Wake County Public School System adopts equity policy to “eliminate practices” to determine students in gifted programs and advanced classes; will use race as factor in hiring new employees

Wake County Public Schools has an equity policy that was adopted by the district on November 16, 2022. The policy states that “all employees must apply an equity lens to examine and reflect on individual practices and biases.” Employees are expected to address how to “interrupt inequity.”

The policy includes a list of what the district will do to achieve equity. This includes changing the curriculum taught to students: “Identify and provide high quality instructional materials and methods that represent the rich diversity of our nation, respect the legitimacy of different cultures, and empower students to value diverse perspectives.” The district also appears to be planning to change how students are recognized as gifted or placed in advanced courses: “Eliminate practices that lead to the over- or under-representation of any student group compared to peers in areas such as special education, student discipline, academically or intellectually gifted programs, advanced coursework, and Advanced Placement courses.”

The district additionally plans to use race as a determining factor in hiring staff and vendors. The policy explains: “Recruit and retain racially and linguistically diverse and culturally competent administrative, instructional, and support personnel.” The district will further “promote equity in business practices and in the diversification of school system vendors and suppliers in accordance with law and Board policies on Participation by Historically Underutilized Businesses and Minority Business Enterprise Participation in Construction Contracts.”