The Livingston school district’s assistant superintendent for equity, Lisa Steiger, presented campus data points to the Board of Education on Tuesday, February 7. The research is derived from Livingston Public School (LPS) students and parents, and focuses on equity, inclusion and anti-racism.
Steiger explained that she and her colleagues are building equity and inclusion through a structured system, which segments the work into four components: community and culture; curriculum; professional development; and student engagement. During the summer of2020, members of the Black Student Union at Livingston High School had raised concerns to Steiger, which she says was critical in expanding the district’s equity division.
“We did a lot of listening that summer,” Steiger said. “Students were saying that they didn’t feel like they saw themselves on the text that they were reading, they didn’t feel like we were allowing broader perspectives in the curriculum, and that they didn’t feel like they had a voice in school ... [or] understood, valued and respected.”
Since then, the equity team has expanded its line of communication for transparency to run among staff, students and parents. In October of last year, LP S adopted titles for equity coaches and equity student advisers. Equity coach training occurs monthly with focuses on implicit bias, identity, and examining available building and district data.
Each classroom library has reportedly obtained a larger number of diverse texts across elementary, middle and high schools, in which English Language Arts (ELA) teachers engage students. The social studies department is now diversifying its lessons, forming a vertical articulation team, according to Steiger.
The equity team has met with AAPI researchers Kelly Lan, Kani Ilangovan of Make Us Visible, and groups the Delaware Tribe and Garden State Equality. Steiger says the group is in the process of conducting interviews for an outsourced partner to help close any educational gaps at LPS.
About 2,800 students in grades five through 12 responded to a survey on LPS campus culture and curriculum. Students responded positively to multicultural celebrations at the school and saw an increase of diversity in curricula. At the same time, students thematically reported that “their peers are not always kind and respectful.” Steiger noted that the district has enforced tiered levels of intervention.
Three public comments were made in response to the equity presentation.
Katie Quillen, a staff member at Mt. Pleasant Middle School, explained that a vice president position at the middle school could allay conflict between students and help “create an overall appropriate climate.”
Navana Porter, a parent of two children enrolled in the district, expressed a need for more parent involvement with the equity team as well as an increase of “hands-on” activity.
“When [children] get to sixth, seventh, eighth grade and up, they’re mean. Children are mean to each other,” Porter said. “And I don’t believe that the training that’s being done or implemented is actually doing anything at all … I need to see some of those changes for my child.”
Libby Barak spoke to the lack of school accommodations for neurodiverse students, especially in after-school settings such as club involvement and social dances.
“I mean, they’re not leaders right now. They’re the minority,” Barak said. “We need to give them a voice and it’s not by telling them to stand up. It’s by coming to them.”
District Goals
Superintendent Matthew Block’s presentation of mid-year LPS goals and its standing processes coincide with that of the equity team. These goals were adopted in November of last year and aligns with the 2022-27 Strategic Plan, which was established in October.
District goals are areas of priority for Board members and the administration, who have joined together in developing five objectives for the year: safety and wellness; teaching and learning; leadership and governance; community and culture; and finance and facilities.
In addition to morning meetings at the elementary schools, the district is offering drop-in hours for counseling. Several staff members received certification as trainers for youth and/ or teen mental health first aid during the fall. Students in tenth grade completed a teen mental health first aid training, as well. The district is in the process of assembling a mental health advisory panel for this spring. According to Block, “potential members have been identified and recommended.”
Board member Parul Khemka suggested that there be diversity on the panel when composing its members.
A new district-wide instructional framework focuses on “common language of instruction, authentic assessment, and a real-world context.” Block attributed this to the rollout of the Portrait of a Graduate program.
The district is in the early stages of implementing a web-based curriculum writing software, which will act as an interactive blueprint for curriculum taught at LPS. Board members and administrators are researching instructional models, although Block said implementation teams are meeting and inclusive committees will be formed. He saw this moving into its next phase during the spring or summer.
“Some things we’ve learned from common assessment data is that there are skills that need to be taught. We’ve identified students that need intervention, but overall, what we’ve discovered is the majority of our students are on level and going strong,” Block said. “But we need to invest in the students who need additional support, and we’re adding opportunities for extra help.”
Effective fall 2023, LPS will partner with the College of New Jersey to give teachers access to Teacher Leader and Administration Certification programs. This will allow teachers an opportunity to take on leadership roles within the school.
“From our exit interviews, we are hearing a lot from staff about family and personal concerns that draw them potentially to districts at home or to less time consuming jobs,” Block said. “And there are some teachers that certainly have told us about the pressures that they feel … [as] educators right now.”
A teacher-to-teacher “buddy program” is in the process of being created, as well as staff-focused wellness events.
The district is also looking to adopt changes to school resources as diversity in population increases. Next year, Livingston High School will add AP African-American Studies to its course catalog.
In engaging with the equity audit, the district hopes to coordinate with the town in developing an event for its “Welcome to Livingston” program, designed for culturally diverse families.
There may also be minor construction done at the high school to create space for new programs. Details of short-term and long-term facility expansion plans will be shared with the Board and town.
