Focusing on Equity in
Fremont Unified
The achievement gap is pervasive and well-documented, so it takes courage and determination to address the issues of race and equity in a school district. "At Fremont Unified, there's a real recognition of the equity issues and the need to close the achievement gap and have open, honest discussions about race and about equity," stated Superintendent Milt Werner.
Fremont has a record of strong performance, but Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Parvin Ahmadi, acknowledged that "we have schools that are high-performing and have lots and lots of students who are proficient and advanced. In those same schools, however, we have students who are under-performing." Integrating best practices taht focus on rasing achievement and narrowing the achievement gap for these students became the focus of Fremont's work with Pivot Learning Partners. As Ahmadi explained, "The more and more we worked with [Pivot Learning] on this, the more the issue of equity resurfaced." Said Werner, "When you bring in a group of professionals who have the background and expertise, it lends a whote other level to what you are doing."
| "There's a real recognition of the equity issues and the need to close the achievement gap." |
Beginning the dialogue was the first step; incorporating best practices across all levels of the districts was the next. Starting with the district office, Pivot Learning Partners began "meeting with us, advising us and coaching us," said Werner. "Then we made a decision to move it into the schools and for [Pivot Learning] to do work with site principals and and at principal meetings — ultimately getting it down to the classroom level."
With the support of Pivot Learning coaches, Fremont has been able to "really get our principals on board, and from there to get their teachers on board," Ahmadi remarked. "You can talk to any teacher now, and they know that student achievement is our number one goal and we have to prepare all students to go to college." With 32,000 students, the district's work has only just begun, but it is committed to seeing it through. "To be honest i don't know where we're going to go, but we have to do it," said Werner. "We're going to achieve equity for all kids and close the achievement gaps. That's what we going to do."