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Gender Equity Awareness

Joint Awareness Non-Bias Education (JANE) Program
Chicago, Illinois

(from left to right) 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (CLC)
Director Dr. Joan Wilson-Epps and CLC Administrator Everlean Manning

The Joint Awareness Non-Bias Education (JANE) Program seeks to ensure the success of all children through a programmatic emphasis on equity and excellence. The goal of the project is to achieve a demonstrable increase in gender equitable practices in all of the Chicago Public Schools and communities. The four-year project (1999-2003) is co-sponsored by the Chicago Public Schools, the Robert Crown Center for Health Education, the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, Chicago Women in Trades/Instituto del Progreso Latino, and LaPenseur Youth Services, Inc.

Proposed for implementation in all Chicago Public Schools, the project will complement and refine existing activities conducted under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. The project will produce a systemwide gender equity policy developed through consultation with school personnel, local school councils, community groups, and Chicago Public Schools Chief of Policy for preschool, elementary school, and high school teachers; school personnel; and community members. Additionally, the project will develop strategies to increase awareness of educational practices that promote gender equity in the classroom.

In addition to periodic feedback and formative assessment, a professor from the University of Illinois will also conduct a formal evaluation of the project. The results will be disseminated to local and state participants as well as at seminars at professional organizations.

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Project EDGE: Education for Disability and Gender Equity
Albany, California
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The project is working to reduce bias and increase respect for gender differences and disability-related diversity by providing high school students with information about disabled women and men in history, biology, civics, health, and literature. Very little information about women and girls with disabilities is available for use in the curriculum, classrooms, or libraries of high schools. This lack creates the impression that women and girls with disabilities do not exist or if they do, that their accomplishments and lives are unimportant. Disabled boys and nondisabled peers and educators also need this knowledge to reduce stereotyping and negative learning environments.

The Disabled Women’s Alliance, under the sponsorship of the San Francisco Women’s Center, Inc., is conducting a research and development project to create a website, CD, and teacher’s guides that will address the need for gender and disability sensitive high school materials. These materials will incorporate the input of disabled and nondisabled girls and boys, adult women with disabilities, and other experts in the development and evaluation of products. The three-year project (2000-2003) will conduct focus groups and pilot tests in four sites across the U.S. that will help develop, test, and evaluate the impact and success of these materials.

Project for Equity and Gender Learning Experiences (EAGLES)
Phoenix, Arizona
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Housed in the Washington Elementary School district in Phoenix, Arizona, the Project for Equity and Gender Learning Experiences (EAGLES) is designed to help female middle school students develop competence and confidence in their abilities to learn, particularly in math and science. The four-year project (1998-2002) is being implemented for seventh and eighth grade girls at Palo Verde Middle School and its six elementary feeder schools. Palo Verde is an urban school with a large number of girls and boys of color who lack role models and family support to help them. Additional targeted populations for the project include other students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Project activities include gender equity training for principals and teachers; career-related experiences such as mentoring, tours, and shadow days for students; and math and science enrichment activities for students and parents. Many of the latter present ways for parents to support their daughters’ interest in math and science and increase their own knowledge of changing workforce needs.

The project is a partnership of educators, practicing scientists and engineers, business executives, members of professional associations, and education advocates who support this goal. The key partners include the Society of Women Engineers (Phoenix section) and New Frontiers/Center for Educational Development, an educational organization specializing in gender equity. Ancillary partners include the American Association of University Women (Arizona Chapter), Arizona State University, Glendale Union High School District, and numerous scientific and engineering businesses such as Intel and Motorola.

Approximately 800 girls at Palo Verde and the six feeder schools have participated in or been exposed to program activities. Additionally, over 200 parents, 82 mentors, and 300 teachers and administrators have also been involved with the project.