Defining Diversity
The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. Recognizing our commonalities as well as the richness of our differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.
Diversity is a leadership strategy that addresses systemic barriers to academic access and educational equity.
Research has shown that a strong correlation exists between diversity and how it is addressed in an educational environment and student performance.
Diversity also implies a clear grasp of demographic change and a willingness by leadership to examine the following:
- Achievement and learning gains
- Climate and culture of schools
- Diversity component of school improvement plans
- Attitudes and expectations of teachers and instructional leadership
- Perceptions of minority students and staff
- Parent and community involvement
- Multicultural Competency and Diversity Awareness of educators
Role of the Senior Director
The Senior Director acts as both a policy advisor and active facilitator of initiatives designed to foster collaboration, impact academic performance, ensure inclusion, and address issues of equity. The diversity component of various district activities are monitored to improve the education and advancement of ALL students.
Current Diversity Initiatives
- Implemented a learning-focused initiative to close the achievement gap between white, black, and Hispanic students
- Diversity Effectiveness Training provided for Senior Staff, Human Resources, various district departments, teachers, and administrators
- Developed a strong Diversity Council with community-based leadership, churches and district staff
- Initiated a Parent Engagement Pilot Program in schools to increase parent engagement
- Improved recruitment of minority and bi-lingual teachers and administrators
- Promoted district-wide awareness of multi-cultural events and cultural heritage programs
- Increased efforts to ensure that minority students have access to Advanced Placement classes and I.B. Schools
- Assist the Office of Equity on Diversity issues
For further information on the Office of Equity, please contact Carol Wynn-Green: (863) 534-0513.
Activities and Accomplishments of Diversity Office
- Recruited 100 mentors to help low achieving students
- Diversity training for over 95% of Principals and Assistant Principals
- Mediate and facilitate employee conflict situations
- Created and managed the Parent Engagement Program that serves 275 students and over 400 parents
- Took the initiative to revive the Boys of Color grant and recruited 82 mentors, trained over 60 teachers, program in 7 elementary schools
- Developed our own curriculum for Teaching Diversity Awareness to teachers
- Became a strong advocate for taking over Head Start and giving preschoolers a jump start
- Developed a Diversity Council with citizens from various cultural backgrounds to provide input
- Implemented a Motivational Tour for schools with tough hard to reach students
- Advocated for a teacher academy to inspire minority high school students
- Dramatically increased the number of students participating in the Martin Luther King Essay
- Created the first teacher essay contest on Effective Diversity Practices in the Classroom
- Serve on the ESOL Advisory Committee and Salary Classification Committee
- Cited by the Education Development Center Inc. as an office that has a lot to offer schools and community
- Respond to school with issues and diversity training needs
- Serve as point person for district with various community groups NAACP, CRAC, Concerned Citizens, P.E.A.C.E. and LULAC
- Helped African American teachers re-establish Polk Alliance for Black Educators
- Currently working on a grant with USF to recruit minority males at elementary schools
- Currently working on training tutorial based on the best practices of Boys of Color classrooms
- Assist schools and HR on federal reporting of race and ethnicity
- Responsible for the Diversity review of all new Charter School applicants
- Recently completed a mediation with food service workers having cultural conflict
- Advocate for images in books and curriculum that reflect a multicultural student body
- Served on Committee wrestling with issues of overage students at elementary and middle school
- Provided diversity training for all middle and high school deans
- Advocate for greater access by minorities to AP, Honor, Gifted And IB classes
- Advocate for HR letter reminding schools of their lack of diversity on teaching staff
- Monitor disaggregated data and the challenges of low performing students
- Serve as a story teller and motivational speaker for Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month
- Serve as a senior advisor to the Superintendent
- Serve on the Code of Conduct Committee
Boys of Color
Treatment schools
- Alta Vista Elementary
- Auburndale Central Elementary
- Blake Academy
- Crystal Lake Elementary
- Palmetto Elementary
- Wahneta Elementary
- Winston Elementary
Control schools
- Eastside Elementary
- Frostproof Elementary
- Gibbons Elementary
- Kingsford Elementary
- Lake Marion Creek Elementary
- Snively Elementary
- Spook Hill Elementary
Summary of Grant Activities
- Number of students mentored – 82
- Number of BOC teachers - 102
- Number of Teacher Professional Development hours – 106 teachers attended 38 professional development sessions at seven intervention schools, averaging 25 hours per teacher
- Number of Polk staff serving on Summer Collaborative Committee – 22
- Number of field trips – 7
- Target group for teacher resource video and Moodle training - all elementary school teachers
- Relationships between teachers and boys of color remained high throughout the grant
Impact on Parenting Practices
Conducted multiple parent engagement opportunities in the native language of BOC (Spanish, Haitian Creole, and English) and coordinated fun boy-friendly programming with regular parent-teacher conferences to increase parent turnout.
