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guidelines and to take collective action 3804 (TTY: 800-514-0383). a professional association to
to identify and redress systemic inequity • Research the term ‘disparate strengthen equity policies and
within American public schools. impact’ as a legal concept implementation at the local, state,
essential to civil rights and then and national levels.
Take Action analyze your district’s discipline, • Start an equity book group in your
• Read the 2014 and 2018 ‘Dear performance, and/or placement school. (Pedro Noguera, Geneva
Colleague’ letters and then data. https://projects.propublica. Gay, and Gloria Ladson-Billings)
contact the Department of org/miseducation/state/NJ • Develop an Equity Team in your
Education at ocr@ed.gov or 800- • Become more involved in district. (Solving Disproportion-
421-3481 (TDD: 800-877-8339); NJPSA, NJASA, NJ Network of ality and Achieving Equity by
or the Department of Justice at Superintendents, and work with Eddie Fergus)
education@usdoj.gov or 877-292-

References

Blankstein, Alan M., Noguera, Pedro, and Kelly, Lorena. Excellence Through Equity: Five Principles of Courageous Leadership
to Guide Achievement for Every Student. Alexandria, Va.: ASCD, 2017.
Federal Commission on School Safety. (2018). Final Report of The Federal Commission on School Safety. Washington, D.C.:
Author. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/documents/school-safety/school-safety-report.pdf
Fergus, Edward. Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity: A Leader’s Guide to Using Data to Change Hearts and Minds.
Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin, 2017.
Smith, Dominique, Frey, Nancy, Pumpian, Ian, and Fisher, Douglas. Building Equity: Policies and Practices to Empower All
Learners. Alexandria, Va.: ASCD, 2017.
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2016). 2013–2014 Civil Rights Data Collection: A First Look. Washington,
DC: Author. Retrieved from www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/2013-14-first-look.pdf

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division and U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2014). Dear Col-
league Letter dated January 8, 2014, Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/
colleague-201401-title-vi.html
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division and U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2018). Dear Col-
league Letter dated December 21, 2018, Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/
letters/colleague-201812.pdf
U.S. Government Accountability Office, (2018). K-12 EDUCATION Discipline Disparities for Black Students, Boys, and Students
with Disabilities. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-18-258

About the Authors
Carl Cooper is the K-12 Supervisor of Social Studies in West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional Schools and
serves on the NJPSA Rep Council and Legislative Committee. He previously worked in Montgomery
Township Schools as a social studies and science teacher and as the Co-Director of the district’s
Teaching American History (TAH) federal grant. He has written for Edutopia about instructional practices
and is committed to developing education systems that seek social justice and empower students as
essential members of our democracy. Connect with him on Twitter @CCooperWWP
Dr. David M. Aderhold is the Superintendent of Schools for West Windsor – Plainsboro Regional
School District. Dr. Aderhold is the President of the NJ Network of Superintendents, an executive
committee member of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, a member of the NJSBA Mental Health
Task Force, a member of SEL4NJ, and serves on the NJASA Equity 4 All working group. Dr. David
Aderhold is also an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education at Rider University and a
TED-Ed Innovative Educator. Connect with him on Twitter @david_aderhold

Educational Viewpoints -53- Spring 2019