THE GENDER EQUITY EXPERT PANEL--NOVEMBER 18, 1997 UPDATE
The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) in the U.S.
Department of Education (ED) is designing a system of Expert Panels to
identify and share replicable promising and exemplary products, programs
and practices with educators, students and parents. The Gender Equity
Expert Panel has been one of two pilot panels. (The other pilot was in
mathematics and science education.) The ED supported Women's Educational
Equity Act Equity (WEEA) Equity Resource Center at Education Development
Center (EDC) has been helping manage the panel work and provides additional
information on the panel including its submission guidelines on their WEB
SITE: www.edc.org/WomensEquity.
The Panel will share recommendations of promising and exemplary submissions
that have been approved by the Secretary of Education with this EDEQUITY
listserv and also use many other dissemination strategies.
YOU CAN HELP!
The Panel is finishing its first review cycle and needs your help in
suggesting promising and exemplary products and programs which you believe
advance gender equity in and through education. If you have suggestions on
potential submissions, or would like the current submission guidelines,
please e-mail the Panel's federal coordinator sue_klein@ed.gov or call her
at 202-219-2038.
The Gender Equity Expert Panel has formed six subpanels, and an advisory
group. Its current federal coordinator is in OERI with subpanel
coordinators in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) and
the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS).
The six subpanels are:
Core Gender Equity Issues including Title IX, systemic efforts to promote
gender equity, and gender equity topics that don't fit easily in other
subpanels. (Co-Chairs, Marylin Hulme and Melissa Keyes)
Gender Equity in Mathematics, Science and Technology including students,
parents and community members at all levels. (Chair, Lynn Fox)
.
Gender Equity in Teacher Education and Professional Development including
both preservice and inservice courses and training. (Chair, Patricia Ortman)
Gender Equity in Vocational Technical Education and School to Work focusing
on products, programs and practices such as those developed and used by the
federally funded state vocational education sex equity coordinators and
displaced homemaker programs. (Chair, Mary Wiberg)
Gender Equity and Disability May include various forms of gender bias in
special education programs, such as under-identification of girls, issues
of double discrimination based on disability and gender, particular issues
facing women and girls with disabilities related to body image, sexuality,
violence, lack of access to role models, etc. (Chair, Harilyn Rousso,
Federal Subpanel Coordinator, Peggy McLeod)
The Prevention of Violence and Sexual Harassment including the prevention
of sexual harassment, bullying or more subtle discrimination related to
intimidation or fear related to gender or sexuality at all educational
levels. Much of the initial focus will be on the postsecondary level due
to supplemental support in this area. (Chair, Michelle Paludi, Federal
Subpanel Coordinator, Lavona Grow)
Advisory Group
The 20-30 members of the Gender Equity Expert Panel are supplemented by
over one hundred advisers who are interested in keeping informed of panel
work and helping in various tasks such as recommending and reviewing
submissions and helping submitters with their evaluations. Communication
with these advisers is through the gndrpan listserv.
Based on its experiences with the pilot review, the Gender Equity Expert
Panel is now working toward final decisions on its first 20 submissions and
clarifying its decision rules while continuing to pay attention to the OERI
criteria categories of:
- evidence of success or effectiveness,
- quality,
- educational significance and
- replicability or usefulness to others.
In doing so, the Gender Equity Expert Panel will be revising its
submission guidelines and its policy and procedures manual.
Susan S. Klein
<sklein@hermesnet.net>