Defining, measuring, and supporting the success of equity officers

As more K-12 school districts have hired equity officers, questions have arisen about their role and effectiveness. A recent Heritage Foundation report, for example, found that schools with equity officers have the lowest achievement outcomes. Mary Rice-Boothe and Tanji Reed Marshall point out, however, that student achievement is not the only metric for determining the success of equity officers. When holding equity officers accountable, it’s important to be clear about the expectations for the role, establish appropriate measurements to assess their effectiveness, and provide supports that set the leaders up for success.