11

Building A Better Region by Building A Better Region by Assuring Healthy, Assuring Healthy, Integrated SchoolsIntegrated Schools

Hope in the Cities

john a. powellWilliams Chair in Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, Moritz College of Law &

Director, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity

November 9th 2006

2

Overview of PresentationOverview of Presentation

►Racial and Economic Segregation in Racial and Economic Segregation in SchoolsSchools Causes of segregation in our Public Causes of segregation in our Public

SchoolsSchools

Consequences of segregationConsequences of segregation

Policy solutions to reduce segregation in Policy solutions to reduce segregation in our schoolsour schools

33

CausesCauses

4

Causes of SegregationCauses of Segregation

►The link between housing and The link between housing and educationeducation Segregation in our schools is a direct Segregation in our schools is a direct

reflection of the racial and economic reflection of the racial and economic segregation in our neighborhoodssegregation in our neighborhoods

Housing and school segregation also Housing and school segregation also reinforce each otherreinforce each other

►Housing determines access to schoolsHousing determines access to schools

►School quality determines access to housing School quality determines access to housing (through the impact on price)(through the impact on price)

5

Spatial TrendsSpatial Trends

► Since 1970, African Americans have become less Since 1970, African Americans have become less concentrated in the Richmond region as the region’s concentrated in the Richmond region as the region’s neighborhoods are growing less segregatedneighborhoods are growing less segregated But segregation in the region’s public schools have not declined But segregation in the region’s public schools have not declined

as quickly as segregation in neighborhoods (especially since as quickly as segregation in neighborhoods (especially since 1990)1990)

► What influences this?What influences this? Land use policy, exclusionary housing patterns, discrimination, Land use policy, exclusionary housing patterns, discrimination,

court decisionscourt decisions

► Resulting in racial and economic segregation in urban Resulting in racial and economic segregation in urban school districtsschool districts

► This economic segregation also impacts many low This economic segregation also impacts many low income White familiesincome White families

6

HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

HENRICO COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RICHMOND CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

´

Richmond Virginia Region: African American Population 1970

and School District Boundaries

Legend

School Districts

African American Population (%)

Less than 5%

5 to 20%

20 to 40%

40 to 60%

60% or More

Prepared by Kirwan Institute; Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Census CD

HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

HENRICO COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RICHMOND CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

´

Richmond Virginia Region: African American Population 2000

and School District Boundaries

Legend

School Districts

African American Population (%)

Less than 5%

5 to 20%

20 to 40%

40 to 60%

60% or More

Prepared by Kirwan Institute; Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Census CD

African American Segregation Trends and School African American Segregation Trends and School Boundaries 1970 to 2000Boundaries 1970 to 2000

7

African American-White Segregation Trends African American-White Segregation Trends in Neighborhoods and Schools 1970, 1990 in Neighborhoods and Schools 1970, 1990

and 2000and 2000Dissimilarity Scores: Richmond VA

76.5

60.657

85.6

63.9 63.2

505560657075808590

1970 1990 2000

Neighborhood SegregationSchool Segregation

Source: Mumford Center

8

Poverty Exposure and Race for Poverty Exposure and Race for School Children in the Richmond School Children in the Richmond

RegionRegion

17.8%

38.7%

57.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Poverty Rate

School Poverty Rate for the Average Student by Race in 2000

White

Latino

AfricanAmerican

Source: Mumford Center

99

ConsequencesConsequences

10

Negative Factors Associated Negative Factors Associated with High-Poverty Schoolswith High-Poverty Schools

► Inadequate funding & resourcesInadequate funding & resources

►Negative peer influencesNegative peer influences

►Low levels of parental involvementLow levels of parental involvement

►Low expectations, lower standardsLow expectations, lower standards

►Discipline problemsDiscipline problems

►Depressed academic achievementDepressed academic achievement

►High student/teacher mobilityHigh student/teacher mobility

Source: [1] Harris, D.N. (2006). Ending the Blame Game on Educational Inequality: A Study of ‘High Flying’ Schools and NCLB. Educational Policy Research Unit, Arizona State University.

