Vice President Hunt and Trustee Dobies Celebrate the Passage of Equity Policy for Jackson Public Schools to Build Inclusive School Culture

JACKSON, MI — Vice President Shalanda Hunt and Trustee Derek Dobies today celebrated the passage of their proposed Equity Policy, aimed at promoting inclusivity, fairness, and equal opportunities for all students within the Jackson Public Schools district. The policy is a significant step forward in addressing systemic inequities and ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has the resources and support they need to succeed.

The Equity Policy ensures the district focuses long-term planning on closing achievement gaps, addressing disparities in discipline, providing culturally responsive teaching, and promoting mental health and well-being. It will also ensure that students from historically underserved communities have equitable access to resources, extracurricular activities, and other enriching educational opportunities.

“We are committed to creating an environment where every student feels valued and supported,” said Derek DOBIES, who helped spearhead the policy. “This policy is about more than just words; it’s about action and a commitment to this work in perpetuity. We want to ensure that students of all races, genders, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds have the same opportunities to thrive.”

In October of last year, Jackson Public Schools hired the district’s first Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Curriculum. Filling this position demonstrated the long held commitment by the Board to further promote the ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion for the students, staff and families across Jackson. Among other responsibilities, the position provides professional development training for educators to ensure that curriculum aligns with the equitable lens of the district.

Shalanda HUNT, JPS Board Vice President, expressed her excitement over the policy’s adoption, stating,

“This policy is a framework to build a stronger, more equitable school district that lifts everyone up. As a board, we’ve listened to our community, parents, and students, and we believe policies like this will enhance the educational experiences of so many children in our schools. Equity is not a buzzword; it’s a commitment to justice, fairness, and opportunity.”

Hunt also highlighted the importance of accountability, noting that the policy includes mechanisms for measuring annual progress, ensuring transparency, and involving the community in its implementation. She plans to support the administration over the coming months on the specific programs, training, and community engagement efforts to bring the policy to life.

Equity policies are growing more common in Michigan school systems as more and more districts advance important work in this space. Amongst the JPS Board of Education, there has been much conversation over the last year about how it can advance interests in seeing meaningful progress around matters of equity, while giving the administration the discretion to carry out that work in everyday decision making.

The policy was moved and supported by Dobies and Hunt, respectively, and passed on a 4–2 vote at the October 15, 2024 JPS Board of Education meeting. A copy of the final policy is available here.

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