Introduction: Family Design Resources (FDR) has developed a comprehensive package of services designed to improve diversity in organizations. This package integrates diversity concepts and shared leadership to promote and create an environment that values differences and enables each individual to contribute to their maximum potential. Shared Leadership uses a research based framework to facilitate building the capacity of the learning organization, understand the threats to growth, and recognize new opportunities that support organizational expansion. Key to understanding this model is the idea that many different pieces make up the whole. In recognizing this, learning organizations can be built in which people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire. New patterns of thinking are nurtured and collectively, people continually learn how to work together towards the aspirations of the group.
FDR’s approach combines the utilization of a needs assessment, customized curriculum development based upon the results identified from the assessment, consultation and training, and outcome measurements through data collection and analysis. The use of focus groups can support the needs assessment process in several ways. First, if used at the beginning of the process, focus groups can help define issues within an organization which require intervention and specify the type of intervention needed. Second, if used later or near the end of the process, focus groups can provide further definition and bring clarity to conclusions being drawn.
Use of Focus Groups within a School District: In January 2007, several consultants from FDR visited schools within a school district in western Pennsylvania to gain a sense of the school’s climate and environment. After this the consultants met with school district administrators to discuss the administrator’s perception of the district’s needs and to identify what they wanted to accomplish through a cultural diversity initiative. As a result, FDR developed a plan for conducting information gathering and sharing as well as training school district staff on cultural diversity issues. This plan included the implementation of focus groups at the beginning of the process as a means of gathering additional needs assessment data.
Four focus groups were developed in order to gain information from district stakeholders. The groups were district administrators and building principals, teachers, community members, and students. Teachers were selected by the principals of their schools; community members consisted of those involved with the district’s Cultural Diversity Task Force, and the students were student council members in grades 7-12. A 90 minute format was designed for the focus groups. At the beginning participants were asked to complete a brief anonymous survey on individual perceptions related to diversity. Once the surveys were completed, a short presentation on the purpose of the diversity initiative was offered by a district level administrator. FDR began the process by providing a global definition of diversity, describing the district’s diversity plan and timeline, and identifying the critical role stakeholders will have in this process.
After this brief introduction, the focus group was divided into smaller sets to discuss and report out on the following questions:
o What are signs that your school district values diversity?
o What diversity issues or concerns do you see within the school district?
o What recommendations do you have to improve diversity within the school district?
Community members and students were asked an additional question: What do you wish the school district understood about you?
After small group discussion each group was asked to prioritize their responses and record them in order of importance. Feedback was recorded by the FDR facilitators. Focus group participants were also asked to prioritize what they saw as the most pressing diversity challenges which required immediate attention.
Feedback from Discussion Questions: Based on the focus group discussion in each of the four groups, there were several themes which emerged:
There is a need for a more diverse teaching and administrative staff within the district. This was particularly apparent in discussions held in the administrator, teacher, and community member focus groups. It is not just ethnic and racial diversity identified as needs within the educational staff, but also diversity by age and gender within each building. Community members suggested several methods for recruiting new teachers and requirements for new teachers, and there has been exploration of strategies to recruit minority teachers. However, the community member focus group made it clear that there needs to be new policies for hiring staff, based on their perception of nepotism and insider hiring practices. The community members also suggested that the school district could look at bringing in volunteers or hiring individuals from the community to serve in non-teaching roles as a means of diversifying the authority figures who interact with students (i.e. monitoring hallways and the cafeteria).
Diversity issues within the district are not solely an issue of race or ethnicity. Some discussion did center on racial disparities in the district, such as the low number of minority students in extracurricular non-athletic activities or enrichment and special needs programs, as well as students perceptions of unequal treatment of racially diverse groups. Both teachers and administrators cited the needs of gay and lesbian children as well as gay and lesbian parents of students. Specifically, there is a desire for information on how to work with both students and parents in an open and positive manner, as well as teaching mutual acceptance and respect to the student body. Another topic discussed by both the community member and students groups was athletes. There was a general consensus that athletes are given special treatment within the school setting, including overlooking some behaviors, grade “padding”, and special attention to assist them in getting into college. However, some athletes said this was not true. While these are perceptions, a key point is that for individuals their perceptions are their reality, and attention should be given to this issue.