11

Teacher Quality & AttritionTeacher Quality & Attrition

Source: Helping Children Move from Bad Schools to Good Ones. Richard D. Kahlenberg. The Century Foundation. 6/15/2006

12

►AcademicAcademic

►PsychologicalPsychological

►HealthHealth

►EconomicEconomic

►EmploymentEmployment

►DemocraticDemocratic

Impact of Segregated Impact of Segregated Schools Schools

on Students and Societyon Students and Society

13

School Poverty RatePoverty Rate Reading Math

Very Low (0 to 20%) 91.3% 92.1%Low (20 to 40%) 83.0% 82.3%Moderate (40 to 60%) 78.8% 84.3%High (60 to 80%) 76.8% 82.7%Very High (80 to 100%) 58.7% 70.5%

Avg SchoolPass Rate 04

Performance for Higher Poverty Performance for Higher Poverty Schools in the Richmond RegionSchools in the Richmond Region

►High poverty schools do perform worse High poverty schools do perform worse in the Richmond region, but the in the Richmond region, but the disparity is not as great as what our disparity is not as great as what our research has found to exist in other research has found to exist in other regionsregions

Source: School Matters, Standard and Poors Database

14

Performance for Higher Poverty Performance for Higher Poverty Schools in the Richmond RegionSchools in the Richmond Region

► Why is the disparity gap for high and low poverty Why is the disparity gap for high and low poverty schools not as great as in other regions?schools not as great as in other regions? One factor impacting this trend is the relatively low One factor impacting this trend is the relatively low

number of high poverty schools in the region, especially number of high poverty schools in the region, especially extreme high poverty schools (with poverty rates of more extreme high poverty schools (with poverty rates of more than 80%), these extreme high poverty schools would than 80%), these extreme high poverty schools would experience the greatest cumulative impact of student experience the greatest cumulative impact of student poverty on student performancepoverty on student performance

For exampleFor example► 22% of schools in the Richmond region had poverty rates 22% of schools in the Richmond region had poverty rates

higher than 60%, in contrast nearly half of schools in Ohio’s higher than 60%, in contrast nearly half of schools in Ohio’s major urban areas had poverty rates this highmajor urban areas had poverty rates this high

► Less than 2% of the Richmond region’s schools had poverty Less than 2% of the Richmond region’s schools had poverty rates higher than 80%, in comparison 20% of schools in Ohio’s rates higher than 80%, in comparison 20% of schools in Ohio’s major urban areas had poverty rates higher than 80% major urban areas had poverty rates higher than 80%

Source: School Matters, Standard and Poors Database

15

► Why is the disparity gap for high and low Why is the disparity gap for high and low poverty schools not as great as in other poverty schools not as great as in other regions?regions? Teacher Quality Teacher Quality

► 97.2% of the teachers in high-poverty schools are highly 97.2% of the teachers in high-poverty schools are highly qualifiedqualified

Richmond Renaissance Initiative – attracting and retaining Richmond Renaissance Initiative – attracting and retaining high quality teachers to the districthigh quality teachers to the district

Class SizeClass Size► Richmond City Public Schools: 13.4 student/teacher ratioRichmond City Public Schools: 13.4 student/teacher ratio

► Detroit City Schools: 16.6 student/teacher ratioDetroit City Schools: 16.6 student/teacher ratio

Other Factors that may Help Mitigate Other Factors that may Help Mitigate the Effects of Higher Poverty Schools in the Effects of Higher Poverty Schools in

the Richmond Regionthe Richmond Region

16

Troubling SignsTroubling Signs

► The relatively low number of extreme high poverty The relatively low number of extreme high poverty schools in Richmond is promising, but troubling schools in Richmond is promising, but troubling trends in school poverty may threaten the futuretrends in school poverty may threaten the future Statewide, Virginia has seen an increase in the number of Statewide, Virginia has seen an increase in the number of

high poverty schools in recent yearshigh poverty schools in recent years

Our analysis of federal school poverty data finds an Our analysis of federal school poverty data finds an increase in the proportion of high poverty schools (with increase in the proportion of high poverty schools (with poverty rates greater than 50%)poverty rates greater than 50%)