- Average of 20 to 30 parents attended workshops. This is an increase of 10 parents from the previous year.
- An average of 27 parents attended seven (7) parent cafes. The topics for the cafes were FCAT prep, Relationships, Data, Literacy, and effective communication.
- 217 parents attended the Tuesday Night Live Program, an increase of.2% over the previous year.
62% of all PAS boys (intervention and control) made growth in reading and between
71 and 73% made growth in math according to their state end of year assessments
Future Plans
Polk plans to continue its development of media friendly teacher professional development to improve the success of boys of color. By November 15, 2011, Polk will begin placing teacher PD on Blackboard/Moodle for ongoing training for all elementary school in the county. Schools will begin to use these TPD sessions during the months of October and November 2011. Feedback and tweaking of the modules will be done by members of the module development team. Also in Polk, University of South Florida Polytechnic Students in Technology, Academia, Research and Services (STARS) will continue to mentee students at Wahneta Elementary for the 2011-12 academic year. The teacher resource modules are a reflection of the teaching experiences of the teachers in the program. It is designed to help other elementary teachers who may be struggling with the challenges of poverty and diversity in the classroom. Twenty two teachers participated in the 2011 Summer Collaborative that produced the 5 modules on academic achievement, inspiring the uninspired learner, managing discipline, parent involvement, and the advantages of single gender boy classes. As part of the content, we have actual footage of classrooms and students in the course of learning. My office felt that the Summer Collaborative was the best response to the requirement for sustainability, beyond the grant years which officially ended July 30, 2011, but was extended to November 30, 2011 for the sustainability piece.
New Diversity Management Photo Gallery
Click here to view a photo gallery of past Diversity Management Events.
Diversity Challenge Essay Winners
From left to right:
Jobs, Income and Diversity in Polk
Office of Diversity Management Data Report
Ledger Article: Whites in Polk Public-Sector Jobs Earn More Than Blacks, Hispanics
Staff
Otis Anthony, Senior Director of Diversity Management
1915 South Floral Avenue - Bartow, FL 33831
519-3670 Ext. 51341 Fax: (863) 519-7548
Angelita Medina, Secretary
519-3671 Ext. 53815
Diversity Resource Websites
Ground Rules for All Students
Icebreakers
Exercises for Middle School Teachers
Exercises for High School Teachers
Topics for Parents
Disability
Holiday
Gender
Quotes
Other Resources
Biography
Otis Anthony is a native of Tampa, Florida, and a graduate of Blake High School. He hails from a family of nine children, wherein he was the first in the family to attend and graduate from college. Mr. Anthony has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, a Bachelor of Arts degree in African Studies, and a Masters degree in Urban Administration.
Mr. Anthony has served as the Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri and to the Mayor of Tampa, Florida. He has also served as a Conciliator for the U.S. Justice Department on minority relations issues. He has taught alternative education, peer mediation and students with learning disabilities. Mr. Anthony has given motivational speeches and lectures on public policy.
Mr. Anthony has been the host of his own television talk show, entitled “Keep the Dream Alive“ and the host of a popular radio talk show. He is a published poet and the author of Black Tampa, The Roots of a People, and A History of African-Americans in Tampa. The oral history component of his research is rich with the history and characters of the Hispanic communities in Ybor City and West Tampa where Anthony spent his childhood. His record of service to the community has also been featured in La Gaceta, the well-known Hispanic newspaper.
Mr. Anthony has received numerous awards; recognition and fellowships for his leadership ability and his work with young people. He was awarded a “Distinguished National Urban Fellowship, New York City." He is a graduate of Leadership Tampa and Leadership Florida sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce to ensure leaders of tomorrow. He is the recipient of the Martin Luther King Leadership Award from Tampa Organization of Black Affairs and the Youth Leadership Award from the Junior League of Tampa.
