The coalition is engaged in multiple strategies to compel the school district to articulate a specific measureable plan to end the achievement gap and build race equity and access practices and outcomes throughout the district. In short, we want to help build a culture where race no longer defines success and our namesake “Vibrancy” is an established fact at every school in the Tacoma District.
We are building our social and media presence through guest opinions, and plan to launch a policy and action newsletter in 2016. We are also attending EVERY school board meeting usually held on alternate Thursdays to assess district progress and to invite the community to engage with the district when action is necessary.
Recently Vibrant Schools launched a story gathering quarterly event to welcome youth and community voice, especially around issues of race and education and some of these tellers will eventually offer testimony at future school board meetings.
In the future the coalition may introduce a new Undoing Institutional Racism training to a new cohort of grassroots leaders and we would like one of those cohorts to be made up of students.
Finally, Vibrant Schools is in dialogue with several community partners including The Race and Pedagogy Institute at UPS and others to examine policy, data and practice to offer the school district fact driven input as to what will be necessary to end the achievement gap in Tacoma once and for all.
Whether you are a parent, a community member or a youth we invite you to join our coalition so that we can work together to move the dial and make school a vibrant place for every student.
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