Opportunity Assessment Background

To live up to its goals of being a fully inclusive magnet school at all levels, King Arts’ PTA will complete the equity-focused process to ensure the events and community partnerships we’re working with reflect our school’s vision, mission, and magnet school goals. 

The assessment tool reflects equity-focused questions to address throughout the planning and execution of each PTA initiative/event.  

Guiding Principles

• Prioritize the needs of children, families, and community members who have been historically marginalized and/or underrepresented.
• Strive to be inclusive and welcoming of all groups, especially those that have been historically marginalized or excluded.
• Be accountable for IMPACT regardless of intention. 
• Explore opportunities to partner with Evanston/Skokie vendors that represent our mission, vision, values, and magnet focus.
• This is a living document. As we use it, we anticipate and welcome changes to improve it.

King Arts PTA Event & Vendor Partner Opportunity Assessment

Planning

• Audience/ Participants: Who are the intended audience and/or participants for this initiative or event? Why? 

• • Except for affinity spaces, does the intended audience/participants reflect the diversity of the student and family population?
  • Who is being centered? 
  • Who is invisible or ignored?

• What are the intended IMPACT and OUTCOMES of this initiative or event?

• • What barriers may limit participation in this initiative? 

• • • Busing and/or location of events in relation to students’/families’ homes
    • Timing of events
    • Costs for participation (consider alternatives such as suggested donations)
    • Childcare needs
    • Languages spoken, including parents/caregivers/guardians who don’t speak English or for whom English is a second language
    • Is the event/initiative accessible to people with disabilities?
    • Will we provide food? What type? (This can increase participation but can also limit participation for individuals with food allergies, cultural requirements, etc. How can we reduce risk?)
    • Is the location, nature, and culture of our initiative/event one that is safe for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, or other marginalized people that reflect our school community? 

• How are we conducting outreach to create awareness and a sense of welcomeness among the intended audience/participants?

• • What modes of communication are we using? Are these likely to reach 
    our intended audience/participants? Why or why not?
  • Who is involved in outreach? Do they have authentic relationships with 
    the intended audience/participants? 
  • Are the vendor partners we’re soliciting representative of our school community? Do they support/value our magnet focus?

• How will we gather feedback from the audience/participants/vendor participants after the initiative or event?

King Arts PTA Event & Vendor Partner Opportunity Assessment 

Partnership/Collaboration

What businesses/organizations are we partnering with?

• Have we partnered with BIPOC-owned businesses/organizations? 
• Are the businesses/organizations representative of the diversity of the school community?
• Are the businesses/organizations supportive and/or reflective of our magnet focus:

• Literary
• Drama
• Media & Visual Arts
• Drama
• Vocal and Instrumental Music

 Who participated? Were participants and partner vendors reflective of the school student/family demographics?

• Yes 
• No

What were the IMPACT and OUTCOMES of the initiative or event?

• How did the initiative or event support or advance equity?
• How did the initiative or event support or advance our magnet focus?
• Were there any unintended or negative impacts or outcomes, especially related to equity, inclusiveness, belonging or our magnet focus? Describe.
• What can we do now to address these?
• What can we do going forward to address and/or avoid these?

How did the people who attended/participated experience the initiative or event? 

• Did we effectively gather feedback from our entire community (not just the folks who regularly share feedback)?
• What changes could improve this initiative or event in the future?  

Following the conclusion of each initiative and event, update the King Arts Event and Vendor Partner Database