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Directly benefiting its commitment to providing a safe and inclusive educational environment for all students and staff, the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) is grateful to receive a $200,000 grant as part of the California Department of Education’s Antibias Education Grant.
Prioritizing $20-million dollars of funds to eradicate racism in all California schools, the CDE invited local educational agencies to apply for an Antibias Education Grant for purposes of preventing, addressing, and eliminating racism and bias in all California public schools, as well as creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students and staff. In support of the District’s Non-Discrimination Board Policy, PUSD Director of DEI, Marguerite ‘Dr. V’ Vanden Wyngaard, worked with stakeholders within the District and community to apply for a portion of the grant.
“This amazing opportunity would not have been possible without the work of Dr. V, who coordinated with PUSD staff and the community to put together an outstanding application detailing the work done so far and how this grant will take Piedmont to the next level,” said PUSD Interim Superintendent, Dr. Donald Evans. “These funds will assist us greatly in achieving our goal of ‘All Means All’ in terms of providing everything our students need to succeed.”
The grant will be used for training and resources to prevent and address bias or prejudice toward any group of people based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, immigration status, language, or any actual or perceived characteristic. Emphasis shall be on preventing anti-Semitism and bias or prejudice toward groups, including, but not limited to, African Americans, Asian-Pacific Islanders, Latinos, and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth.
PUSD plans to actively engage with its students, parents/guardians, educators and community leaders to determine the appropriate use of the funds to support work already being done, as well as create new opportunities. The additional funding also allows greater flexibility for the District to support the intersection of equity and academic excellence within all its programs.
The Antibias Education Grant is authorized under Assembly Bill 130, Section 157 of the 2021-22 California State Budget and provides funding from January 2023 through March 30, 2026.
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