The Christian County School Board heard the district’s plan for racial educational equity during Thursday’s meeting, and an update on the local planning committee.
Members have been selected to serve on the planning committee, beginning the process and already working on some draft district facility plans. Assistant Superintendent Josh Hunt says they’ve begun meeting, and this year’s facility plan looks similar to the last plan, minus the old Christian County Middle School.
Next, that plan goes the Kentucky Department of Education for review and possible approval—though they could ask for changes—and Hunt says the committee was very adamant that needs for the local high schools be addressed. Nothing related to the district facility plan was up for approval by the board just yet, as the process is still ongoing.
Board member Lindsey Clark say he thinks it’s time for the community to start seriously thinking about the future of the schools and what education will look like.
Superintendent Chris Bentzel says his administration has been working hard on a plan to address racial educational equity in the district and close the achievement gaps they have been struggling with for years. Director of Alternative Programs Kim Stevenson says the plan, which begins this year, includes increasing diversity in the curriculum and learning, establishes school plans to ensure minority student participation is proportionate in gifted and talented programs, provide racial equity training for all staff on implicit bias and other topics and more.
She says it also includes increasing the number of minority teachers by six percent by June of 2023, along with increasing minority administrators by two percent.