Otis Anthony believes in the power of mentorship for young students and developing professionals. His mentor in Polk County for two years was Ann Darby, former Mayor of Winter Haven and current Director of the Elderly Services Division, Polk County. His work with elderly services gave him the opportunity to serve a vulnerable population and their caregivers in workshops throughout the county. He currently plans to work diligently with parents and students throughout the district, implementing the educational vision of the Superintendent of Polk County Schools.
The Diversity Management office provides effective leadership to ensure the issues of diversity and inclusion are addressed:
- Monitor academic progress of minority students and staff
- Facilitate cooperation between staff, administration and community
- Develop strategies that address demographic change in the school district
- Research solutions to systemic barriers
- Outreach to communities and churches
- Advise on policies and minority relations
The Diversity Focus
Diversity Awareness means that Polk County School district is cognizant of the students, parents, volunteers, and communities we serve. We are proud to recognize that our district includes: Hispanic/Latino Americans, African Americans, Asians Americans, Native Americans, Arab Americans, Haitian/Creole Americans, Americans of European Descent and others.
Our goal is to be responsive to the diverse learning needs of all students regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender or national origin. Our success is based on a collaborative working relationship with our diverse stakeholders.
Rationale:
- Diversity is a core set of values that emphasizes inclusion, empathy, teamwork, openness and a genuine respect for differences.
- Diversity recognizes that we are all tied to a single garment of destiny and our fates are inextricably linked.
- Diversity is leadership driven as opposed to externally driven by laws, sanctions, and decrees.
- Diversity is a core value that is practiced and promoted by leadership in order to benefit from the intelligence, talents, and contributions of all staff members, including people of color.
- Diversity deliberately creates an environment and climate of hope, belonging, acceptance, tolerance and consensus.
- Diversity recognizes that change is here and that we are prepared to manage that change for the success of the organization and human relationships.
Diversity implies a clear grasp of demographic change and a willingness by leadership to examine the following:
- Achievement and learning gains
- Climate and culture of schools
- Progress of school improvement plans
- Attitudes and expectations of teachers and instructional leadership
- Perceptions of minority students and staff
- Parent and community involvement
Diversity is a leadership strategy that addresses possible systemic barriers to academic access and performance. Diversity strategies are data driven to determine such issues as:
- Disproportionate number of minority students in low performing schools
- Disproportionate number of minority students in exceptional student education
- Disproportionate number of minority students in out of school suspension
- Lack of access to advanced placement and honor classes
- Program selection criteria that has the effect of exclusion
- Absence of cultural images and diversity in curriculum and books
- Absence of strategies to address the disproportionate number of low achieving minority students
- Absence of an emphasis on college guidance for minority students
- Absence of a preventive strategy to improve graduation rates of minority students
- Retention rate of minority students
Initiatives
District's Collaborative Diversity Plan
- Diversity Training for all instructional staff in conjunction with National Education Association
- Develop an orientation on multicultural awareness for newly hired teachers
- Implement 90 min. plus reading intervention for FCAT level 1 & 2 students
- Increase the number of the minority students taking and passing Advanced Placement (AP) classes 9-12th grade
- Encourage Supplemental Education and Enrichment for FCAT level 1 and 2 students
- Reduce out-of-school student suspensions
- Monitor the progress of minority students academic improvement plan
- Increase the number and variety of multicultural resource books in media services
- Improve professional development of minority/bi-lingual teachers and administrators
- Increase outreach to minority organizations, churches, and parents
- Improve 10th grade FCAT level 1 & 2 reading scores of minority students
- Decrease the number of minority students reading at FCAT Level 1 & 2
- Increase the number of minority students performing at FCAT Level 3-5
- Identify minority students at FCAT Level 3 or above for advanced classes and emphasis on college guidance
- Ensure that curriculum and subject area text reflect changing demographics
- Re-evaluate motivated students assigned to special education, ESE
- Support the district's office of Supplier Diversity
- Ensure gender equity and encourage female students in math, science and athletics
- Mainstream the recruitment of minority/bi-lingual teachers in Human Resources
- Infuse questions about diversity in all administrator interviews and hirings
- Develop strategies to impact retention, drop-out and graduation rates of minorities
Diversity Goals
SP Strategy 1: We will ensure each student meets his/her academic and personal goals.
Diversity Goal: Ensure that pro-active strategies are implemented to both detect and eliminate any systemic barriers to minority students reaching his/her academic and personal goals.
