Carlsbad Unified strives to ensure that every student feels safe and welcome in our schools and that every student has the opportunity to achieve at high levels.
The Forward Together Dashboard provides a tracker of our progress in each area.
Carlsbad Unified School District’s full Board-adopted plan is available to view on the Forward Together homepage or download as a PDF: English | Español
Not Started | In Progress | Completed/On Track |
Prepare students and graduates for diverse and inclusive environments by fostering the development of trusted relationships with staff and the community.
Success Indicators:
1.1 | By April 15, 2023, send a survey on topics related to DEIB to all students in grades 6-12, parents, and staff and post it on the CUSD website. |
1.2 | By June 1, 2023, hold townhall-type meetings at three sites to present the findings from the survey and solicit feedback; we’ll invite parents, students, and staff, as well as the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, the Carlsbad Educational Foundation, and faith-based groups to attend. |
1.3 | Develop district- and site-based advisory committees to engage in meaningful conversations, collect feedback, share information, and communicate progress toward goals and success indicators. |
Action Items:
1.1 | Develop/deliver and compile results for an annual DEIB survey to be sent to students, staff, and parents. Establish baseline results for comparison in future years. | Year 1 (2023) | |||
1.2 | Hold "Listening and Learning Sessions" on May 23 at three locations - Buena Vista Elementary School, Kelly Elementary School, and Poinsettia Elementary School. Advertise the events via website, flyers, and email communications. | Year 1 (2023) | |||
1.3 | Form a district-wide DEIB advisory committee that will meet three times per year to discuss progress toward the goals and targets in the strategic plan. The advisory committee will be composed of students, parents and staff. Recommendations from the committee will be reported back to the CUSD Board of Trustees annually. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
1.4 | Develop a No Place for Hate Committee, (NPFH). NPFH committees will include student and staff representatives from each school site. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
1.5 | Develop and maintain a robust website with resources and information regarding CUSD’s DEIB Plan and initiatives. The website will contain a dashboard with progress monitoring for each goal and success indicator. | Year 2 (2025) |
Empower CUSD education professionals to create safe and inclusive learning environments that allow for unique backgrounds, cultures and shared experiences to fuel a growth mindset.
Success Indicators:
2.1 | Provide training and professional development for all staff, to be informed by the results of the survey and townhall-type meetings. |
2.2 | Explore and identify potential barriers for student success that lead to disproportionality of grades (secondary and elementary) for specific student groups, and identify ways to overcome those barriers. |
2.3 | Adopt, and use existing, texts and other curriculum materials that include diversity of authors and perspectives. Annually evaluate and/or expand course offerings that include high interest and diverse perspectives. |
Action Items:
2.1 | Implement No Place for Hate training for all staff members, including topics such as bias, bullying and inclusion. This will include several training sessions over the course of the school year. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.2 | Continue to implement Harmony training for all TK-5 teachers to ensure consistent implementation of the district's social-emotional learning program for elementary students. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.3 | Encourage expanded staff attendance at workshops and conferences, such as the SDCOE Equity Conference. Work with teachers and other support staff to identify additional trainings and workshops in Southern California with an emphasis on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging topics. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.4 | Provide annual Summer Institute professional development opportunities for teachers on topics such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Multi Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.5 | Create a planning committee of teachers and administrators to identify strategies for teaching students to engage in civil discourse in and out of the classroom. The Civil Discourse committee will also identify training and support opportunities for teachers. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.6 | Create teacher and student panels to review policies, procedures, & practices to identify trends (including homework, grading, assessment, attendance, and instructional strategies). The panels will identify barriers to student success and strategies to overcome those barriers. | Year 2 (2025) | |||
2.7 | Revise and implement Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) so that all teachers and support staff clearly understand and are able to facilitate Tier I supports for students. Tier 1 intervention lists and a toolkit for teachers will be revised/expanded. | Year 1 (2024) | 2.8 | Review and evaluate current common assessments and writing rubrics through the lens of universal access and Tier 1 support. Utilize grade level meetings and subject area teams to modify as needed. | Year 1 (2024) |
2.9 | Review student transcripts for disparate course access and/or outcomes, and identify ways to improve access and/or outcomes based on identified gaps. | Year 2 (2025) | |||
2.10 | Continue to evaluate novels in use to ensure titles represent diverse authors and perspectives and align with California Content Standards. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.11 | Create and administer an annual survey of students in grades 6-12 regarding course offerings and classes based on interests. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.12 | Develop a high school ethnic studies course to meet the California state requirement for implementation no later than the 2025-26 school year. Planning and development in Year 1. Pilot the course in Year 2. Full implementation in Year 3. |
