1140	EDUCATIONAL EQUITY POLICIES/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION 
The Board of Education shall adopt and implement written educational equity policies in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 6A:7 – Managing for Equity in Education. 
The Board’s educational equity policies shall recognize and value the diversity of persons and groups within the community and promote the acceptance of persons of diverse backgrounds regardless of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a) and pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4(a)1 The educational equity policies will promote equitable educational opportunity and foster a learning environment that is free from all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and harassment based upon the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a) and pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4(a)2. 
The Board shall inform the school community of these policies in a manner including, but not limited to, the district's customary methods of information dissemination pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4(b).  
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.5, the Board annually shall designate a member of its staff as the Affirmative Action Officer and form an Affirmative Action Team to coordinate and implement the requirements of N.J.A.C. 6A:7 – Managing for Equity in Education.  The Board shall ensure that all stakeholders know who the Affirmative Action Officer is and how to contact the Affirmative Action Officer.
The Affirmative Action Officer shall have a New Jersey standard certificate with an administrative, instructional, or educational services endorsement, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:9B – State Board of Examiners and Certification.  The Affirmative Action Officer shall: coordinate the required professional development training for all personnel pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.6; notify all students and employees of the district’s grievance procedures for handling discrimination complaints; ensure the district’s grievance procedures, including investigative responsibilities and reporting information, are followed; and serve as a member of the Affirmative Action Team. The Affirmative Action Officer may also serve as the school district’s Title IX Coordinator.
In accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.5(a)4., the Affirmative Action Team shall: include, to the extent possible, members who represent the diversity of the school district’s student population; develop the Comprehensive Equity Plan (CEP) pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4(c); oversee the implementation of the school district's CEP pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4(c); collaborate on coordination of the required professional development training for all personnel pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.6; monitor the implementation of the CEP; and conduct the annual district internal monitoring to ensure continuing compliance with State and Federal statutes governing educational equity, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4(d).
In accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.6, the Board shall provide, on a continuing basis, professional development training for all school personnel to identify and resolve problems associated with the student achievement and opportunity gaps and other inequities on the basis of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a). The professional development training shall be differentiated based on staff position type and shall be based on the analysis of data conducted pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4(c)1. The district shall ensure that parents and other community members are aware of professional development training provided to school district personnel regarding topics around equity.  The district shall ensure all new personnel are provided within the first ninety days of employment with professional development training on educational equity issues. 
The Commissioner or designee shall provide technical assistance to local school districts for the development of policy guidelines, procedures, and           in-service training for Affirmative Action Officers so as to aid in the elimination of prejudice on the basis of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C.        6A:7-1.1(a). 
N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1; 6A:7-1.3; 6A:7-1.4; 6A:7-1.5; 6A:7-1.6

Date Adopted:  May 2, 2011
Date Revised:	February 21, 2017, August 22, 2023, April 30, 2024