There is an over-representation of minority students in special education and an under-representation of minority students in enrichment and gifted classes as well as extra-curricular activities. Several groups mentioned this is as a concern, citing that for various reasons minority students are not involved in academically advanced programs or extra-curricular activities. In regard to educational programs, it was suggested the reasons may be that parents do not get involved in their children’s academic endeavors, which may be based on their own negative school experiences. It was also suggested that students are not given appropriate tools as they advance educationally, and there is little emphasis on assisting students in getting into higher education. As for extra-curricular activities, while minority students are active participants in athletic programs, they are not as active in other extra-curricular activities. This could be a topic of discussion with a teacher/counselor/student work group.
Students have the perception that some teachers are “racist” and discriminate against certain groups of students. It was clear from the student group that some teachers have a reputation of being “racist” or discriminatory. This is based on the students’ perception that learners from certain groups are disciplined more or less harshly than students from other groups. There was also agreement that specific teachers in the district carry the label of a racist among the student population. Again, while this is the students’ perception, there is a need for open and honest communication between teachers and students regarding diversity and its accompanying issues.
The relationship between the school district and the community could be improved through the introduction of certain activities. All groups mentioned important activities that would assist the school district in maintaining a positive relationship with community members. For example, focus group members stated the school district could allow its buildings to be open more often for community programs and activities, especially on evenings and weekends. The district could also use community members and volunteers or paid staff in the school, including utilizing positive community role models as mentors for students. Holding diversity trainings for all community members was another option offered. Lastly, keeping open or improving lines of communication between the school district and the community would improve the relationship between the two.
The Diversity Initiative needs to be implemented for meaningful change to occur. A common thread mentioned in all four focus groups was the need for a continuous Diversity Initiative which was deemed vital for the success of the district. Implementing such an initiative was seen by the focus group members as a sign that the school district values diversity. All groups saw it as a mechanism for improving relationships within the district. The students thought it was important to have their input in the process, which could range from their inclusion in decision-making groups to participation in small group discussions with district staff.
There are many strengths within the school district. It was important to recognize the supports in the district that can lead to successful implementation of a diversity initiative. Administrators are committed to improving the environment in all district schools. Teachers care about students and want to help those who may have difficulty adjusting to the school setting. Community members are already actively participating on a Diversity Task Force and want to work with the district to improve the culture of the schools. Lastly, students want to be active participants in the process.
Conclusion. Based on the input from the focus groups, FDR was able to recommend several action steps for the school district to consider:
• Continuation of the Diversity Initiative with emphasis on including more community members and students.
• Providing regularly scheduled diversity education and training to all district staff, students and community members.
• Clarification of the role of district staff in supporting students in response to their or their parents/caretakers sexual orientation.
• Training staff on how to respond to students around their sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of their caretakers.
• Conduct regularly scheduled meetings with community members in a forum-type approach in order to improve lines of communication.
• Assess the impact of racial balancing in the schools on school climate and the students.
• Explore and create strategies to utilize community members in school-related capacities (volunteerism, mentoring).
• Inclusion of more student representation in decision-making groups as well as on the Diversity Committee.
• Allow for regularly scheduled meetings to occur between teachers and student leaders in order to positively address diversity issues and concerns.
• Work with the community to develop collaborative activities and events that focus on a celebration of diversity.
• Continued development of strategies to improve the hiring of educators and administrators in the district that reflect diversity, i.e. male, African American, age. Additionally, include for consideration in strategies the use of community incentives to attract quality educators.
• Review the school district’s diversity curricula in order to ensure that all diversities and cultures are included.
• Creation of a work group to explore methods for improving all students’ participation in extracurricular activities.
• Development of a work group to create strategies for assisting all students for preparing for educational opportunities after the completion of high school.
The focus groups provided meaningful input and ideas to build into a diversity strategy within this school district. In addition, by giving input to stakeholder groups within the district, stakeholders will have more commitment and greater buy-in to the diversity strategy that is created.