Falmouth Public SchoolsA Community Committed to Excellence: Every Student. Every Day.

340 Teaticket Highway, East Falmouth, MA 02536

(508) 548-0151

(508) 457-9032

FPS Equity Audit FAQ

Falmouth Public Schools are committed to Student Success. Therefore, the school district will examine data from students, teachers, and parents/guardians that analyzes disparities of student success.
By working together and using a fair and inclusive approach, the school district can study different pieces of information. This way, school leaders can come up with plans to address tough issues that might be holding back students from doing their best.

MAEC (Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium, Inc.) was founded in 1992, as an education non-profit dedicated to increasing access to high-quality education for culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse learners.
A department of MAEC is the Center for Education Equity (CEE), which conducts the equity needs assessment. CEE works to improve and sustain the systemic capacity of public education to increase outcomes for students regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, language, ability, national origin, and socioeconomic status.
CEE is funded by the US Department of Education under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Falmouth Public Schools is dedicated to fostering Student Success. This involves:
- Collaborating with our incredible Falmouth community partners,
- Enhancing communication with parents/guardians,
- Shaping a robust vision of a Falmouth graduate (The Clipper Experience), and
- Removing any obstacles hindering this vision.
The equity audit serves as a powerful tool to advance Student Success for Every Student, Every Day.

The equity audit is divided into three data-gathering stages:
- Data Analysis: MAEC gathers data from Falmouth Public Schools, including quantitative metrics such as graduation rates, test scores, attendance, retention, disciplinary actions, school climate data, and more.
- School Teams Self-Assessment: School Teams use the MAEC Equity Audit Tool to gather specific data for each school. These teams consist of a diverse group of staff members. They collaborate to create a snapshot description of a Falmouth school for MAEC analysis.
- Surveys by students in Grades 4–12, Families, and Staff: These surveys take a close look at how well students are doing, how they're disciplined, and the overall school atmosphere. Data can determine where things are going well and where there's room for improvement.

Data Analysis: MAEC gathers data from Falmouth Public Schools, including quantitative metrics such as graduation rates, test scores, attendance, retention, disciplinary actions, school climate data, and more.
School Teams Self-Assessment: School Teams use the MAEC Equity Audit Tool to gather specific data for each school. These teams consist of a diverse group of staff members. They collaborate to create a snapshot description of a Falmouth school for MAEC analysis.
Surveys by students in Grades 4–12, Families, and Staff: These surveys take a close look at how well students are doing, how they're disciplined, and the overall school atmosphere. Data can determine where things are going well and where there's room for improvement.

MAEC will present preliminary findings, which will be reviewed and discussed by district leaders and school-based equity teams.
MAEC will facilitate a comprehensive presentation to the Falmouth School Committee, including data, insights, and recommendations.
The final result will be an online dashboard for everyone.
School-based Equity Teams will create DEIB plans, implement the plans, and MAEC will provide ongoing support and adjustments for the next year.

Students in grades 4 - 12 will take a survey in a class at school. Each school will determine the specific date during the month of December.
There are three versions of the student survey, tailored to age groups: grades 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12.
The surveys:
- Will be taken online using their school-assigned Chromebooks.
- Are anonymous. The results will be associated with the student’s school but not with a particular classroom or teacher.
- Will take an estimated 15-20 minutes to complete.
- Are multiple choice questions. This is not a test, and there are no “right answers.”
- Are designed to gather students’ opinions about their experiences in school, related to three major areas: academic expectations; safety and relationships; and attitude and culture.
Students may skip or decline to answer any question on the survey.
Students will be asked several demographic questions, including their gender, race/ethnicity, and home language(s). These questions are also optional.
Parents/guardians who do not want their child to participate in the survey may complete an opt-out form. Students who are not taking the survey will be given an in-class activity during that time.

All parents and guardians have the option to complete a student opt-out form if they do not wish for their students to take the survey.
Any student not taking the survey will be provided an alternative, age-appropriate activity to do on their Chromebook.

Yes, the surveys are anonymous. No names or identification numbers of students, staff, or families will be collected. Participants will be asked to provide their school and optional demographic information.