A Call to Action to Mark the 70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education from Brown’s Promise
Seventy years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” Court-ordered school desegregation led to dramatic increases in graduation rates, college going, adult health status, and adult income and economic power for Black students and Latino students, and an increase in years of schooling that was sufficient to close the Black-White educational attainment gap.
School integration made great strides toward addressing educational inequities in America. This was in large part because it addressed the segregated conditions that led to dramatic shortfalls in funding and resources in schools
serving Black students and other students of color. Today, school integration is as important as ever before: a core purpose of public education is to
prepare all students for their future workplaces, communities, and democratic institutions, many of which are growing more diverse by the year. Yet progress on school integration has stalled, and has even reversed. Students are as racially segregated as they were in the late 1960s. Learn more about the call to action here.
A History of Private Schools and Race in the American South
Private schools may have a long, honorable tradition in America that goes back to colonial times, but that tradition ended—at least in the American South—in the last half of the 20th century when they were used as safe havens for Southern Whites to escape the effects of the impending and ongoing desegregation mandates. This exodus from public schools began in the 1940s, when private school enrollment in the 15 states of the South rose by more than 125,000 students—roughly 43 percent—in response to U.S. Supreme Court decisions outlawing segregation in graduate and professional schools in the South. While the decisions only concerned institutions of higher education, it signaled to watchful Southern leaders that desegregation might soon spread to their public elementary and secondary schools, compelling them to react in ways to defend their way of life. Read more
Early childhood education: The Children’s Equity Project’s collection of resources, reports
The Children’s Equity Project is led in partnership with researchers and advocates at several universities and organizations across the United States. Our work focuses on closing opportunity gaps and advancing equity in all of the systems that impact the lives of children and families so that all children, particularly those from historically and contemporary marginalized communities, can thrive.
The CEP works at the intersection of research, practice, and policy. They engage in rigorous original research, partner with policymakers at every level of government to support data and research-informed policy changes that will advance opportunity for children from historically marginalized communities; and engage with communities to deliver training, technical assistance, and professional development. Read more
Best Practices for Serving English Language Learners and Their Families
Educators and administrators can move their school toward a comprehensive and culturally responsive approach to serving English language learners and their families by incorporating the best practices outlined in this guide. The guide also includes a Teacher Leadership Spotlight for each section to help explain steps teachers can take outside the classroom to ensure ELL students and their families enjoy welcoming, equitable experiences at school.
Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates
This resource identifies five guiding principles and suggests actions schools and school districts can take to create inclusive, safe, supportive, and fair learning environments. The resource also lists federal resources to support these efforts. Download pdf