Old Rochester Regional School District agrees to $40,500 contract with Teachers21 for equity consulting

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Old Rochester Regional School District and received a contract the district had with Teachers21 at William James College. The contract is for $40,500 for three years of services. Teachers21 explains in the contract:

By initially providing training and consultation to the leadership and equity teams around developing a common understanding of equity, recognizing effective practices, and identifying opportunities for growth within the current system, we will then be able to establish an action plan for long term improvement across the district.

The $40,500 contract is split among three years with $13,500 for each year starting September 2021, September 2022, and September 2023. The first year includes a “planning meeting,” “launch,” and four “professional learning sessions.” The professional learning sessions include topics on “educational equity,” “culture and climate analysis,” and “affirming students and diverse identities.” The professional learning sessions for the second year include topics on “structural and personal transformation,” “anti-racist leadership and social justice leadership,” and “utilize relevant texts and resources.” The professional learning sessions for the third year include topics on “organizational transformation” and “policies and practices that reinforce a positive school culture and climate.”

The following “impact” is then given:

The development of a cohesive model for sustained focus and implementation of data gathering, progress monitoring and building DEI competencies that make sense for the challenges and opportunities within the district.”

The organization is now known as the William James College Center for Behavioral Health, Equity, and Leadership in Schools (BHELS).