DASL is currently supporting schools as they outline opportunities to create positive systemic change and lay the foundation to yield equitable conditions throughout their entire school community. DASL is committed to providing critical support to leaders, teachers, students, administrators, other staff and stakeholders.

For more information, contact Mark Holodick (markh@udel.edu) or David Santore (dsantore@udel.edu)

Equity is achieved when ALL students receive what they need and when they need it so they are college, career, and life ready. As schools and districts seek ways in which to promote equity and access, they must be mindful that current data, gaps, overrepresentation and disproportionality exist in the educational system. The challenge of ensuring educational equity can feel like a daunting one. Data and research show that underserved students are suspended, expelled and drop out at higher rates, and are less likely to have access to effective teaching and challenging curricula. Data also indicates that these students, including certain ethnic minorities and low-income students, attend and complete college at far lower rates than their peers. The path for children of color and other underserved student populations to graduate college, career and life ready is much different than their peers. Thus, we, as leaders, as teachers, and ALL educators must be committed to ensuring equitable decisions, adopting and modifying policies and practices that support students’ learning, and growth to improve outcomes for ALL children. Our focus must shift from how students are underperforming to how students are being underserved. This shift in perspective is also the first step in helping others to develop a moral purpose to ensure equity in education. The Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL) is prepared to support schools and districts through high quality professional learning, targeted support and an action driven agenda. DASL staff have significant and meaningful experience in equity planning and activities, analyzing data for causes of identified gaps in achievement, opportunity and access and ultimately, outcomes.