Equity Analysis Tool for Decision Making (Procedure)

Purpose:

This tool is designed to engage all those involved in WSSB’s decision making process to learn, reflect and respond to ways in which race and equity have an impact on areas of instruction, programming, staffing, funding, and policy.  Members of WSSB’s community should strive to improve equity, including anti-racist and anti-ableism practices, through all our activities and choices.  The use of this tool is encouraged in any decisions that impact students, staff, and families WSSB serves.

Before A Decision

Section A:  Pause and examine YOU – Who are you?  (As an individual and as a decision-making team)

1. Who is involved in making a decision?  Who is at the table right now making this decision? What is your racial composition?
2. What dimensions of diversity beyond race (gender, class, sexuality, gender identity, culture, age, ability, immigrant status, etc.) are represented here?  Who is not?
3. Based on our group membership, what inherent biases do we bring to the table?
4. What institutional power within the organization do we have?  What powers do we not have?

Section B: Who is affected?

1. What is the racial composition of the impacted groups? Who is affected?
2. If known, what is the existing racial disparity we are trying to address?  What is the data source?
3. What dimensions beyond race (gender class sexuality, gender identity, culture, age, ability, immigrant status, etc.) are in the impacted group?
4. What are the power dynamics or disparities between YOU and those affected?
5. In which ways is the impacted group involved in the decision-making process? Why was that method selected?

Section C: What are the impacts?

1. How will the decision of this group advance equity in our system?
2. What evaluation tools and measures do we need to determine the impacts of our decision?
3. In what ways could the decision fail to advance equity?
4. What are the necessary resource to make this an equitable decision?
5. What are the potential challenges, structural barriers, or unexpected hidden aspects?

After the implementation of the decision: reflection:

Section D: What do you think happened?

1. Did you succeed in advancing equity?  To what degree?  How do you know? (What evaluation tools and measures were used to determine the impacts of our decision?). If no, what steps are we taking to ensure equity is still achieved?
2. Who helped you in ways you did not expect?
3. What are the unintended consequences, positive or negative?
4. How have we invited authentic feedback (especially from those most impacted) on our process and outcomes?

Summary of Findings (accountability)

Next Steps:

Adapted from Shoreline Public Schools Race & Equity Impact Decision-Making Tool

WSSB’s Equity Analysis Tool for Decision-Making is in support of WSSB’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy.