Category Archives: Media

MinnPost MPR, KARE11 cover open-enrollment and segregation

Cynthia Boyd has written about open enrollment in MinnPost: Minnesota’s new ‘white flight’: school open-enrollment program.

A new University of Minnesota analysis finds that more white students than students of color across the Twin Cities metropolitan area are leaving racially diverse districts to enroll in predominantly white districts, a variation of the “white flight” of the 1970s and 1980s when white families up and sold their homes and moved away from changing demographics in urban school districts or sent their children to private rather than public schools.

Tim Post at MPR picks up on the UofM open enrollment report with Study: Open enrollment increasing racial segregation in Twin Cities schools.

Open enrollment was set up in the 1980s to let families choose the district they want their children to attend. But the study, the first of its kind in Minnesota, said one result of open enrollment is white students leaving racially diverse districts.

The university study does not question the validity of the state’s open enrollment policy, but does ask whether it has had some unintended consequences.

KARE11 covered the story the next day: Open enrollment leads to racial segregation in Twin Cities schools.

The study shows that white families in Minneapolis, St. Paul and St. Cloud tend to use open enrollment to leave diverse districts. They send their children to predominantly white affluent schools. The reverse is also true; students who leave suburban white schools for city districts are typically students of color.

Update, the Star Tribune also ran a story by Steve Brandt on 1/19: Open enrollment hurts balance in Twin Cities.

The study’s main findings:

The three large city districts of Minneapolis, St. Paul and St. Cloud each lose substantial numbers of students under open enrollment. Loss of white students to nearby districts represents a large majority of each district’s net losses.
Suburban districts losing the most students to open enrollment include a group of diverse inner- and middle-suburban districts which lose substantial numbers of students.
Districts gaining the most students from open enrollment are predominantly white districts that receive students from more diverse districts.

EMID schools would probably be an exception to this trend, though it is hard to know because EMID and other integration districts, which are schools of choice, were not included in the underlying UofM study (PDF).

Open Enrollment and Racial Segregation in the Twin Cities: 2000 – 2010

MPR: An Imperfect Revolution, Voices from the Desegregation Era

MPR this afternoon broadcast a really interesting American Radio Works documentary: An Imperfect Revolution, Voices from the Desegregation Era. This is well worth a listen or a read. It provides some valuable insight into things we feel at Crosswinds and Harambee and may give us some legs to stand on with the legislature in arguing that Crosswinds deserves to be saved by Perpich.

When the Supreme Court heard the recent desegregation cases from Louisville and Seattle, more than 500 social scientists filed a friend of the court brief presenting research on the effects of school integration. The brief said kids who go to integrated schools tend to have less racial prejudice, and it said integration has improved school achievement for African American students.

Gary Orfield: There’s nothing magic about sitting next to a white child, but there is a tremendous difference between being in a middle class school and high poverty school.

Desegregation expert Gary Orfield points out that integration doesn’t just mix races, it also mixes social classes, and schools where there are a lot of middle class parents tend to be better schools. More affluent parents won’t put up with poor teachers. More affluent kids encourage their classmates to do well and go on to college. Orfield says schools where most of the kids are black or Latino tend also to be schools where most kids are poor.

Orfield: If you look at these highly concentrated impoverished minority high schools, those are the country’s drop-out factories: a few hundred schools where most of the kids never graduate from high school and almost nobody is prepared for college. These are places that just destroy people’s lives. And to think that we know how to equalize this with just putting some money into them is thinking something that simply is not true.

In other words, as the Supreme Court said 50 years ago, separate can never be equal.

Note, Gary Orfield is the brother of our very own Myron Orfield, who has been waging this battle in Minnesota, most recently as part of the integration task force last year.

Pioneer Press: East Metro Integration District schools: Harambee, Crosswinds face closing

Megan Boldt has a story in the Pioneer Press: “East Metro Integration District schools: Harambee, Crosswinds face closing“. She writes about the EMID Board’s efforts to divest itself of schools at the same time that a new DFL majority in the legislature takes on the challenge of future integration funding.

Now, the Roseville and South Washington County school districts want to take over Harambee and Crosswinds, respectively. The districts presented their proposals to the EMID board last week. Board members are expected to make a decision this month.

“We’re not happy about the situation,” said Eric Celeste, a St. Paul parent who has sent two children to EMID schools. “What’s important to us now is that as much of the programs of Harambee and Crosswinds as possible be preserved.

“We’re so focused on academics right now that we forget our schools are supposed to be creating better citizens. And integration does that.”

The article does a good job of laying out the complexity of the situation, including the financial constraints on EMID and the uncertainty of future state actions.

An encouraging quote from our own superintendent wraps up the story:

EMID Superintendent Janet Mohr said the district would keep families apprised of the process and new information as it arises.

