Equity and Excellence Review Gets State Funding Approval

Windsor Public Schools have gotten a fiscal thumbs up from the state department of education, receiving approval to use a portion of a state grant to fund an equity and excellence review at Windsor High School.

The grant, called an Alliance Grant, was awarded to Windsor in September — an annual grant worth $306,985 for three years — to help the school district improve performance.

Identifying the equity and excellence review to be conducted by Loyola University-Chicago's Dr. Marlon James as part of the district's efforts to improve district performance, Villar, upon receiving orders to contract James, applied for the state to accept an amendment to the planned use of Windsor's alliance grant funds.

According to Villar, the approval received from the state ensures all costs associated with the equity and excellence review will be covered by state aid.

"I am pleased that the State Department of Education has elected to support this initiative that represents a significant opportunity for the Windsor Public Schools,” said Villar. “The financial support provided by the State will allow the District to move forward with important reform efforts, while reassuring local taxpayers that they are not shouldering an additional burden during difficult economic times.”

James' equity and excellence review will cost just over $100,000 per year for the next three years, accouting for about one-third of the alliance grant funds.

Villar said he was particularly pleased with the approval of the use of alliance grant funds because "the state department seemed to udnerstand how the (equity and excellence review) is aligned with district improvement efforts."

Additionally, Villar expressed pleasure with the state department's ability to view cultural education as a critical part of academic improvement.