Staff Diversity Focus Of Madison School District Plan

Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Dan Nerad is proposing ideas to make the district?s staff more diverse.

At a committee meeting on Monday night, Nerad said diversity is a priority and a way of closing the achievement gap that exists between students.

He is suggesting minority students study to become teachers and principals. He also wants the district to conduct a yearly study to show staff demographics, and a new diversity officer to help recruit a more diverse staff.

Some board members want to hear specific details of the plan.

?It’s very vague and it’s nothing new,? said Lucy Mathiak. ?It’s things that we’ve been talking about for at least three years. There are pieces of that are part in the strategic plan that was approved over two years ago.?

Nerad said the plan is still a work in progress and he will ask for more feedback from the Board of Education at the end of the month.