Equity leadership team sets next priorities: translation, data review, Lincoln climate and special education

District leaders and the District Equity Leadership Team (DELT) co‑facilitators presented an annual update on equity‑related work and recommended next priorities for the coming year.

The update summarized four priorities addressed this year: expanding translation and family access to information (including ParentSquare and Pocketalk tools), developing a glossary of equity‑related terms, reviewing student academic and behavioral data, and improving climate and culture at Lincoln Middle School. The presenters said translation work helped families access school information and that the Illinois State Board of Education is auditing the district’s multilingual programs.

Why it matters: DELT’s work touches student access to services and school climate, and the team identified special education and student safety as the next focal areas. Trustees asked for clearer success measures and outcome tracking beyond task completion.

Trustee discussion and measurement: Board member Chris asked how DELT will measure whether actions lead to desired outcomes. Presenters acknowledged some items are easier to quantify (for example, ParentSquare rollout and glossary completion) while others—behavioral data and climate work—require ongoing systems and recurring review. The presenters noted that the original equity audit found about 95% of responding students reported feeling safe, but they recommended revisiting more recent building data before setting specific targets.

Next steps: DELT will re‑examine current data, define narrower focus questions for special education and safety, and return with metrics and progress updates. Several trustees urged DELT to tie tasks to measurable outcomes similar to the district strategic‑plan approach.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A with Dr. Vonderhaar and Sarah Dabrowski during the May 20 board meeting.