Pittsburg Public Schools’ “On Track to Equity” Program Is Part of 2017-2022 Strategic Plan

  • Pittsburgh Public Schools - Pennsylvania

Incidents

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Pittsburg Public Schools launched its On Track to Equity program in 2019 to “reduce racial disparities throughout the District and elevate the achievement levels of African American students.”

The plan envisions “systemic educational equity,” as illustrated in the infamous cartoon below, featured in its plan. 

The entire plan may be viewed here

On Track to Equity features seven key areas. 

It includes a plan to implement ethnic studies as part of “culturally responsive” educational materials.

Ethnic studies seeks to tear people apart and paints a hideous picture of the United States. Taught in K12 schools from California to Boston, ethnic studies sounds like it would introduce your child to different ethnicities. In reality, it is critical race theory (CRT) by another name.

Timeline of how the plan came to be in Pittsburgh Public Schools

  • 1992: Advocates for African American Students filed a complaint against the School District of Pittsburgh with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), charging the District with violating part of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
  • 2006: Pittsburg Public Schools and Advocates for African American Students reach a Conciliation Agreement that includes a plan with 94 action steps to reduce the achievement gap, provide instructional support, and create an environment of equity for its African-American students”. This included creating an Equity Advisory Panel (EAP) to monitor the District’s progress
  • 2012: Pittsburg Public Schools submits materials for review, but the Pennsylvania Human Rights Coalition concludes that the District’s work is insufficient. Pittsburg Public Schools and Pennsylvania Human Rights Coalition agree to two years of monitoring.
  • 2015: Pennsylvania Human Rights Coalition and Pittsburg Schools a five-year agreement with more monitoring that expired in 2020.
  • 2017-2022: Pittsburg Public Schools implements its Strategic Plan, part of which is On Track to Equity 
  • 2022: Pittsburg Public Schools board votes 8-1 to renew the plan to “reduce racial disparities.”

According to PublicSchoolreview.com, “Public Schools in Pittsburgh School District have an average math proficiency score of 31% (versus the Pennsylvania public school average of 45%), and reading proficiency score of 49% (versus the 62% statewide average).”