Years 1-3 ('24-'26) | |||
2.13 | Receive Board direction on the development of an ad hoc advisory (not decision making) curriculum committee to provide input in advance of the development of the future Ethnic Studies course. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.14 | Continue the review and alignment of the California history/social studies framework and evaluate curriculum materials for a new adoption. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
2.15 | Evaluate teaching practices regarding student voice and choice in classroom activities. | Year 2 (2025) |
Build structures that incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Success Indicators:
3.1 | Develop structures to ensure CUSD sites are safe and welcoming for all, including training for all students regarding building a learning community of inclusivity, respect and equity. |
3.2 | Reduce harassment/bullying (including racial epithets and hate motivated speech) by 10% from baseline. |
3.3 | Expand efforts to recruit and retain diverse staff that better reflect the demographics of CUSD students. |
3.4 | Close academic performance gaps for student groups in SBAC/CAST performance, A-G completion rates, and the percentage of high school students in advanced, honors, and community college classes. |
Action Items:
3.1 | Review and update (as needed) Board Policies addressing topics such as (but not limited to) nondiscrimination, harassment, uniform complaints, and school discipline. Explore new policies recommended by CSBA, such as Sample Board Policy 0415: Equity. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.2 | Provide training to designated staff members at every school site on restorative practices. | Year 2 (2025) | |||
3.3 | Explore schoolwide programs, such as Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies (PBIS), at every school site. | Year 3 (2026) | |||
3.4 | Evaluate school and district facilities to ensure equitable, accessible, and safe campuses for all students. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.5 | Implement No Place For Hate (NPFH) at all 16 schools in CUSD. Each year schools will maintain “No Place for Hate Status.” Schools will implement three NPFH activities annually. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.6 | Establish a baseline for harassment/bullying (including racial epithets and hate motivated speech) in an annual survey for students grades in grades 3 through 12. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.7 | Develop and facilitate discussions with panels of students in grades six through twelve that represent our diverse demographics to communicate their experiences to staff and make annual recommendations for schoolwide improvement. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.8 | Continue to implement Harmony lessons for all TK-5 students and ensure consistent implementation of the district's social-emotional learning program in elementary schools. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.9 | Continue to implement positive school climate programs like Red Ribbon Week, the Great Kindness Challenge, and Inclusion Days, and continue to support positive community-facing programs for students like the CUSD Champions and monthly YES meetings. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.10 | Identify underrepresented groups by employment classification; compare demographic trends in student population, staff population, and data from regional teacher preparation programs. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.11 | Analyze current marketing and recruitment practices, including agreements with colleges and universities for student teachers. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.12 | Add the phrase “CUSD aspires for our staff to reflect the rich diversity of our students” to all of our recruitment materials. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.13 | Analyze current staff retention practices, particularly for underrepresented groups. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.14 | Develop updated recruitment and retention strategies to address identified gaps | Year 2 (2025) | 3.15 | Expand ELA and Math summer bridge courses to increase student participation in higher level courses. | Year 1 (2024) |
3.16 | Partner with MiraCosta College to present student options at the community college level; presentations can be offered to families at Parent University sessions, DELAC meetings, family information nights; and to students during advisory and/or other classes. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.17 | Continue to implement the district's Career Pathways Strategic Plan to increase the diversity of students in Career Pathways courses, leading to successful high school outcomes and community college opportunities. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.18 | Maintain additional staffing/sections specifically for intervention in grades TK-12 for students in need of additional academic support. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.19 | Continue to utilize Bilingual Community Liaisons to communicate with families/students regarding academic progress and available supports and interventions. | Year 1 (2024) | |||
3.20 | Implement academic interventions in grade TK-5 for students not meeting grade level standards in English Language Arts, Math, and Science. | Year 1 (2024) |
Administer an annual DEIB survey | |||
Hold Listening and Learning Sessions | |||
Form a district-wide DEIB advisory committee | |||
Establish a No Place for Hate Committee* | |||
Develop and maintain a robust DEIB wesbite |
Provide No Place for Hate training to all staff members | |||
Continue to implement Harmony training | |||
Expand staff attendance at equity workshops and conferences | |||
Provide summer professional development opportunities | |||
Teach students to engage in civil discourse |
Review and update school board policies | |||
Train staff members on restorative practices | |||
Explore schoolwide inclusivity programs | |||
Evaluate safety and accessibility of school facilities | |||
Put No Place for Hate into practice at all 16 school sites |