

Home Office - if you are interested in any of these sessions for your service team or department, reach out to Dr. G. School staff - check with your schools on upcoming student, family and staff events.

Want to buy some DEI merch? Check out some of the options here. All proceeds go towards DEI leadership and professional development as well as potential stipends.

We thank you for joining us in the DEI work at DSST where DEI is a journey not a destination.