At the June meeting of the Miami-Dade County School Board, District 1 School Board member Dr. Steve Gallon III presented an agenda item that addressed the need for review of the District’s Diversity, Equity, and Excellence Advisory Committee (DEEAC) and compliance reporting. The establishment of DEEAC in 2001 further codified the District’s commitment to educational equity and access. Pursuant to the provisions outlined in Board policy, DEEAC is charged with assisting the District with “creating and maintaining a multicultural school system.”
The Board unanimously agreed to direct the Superintendent, in consultation and collaboration with the School Board Attorney, to review the requirements and determine the status of District compliance with Board policy; review the organization and oversight of, and assistance and support provided to DEEAC; engage DEEAC members in a workshop to review policy provisions and expectations, discuss and clarify annual committee reporting deliverables, and solicit feedback and recommendations about ways to improve committee organization, assistance, support, engagement, and work; and provide a status update to the Board including recommendations for enhancements by the October 2017 School Board meeting.
The item was co-sponsored by School Board members Dr. Martin Karp, Mari Tere Rojas, Perla Tabares Hantman and Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall.