The U.S. Department of Education (ED), The Century Foundation (TCF), and the National Coalition on School Diversity (NCSD) are hosting a workshop on School Diversity in Action: Strategies for Increasing School Diversity and Fostering Equitable School Environments. This two-day convening will take place beginning at 1:00pm on October 17th, and will end on October 18th at 4:00pm, at the U.S. Department of Education.
Research indicates that racial and socioeconomic diversity in schools can lead to improved outcomes for all students, with especially powerful benefits for students from low-income families. Compared to peers who attend higher-poverty schools, low-income students in diverse schools demonstrate higher levels of academic achievement and are nearly 70% more likely to attend college. These academic outcomes are bolstered by the social-emotional and civic benefits for all students who interact with peers from different backgrounds, including increased preparation for navigating cross-cultural interactions in the global economy. To continue the work toward truly providing equal access to a high-quality education, communities and school districts nationwide must expand educational opportunities and remove the barriers that create persistent patterns of segregation.
ED, TCF, and NCSD recognize that many districts are already leading the way in creating diverse schools and ensuring that those schools meaningfully engage all students in the school community. This workshop will allow interested districts to explore and compare strategies adopted in peer districts to increase school diversity—including how to get started in this work, how to build community support, and how to address common obstacles. In addition, districts will learn about the ways that federal resources can support these efforts.
Related Readings
- School Diversity in Action Conference Agenda
- Stories of School Integration by Halley Potter, Kimberly Quick, Kim Bridges, Carole Learned-Miller, and Suchi Saxena, foreword by Richard D. Kahlenberg, October 14, 2016
- A New Wave of School Integration by Halley Potter, Kimberly Quick, and Elizabeth Davies, February 9, 2016
- How Racially Diverse Schools and Classrooms Can Benefit All Students by Amy Stuart Wells, Lauren Fox, and Diana Cordova-Cobo, February 9, 2016
- Diversity & Opportunity, #StrongerTogether, The Department of Education
- About NCSD
- How the Administration’s “Stronger Together” school integration proposal built on the lessons learned from the flawed TASAP program by Kathryn A. McDermott, Erica Frankenberg, and Elizabeth DeBray, October 2016
- School Integration and K-12 Educational Outcomes: A Quick Synthesis of Social Science Evidence by Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, March 2015
Related Video
- WATCH Melissa Harris-Perry interview Secretary of Education John King