In 1998 26% of schools were high poverty, by 2004 31% of In 1998 26% of schools were high poverty, by 2004 31% of schools were high povertyschools were high poverty

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Note: Some schools could not be analyzed for this assessment due to missing data in the federal database

17

Implications for RichmondImplications for Richmond

► Richmond’s lower rates of school poverty (in Richmond’s lower rates of school poverty (in comparison to other more segregated comparison to other more segregated districts like Cleveland or Detroit), make districts like Cleveland or Detroit), make strategic interventions to reduce economic strategic interventions to reduce economic segregation less disruptive and more segregation less disruptive and more plausible to implementplausible to implement

► The region could also move toward The region could also move toward addressing reforms outside of economic addressing reforms outside of economic school desegregation strategiesschool desegregation strategies Detracking, disciplinary reform, reforms to Detracking, disciplinary reform, reforms to

promote democratic meritpromote democratic merit

18

Societal ImplicationsSocietal Implications

►Segregation has broader impacts beyond Segregation has broader impacts beyond just student outcomes in the classroomjust student outcomes in the classroom Segregation fuels other large regional issues Segregation fuels other large regional issues

impacting the health of everyoneimpacting the health of everyone►The link between sprawl/inner city flight and The link between sprawl/inner city flight and

school qualityschool quality Concern about school quality is the primary reason for Concern about school quality is the primary reason for

households who decide to leave urban neighborhoodshouseholds who decide to leave urban neighborhoods Segregation degrades educational outcomes (e.g. Segregation degrades educational outcomes (e.g.

indicators of school quality) and influences the flight of indicators of school quality) and influences the flight of families from urban school districtsfamilies from urban school districts

►Reinforces residential segregation in our Reinforces residential segregation in our neighborhoodsneighborhoods

19

Cycle of SegregationCycle of Segregation

Lower EducationalOutcomes for Urban

School Districts

Increased Flightof Affluent

Families fromUrban Areas

Neighborhood (Housing)

Segregation

SchoolSegregation

20

Societal ImplicationsSocietal Implications

► Linked fates: Racial and economic segregation Linked fates: Racial and economic segregation produces underperforming schools, which produces underperforming schools, which harms everyone in the long runharms everyone in the long run

Inequality is a sign of an economically/socially Inequality is a sign of an economically/socially inefficient region, where proper investments are inefficient region, where proper investments are not made in human capital, and where much of not made in human capital, and where much of the population can not meet its creative potentialthe population can not meet its creative potential

The region loses its competitive edge in the global The region loses its competitive edge in the global economy due to inequitable schools that produce an economy due to inequitable schools that produce an unprepared labor forceunprepared labor force

2121

SolutionsSolutions

“The notion that all children perform better in middle-class schools than in poverty-concentrated schools is the most consistent findings in research

on education.”

-Gary Orfield

Cited in Divided We Fail: Coming Together Through Public School Choice.

22

Solutions to SegregationSolutions to Segregation

► Need sustainable, system-wide reformNeed sustainable, system-wide reform► Because opportunities are distributed Because opportunities are distributed

geographically, the solution must have geographically, the solution must have the scope and breadth to disrupt the the scope and breadth to disrupt the current arrangementcurrent arrangement Schools reflect racial, ethnic and SES Schools reflect racial, ethnic and SES

segregation of the regionsegregation of the region

► IntegrationIntegration By Race- increasingly under legal attackBy Race- increasingly under legal attack By Socioeconomic Status- because of the By Socioeconomic Status- because of the

high correlation between race and poverty, high correlation between race and poverty, integration by SES can achieve bothintegration by SES can achieve both

