Green Bay school district removes diversity language from policies

The Green Bay Area Public School District has made changes to two of its policies, removing language related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The decision was unanimous and comes amid concerns about potential federal funding cuts. The affected policies involve reading instruction and gifted and talented programs. The district eliminated a goal to increase the number of Black students meeting grade-level reading standards. Similarly, the policy on gifted students removed a requirement for the district to assess its identification process for different demographic groups. These changes follow a previous vote in February, where board members expressed their disapproval but still approved similar amendments. This time, there was no discussion before the vote. The district's actions respond to recent federal guidance stating that schools cannot treat students differently based on race. If not followed, schools risk losing federal funding. The Green Bay district relies heavily on this funding, receiving about $38 million each year for essential programs like free meals and special education. Achievement gaps for Black and white students in Wisconsin are among the largest in the country. For instance, results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress show significant disparities, with 38% of white fourth graders tested as proficient in reading compared to only 8% of Black students.