- A
- Foundations and Basic Commitments
Boulder Valley School District
Adopted: December 17, 2024
NEURODIVERSITY PHILOSOPHY
The Board of Education of the Boulder Valley School District adopts the following statement of philosophy regarding neurodiversity:
Boulder Valley School District recognizes all students as unique individuals with diverse learning styles, abilities, and needs. Neurodiversity describes the natural variation of human brains and nervous systems and the differences in how people gather, process, and interpret their sensory and cognitive experiences. Neurodiversity explains the richness and complexity of the human brain as inherently neutral, not positive or negative, and as facets of individual identity.
Neurodiversity intersects with other important aspects of students’ identities including race, gender, cultural background, language, and socioeconomic status. BVSD believes each person’s unique neuro-identity enriches our community and contribute to our collective success.
Education serves a vital role in encouraging and enabling individuals to develop their full potential. BVSD is committed to creating inclusive and equitable learning environments and school communities that respect the unique and intersecting identities, experiences, perspectives, and learning needs of all students. To create neuro-affirming learning environments, BVSD embraces the following principles:
On agency: To involve students in their learning experience and given them reasonable opportunities to make choices in topic, process and product.
On belonging: To strive to create learning environments that promote students’ sense of connection as members of their school communities and their ability to thrive as their authentic selves.
On collaboration: To partner with students, families, and staff to create meaningful and engaging opportunities for each student.
On differentiation: To proactively support students through equitable and accessible instructional design and practices that incorporate educational research, including current and neuro-affirming research, and strategies to affirm a student's identity, rather than trying to “fix” or “cure” them.
On safety: To create learning environments that support students’ physical, emotional, psychological, and social safety and well-being.
On self-advocacy: To empower students to recognize, learn about, and advocate for their
needs.