1.2 - Foundations of Community Engagement
Foundations of Community Engagement
Now we are going to build on the core intentions of meaningful and authentic community engagement through the use of an equity lens. In this section we will focus on how the Community Engagement Toolkit (Toolkit) can provide guidance for your district.
Building on a Year of Learning
Now, let’s turn to the Community Engagement Toolkit. We suggest the following steps to get started - and it’s important to be clear that there are many layers and deep in each step, it’s not a simple 1, 2, 3, nor a linear process (p. 94-95) Links to an external site.:
- Begin with your own self-reflection on previous engagement. Prior to planning new engagement opportunities or implementing new engagement strategies this year, districts should take time to reflect on previous engagement efforts. This was an element of the SIA and CTE applications and contains rich and candid assessments for improvement. ODE offers some ways recipients could consider taking stock of their engagement efforts today to help inform their engagement moving forward.
- Get clear on your core engagement team. If your district is small, your community engagement efforts might include a small number of individuals who plan for and lead the process. In larger districts, dedicated teams or positions may drive the planning for and implementation of engagement efforts. Either way, it’s important to set clear expectations for all staff, students, and families. This is especially true for groups who have historically had limited opportunity to engage. Create avenues for them to share their experiences, insights and ideas for improving your educational system. Viewing community engagement as an ongoing process as opposed to an event (or a state requirement) is essential. The time, energy, and effort that community members from focal groups dedicate is significant and generous, and provides valuable input to formulate the integrated plan.
- Establish or revise and affirm your approach. Consider establishing your approach to community engagement from the outset, or if you already have robust processes in place, use this time and resource to undertake a comprehensive review. This includes creating clear expectations about the importance and goals of engagement, which include but are not limited to receiving input for the integrated plan. What follows in this document are resources and tools to contribute to and support your efforts.
Reflection Activity
In response to your reading, reflect on your district’s community engagement efforts:
- What types of self-reflection has your district done in terms of community engagement policies and practices?
- How have you planned or who will be included in your community engagement team?
- How will your district revise and affirm your approach to community engagement?
From What’s Required to What’s Robust
Let’s move on to examine identified focal groups, additional community groups to partner with in engagement efforts, and how to apply an equity lens. An equity lens is a tool that helps center core values, commitments, and questions throughout the process. Applying an equity lens helps create a systematic structure and process to ensure that no focal group or community is ignored in the process of community engagement. You could begin by reviewing the Oregon Equity Lens and Decision Tools to help ground your team in the baseline assumptions, expectations, and aims of your own equity lens. You may also consider sharing your equity lens broadly with your community, so they are aware of how that tool will be used in your decision-making process. If all community members understand the importance of equity, deeper and more courageous conversations could be possible. Additionally, as you think about your equity lens, you might consider specific values, objectives, and essential questions that you wish to guide your outreach. (p. 96-97) Links to an external site.
Reflection Activity
Each time a district prepares to reach out and listen to community and focal groups, it’s important to consider specific questions, values, and objectives to guide your outreach. Look at the questions below and answer them before moving on to the next section. They can also be found on page 97 Links to an external site.. If you are not sure about some responses, consider having a discussion within your district’s community engagement team (described later in this module) to get more clarity and shared understanding.
- Who are the racial/ethnic and underserved groups affected? What is the potential impact of the resource allocation and strategic investment to these groups? How does belonging to more than one focal group affect their experience?
- Does the decision made ignore or worsen existing disparities or produce unintended consequences? What is the impact on eliminating the opportunity gap?
- How have you intentionally involved community partners who are also members of the communities affected by the strategic investment or resource allocation? How do you validate your assessment in the questions above?
- How will you modify or enhance your strategies to ensure each learner’s and community’s individual and cultural needs are met?
- How are you communicating with and addressing communities and groups that are not in the target focal group populations? If challenging or tense dynamics emerge, how will you navigate these?
Honoring Sovereignty, Tribal Engagement, and Tribal Consultation
As we read through the next section, let’s make sure to first make the distinction between Tribal Consultation and including Native American/Alaskan Native voices in community engagement efforts. There are important requirements for honoring the sovereignty of Native American and tribal students, families, communities, and Nations in Oregon (pg. 39) Links to an external site. and also refer to the ODE Tribal Consultation Toolkit Links to an external site.. To support authentic dialogue with individuals and/or groups representing the American Indian/Alaska Native community, districts should utilize the formal tribal engagement process with tribes located in the area. More information can be found in the chart below and on p. 98. Links to an external site.
Tribal Consultation |
Required Tribal Consultation Assurances |
|---|---|
| Oregon has nine federally recognized tribes that are geographically dispersed, and may need time to convene and engage in planning efforts. Tribes are sovereign governments. Many tribes have an agency for education and a director who can connect the district to its parents and community members. Information on the tribes including contact information is available on the Oregon Tribal page. | If you are a district receiving greater than $40k in Title VI funding or have 50% or more American Indian/Alaska Native Students, you are required to consult with your local tribal government. As evidence of your consultation, you will be asked to upload documentation of your meeting(s) containing signatures from tribal government representatives as well as School District representatives. As this consultation includes all aspects of the Integrated Plan you will be asked to upload the “Affirmation for Tribal Consultation” within this application. |
Now that we have reviewed foundational core intentions, let's move on to Section 1.3 to focus on the important groups within each district’s community landscape.