SP Strategy 2: We will ensure that our instruction and curriculum meet the educational needs of each student.
Diversity Goal: Incorporate diversity benchmarks into the performance evaluation process for instructors and administrators. Recognize and provide incentives for those who initiate and implement innovative activities that make a difference in learning, diversity, multicultural education, and the unique contributions of minority history.
SP Strategy 3: We will establish a learning environment that ensures the academic and personal success of all students.
Diversity Goal: Promote initiatives that increase multicultural cooperation within the schools and community. Implement leadership team strategies that are designed to comprehensively impact academic performance, discipline sanctions and technology standards of low performing schools.
SP Strategy 4: We will guarantee effective staff.
Diversity Goal: Increase recruitment, retention, support, and professional development to ensure that instructors, staff and administrators reflect the changing demographics of our diverse community.
SP Strategy 7: We will acquire the resources necessary to accomplish our mission and allocate them pursuant to the strategic plan.
Diversity Goal: Encourage inclusive practices to ensure that every group in our community is a stakeholder and advocate for increased funding for Polk Schools.
SP Strategy 8: We will create a culture of articulation within a strategic organization to accomplish our mission.
Diversity Goal: Maintain a keen awareness of how traditions, customs, events and calendars are impacted by the broad diversity of a changing community.
View the 2010 Data Report here.
Community Data
- In Polk County schools there are 63 languages spoken, representing 151 countries.
- Nearly 11,000 students in Polk County speak Spanish, 720 speak Haitian Creole and 100 speak Arabic Language.
- 39% of children age 0-17 in Polk County live below the Poverty Line. (19.3% of all children in Florida live below the Poverty Line)
- 67% of the students in Polk County met federal guidelines to qualify for free or reduced lunch.
- 79 out of 158 schools in Polk County are classified as Title 1 schools.
- Polk County Population Breakdown by racial makeup:
- White: 66.3%
- Black: 15%
- Hispanic: 17.7%
- Asian: 1%
- Native American: Less than 1%
- Pacific Islander: Less than 1%
*Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
Education Attainment for Polk County Population age 25 and older
| Education Level: |
Number: |
Percentage: |
| Less than 9th grade |
22,100 |
6.8% |
| 9th-12th, no diploma |
61,682 |
18.9% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) |
106,917 |
32.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree |
32,360 |
9.9% |
| Master’s degree |
8,771 |
2.7% |
| Doctorate degree |
3,758 |
1.2% |
*Sources: Community Survey, Ledger
Polk County Schools
Polk County School District is the largest employer within the county. There are 155 schools in the district. There are over 6,000 teachers with a projection of 597 more to be hired for the 2011-2012 year. Overall the school district employs almost 12,000 individuals.
2011 Student Population
Total Students 95,620
| Race: |
Number: |
Percentage: |
| White |
44,198 |
46.2% |
| Black |
20,143 |
21.1% |
| Hispanic |
26,045 |
27.2% |
| Asian |
1,511 |
1.6% |
| Indian |
614 |
0.6% |
| Other |
3,118 |
3.2% |
The article below from the Lakeland Ledger, June 9, 2009, gives a brief description regarding the change in demographics in Polk County during the 2008-2009 school year.
Census Estimates: Polk More Youthful, Hispanic
Closing the Achievement Gap
- Implement strategies to reduce the Reading and Math Proficiency gaps between white, black, and Hispanic students
- Introduce strategies to reduce the Reading Proficiency gap among Special Education and Limited English students
- Develop strategies to reduce the differences in excessive absences over 21 days
- Activate strategies to reduce the differences in the number of in-school and out of school suspensions
- Establish strategies to ensure 100% of schools have written specific strategies to reduce the achievement gap
- Prioritize strategies for educators by determining which standards are taught on the FCAT
- Institute strategies to ensure Title I Schools in need of improvement spend ten percent of allocation to address areas in which students are not making Annual Yearly Progress (AYP)
- Provide strategies to ensure teachers and administrators are receiving Multicultural Competency Training
District Diversity Council
The Polk County School District believes that all children can learn and that it takes a whole community to produce a successful child.
The Diversity Council consists of leaders, professionals, parents and various community members who are known for their compassion for others.
This advisory council reviews various practices to ensure greater equity, inclusion, and respect for cultural diversity. Senior Staff members and administrative leaders are made available to the Council to help examine and resolve a range of issues with district programs, initiatives, and policies.
