ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Orange County Schools has created the Equity Task Force to address race and educational equity practices in our schools.  The task force is a commitment to transforming our current practices at the district and school level.  The task force will provide direction and support to the Superintendent and his Senior Staff to ensure equity and excellence in each of our schools through the implementation of research-based strategies, with the goal of ensuring academic success and the social and emotional development of each child in Orange County Schools. 

To ensure that diverse and multiple perspectives are represented on the task force, the group will include representation of:

• Families
• Community members
• Higher Education
• Students
• Teachers
• School Administrators
• District Administrators

Based on feedback we have received from our community and an internal analysis, we have developed the following goals and purpose for the task force.

Goals

• Engage diverse voices committed to equity in Orange County Schools and community,
• Analyze the current system and its practices and identify disparate outcomes in education and in all aspects of its administration,
• Collaborate with district leaders to develop recommendations and a plan of action to be presented to the Board of Education that will include policy, procedures, and school support recommendations,
• Remain engaged with Orange County Schools to ensure effective implementation of the agreed upon plan of action, as appropriate.

Purpose

• Collaborate with the Superintendent to make recommendations to the Board of Education to strengthen district policies and procedures related to equity practices and systems;
• Monitor progress and outcomes of recommendations implemented; and,
• Serve as a liaison to the public, communicating the committee’s recommendations and progress.

​The Orange County Department of Education’s programs and activities shall be free from discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, physical or mental disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. 

OCDE is dedicated to the fundamental human values of respect, responsibility, integrity, and professional ethics. Our priority is service to students, schools, districts, families, and community members. We provide a safe, caring, courteous, and professional environment that fosters collaborative work and individual development for our employees. We hold ourselves and each other accountable for the highest level of performance, efficiency, resource management, and professionalism.