23

Benefits of Economic Benefits of Economic IntegrationIntegration

► Increased student expectationsIncreased student expectations► Access to social capitalAccess to social capital► Positive impact on cognitive development for Positive impact on cognitive development for

ALLALL► Improved academic achievement Improved academic achievement ► Schools better able to attract and retain Schools better able to attract and retain

teachers teachers ► Lower drop out ratesLower drop out rates► Higher career aspirationsHigher career aspirations► Students more likely to attend collegeStudents more likely to attend college► Fewer incidents with policeFewer incidents with police► Students less likely to become teenage parentsStudents less likely to become teenage parents

24

Achieving Economic Achieving Economic IntegrationIntegration

► District magnet/charter schoolsDistrict magnet/charter schools Create high-quality magnet schools with Create high-quality magnet schools with

academic, economic thresholdsacademic, economic thresholds

► Wake County Raleigh, NCWake County Raleigh, NC No more than 40% low incomeNo more than 40% low income No more than 25% performing below grade No more than 25% performing below grade

level on state reading testlevel on state reading test ResultsResults

►Black students: 40% to 80% grade level on Black students: 40% to 80% grade level on standardized tests standardized tests

►Hispanic students: 79% to 91%. Hispanic students: 79% to 91%.

25

► Suburban schools: designated Suburban schools: designated vouchers/choice planvouchers/choice plan Provide academic support, transportationProvide academic support, transportation

Connect to regional housing policiesConnect to regional housing policies

► Minneapolis Choice is Yours Minneapolis Choice is Yours Urban students are given priority placement in Urban students are given priority placement in

suburban or magnet schools of their choice suburban or magnet schools of their choice

Participants outperformed their peers, with Participants outperformed their peers, with scores in reading and mathematics that were scores in reading and mathematics that were respectively 23 and 25 percentile points higher respectively 23 and 25 percentile points higher

Achieving Economic Achieving Economic IntegrationIntegration

26

Working Outside of the Working Outside of the ClassroomClassroom

► Income and housing are two other points of Income and housing are two other points of intervention to address economic segregation in intervention to address economic segregation in our schoolsour schools Income strategies: Improving the income/assets of Income strategies: Improving the income/assets of

low income families, producing greater housing low income families, producing greater housing choice choice

► Maximizing use of the Earned Income Tax Credit, Minimum Maximizing use of the Earned Income Tax Credit, Minimum Wage CampaignsWage Campaigns

Housing strategies: Segregation in our schools can Housing strategies: Segregation in our schools can also be addressed by expanding housing also be addressed by expanding housing opportunities for low income families in more affluent opportunities for low income families in more affluent school districtsschool districts

► Looking at Inclusionary Zoning and Targeting of Subsidized Looking at Inclusionary Zoning and Targeting of Subsidized HousingHousing

27

Conclusion: A Call for Conclusion: A Call for CooperationCooperation

► Why do we need cooperation between the region’s Why do we need cooperation between the region’s communities to address concentrations of poverty and communities to address concentrations of poverty and disparity?disparity? Linked fates – the region’s disparities harm everyone, producing Linked fates – the region’s disparities harm everyone, producing

harms that endanger not only those directly impacted but limiting harms that endanger not only those directly impacted but limiting the future of everyonethe future of everyone

► Through collective imagination, we need to define what the Through collective imagination, we need to define what the future should look likefuture should look like A New Paradigm! Targeted UniversalismA New Paradigm! Targeted Universalism

► What is our alternative vision?What is our alternative vision? A model where we all grow togetherA model where we all grow together A model where we embrace collective solutionsA model where we embrace collective solutions This vision requires collective action and will require coalitions to This vision requires collective action and will require coalitions to

be successfulbe successful

28

Questions or Comments? Questions or Comments? For More Information Visit Us On-For More Information Visit Us On-

Line:Line:

www.KirwanInstitute.orgwww.KirwanInstitute.org