“We will continue with our conviction to promptly communicate with our staff and families so they have the information they need to make the necessary decisions for themselves and their children.”

At least the tone of the conversation this year is quite different from last!

Bulletin: Crosswinds addition could be opportune

The editors of the Woodbury Bulletin endorsed a South Washington County (ISD 833) takeover of Crosswinds: Our View: Crosswinds addition could be opportune. “On the surface,” they say, “this appears to be a two-birds-with-one-stone solution.” But they also ask a number of questions:

What’s to come of the current curriculum offered at Crosswinds?

If the current arts- and science-based curriculum remains, where do District 833 students take that specialized education after 10th grade?

Though the building has been paid for by the state and a portion of operating funds are already covered by 833, will that cover all the costs? How much additional funding could District 833 be on the hook for? What fills the gap of EMID dollars steered toward Crosswinds that would presumably go away under an 833 takeover?

Would the integration model remain in any capacity?

Bulletin: Panel balks at plan to acquire Crosswinds school

Scott Wente writes in the Woodbury Bulletin: “Panel balks at District 833 plan to acquire Crosswinds school.” This headline is really not accurate, the subhead does much more justice to the events of last night’s EMID Board meeting: “South Washington County Schools submitted an incomplete plan to take over the Crosswinds school in Woodbury, but had faced a tight deadline and was granted more time to develop its proposal.”

A divided EMID board gave District 833 and certain other organizations that want to continue running Crosswinds about a month to prepare proposals for the school’s future. District 833 had been considered the sole suitor for the school.

EMID board members who supported broadening the search for a new Crosswinds operator said that move should not be viewed as a vote against District 833. Rather, they said, EMID needs to consider all of its options and acknowledged giving District 833 little time to prepare its initial proposal.

Note the picture that accompanied the article, the videos should be posted on EMID Families some time soon.

Bulletin: South Washington County Moving Forward on Crosswinds

Judy Spooner writes in the Woodbury Bulletin: “District 833 School Board moves forward on Crosswinds takeover.”

Board members unanimously agreed to proceed with a letter of interest to the East Metro Integration District, which can no longer afford to operate the integration school.

Unfortunately she seemed a bit confused about the finances, which is not unusual even for members of our own board.

South Washington County Schools gets most of its integration money, about $2.4 million, from the state. There is also a local levy with District 833 contributing $1 million to EMID with two-thirds of the money going to operate the two schools.

In fact, no integration funds at all are being spent on the two EMID schools. The EMID Board decided last year that all integration funds would be spent on shared services and the schools would only get “backpack” funding from the state.

Bulletin: South Washington County School Board shows interest in acquiring Crosswinds school in Woodbury

Judy Spooner writes in the The South Washington County Bulletin: “South Washington County School Board shows interest in acquiring Crosswinds school in Woodbury.” She filled in background to a discussion that took place at the 8 November South Washington County School Board meeting.

Although early in discussions, board members said last week they see that the Crosswinds building could become a fifth District 833 middle school. Should South Washington County Schools acquire the building, it would occur over a two-year period. …

The school, built in 2003 to house 600 students, currently has 350 students and is in “beautiful condition,” [Superintendent] Jacobus said, but District 833 would have to alter the school’s model, probably to a middle school.

It could also be a school for grades 6-12, District 833 School Board Chairwoman Leslee Boyd said.

Crosswinds, which operates on a year-round schedule emphasizing art and science, has strong enrollment in grades 6-8 but falls off in grades 9 and 10, [EMID and South Washington County school board member] Gelbmann said. That is because parents are concerned about splitting up their student’s high school experience.

Numerous decisions would be ahead if District 833 pursues building acquisition, including a two-year process for planning and transition.

The state pays to transport kids by bus to Crosswinds from the 10 member districts, Gelbmann said, and would have to agree to continue to do so because it’s too expensive for 833.

Also, current teacher contracts would transfer to District 833 if the school is taken over. Those with seniority also have seniority in any of the 10 member districts, under state law, Gelbmann said.

MinnPost: Integration issue stalls at Capitol

Beth Hawkins writes in MinnPost: “Integration issue stalls at Capitol.” She notes Garofalo’s buck-passing and the Kersten testimony:

According to the Pioneer Press, Kersten got the chance last week to air her views before the state Senate Education Committee. The task force, meanwhile, has been unable to get the same lawmakers who appointed half its members to take up the report.

New in this story is news that Rep. Mariani, who was also a task force member, is drafting a bill:

Rep. Carlos Mariani, DFL-St. Paul, echoed Thomas’ sentiments. “There should be a hearing,” he said. “The clock is ticking. We have a committee deadline coming up in three weeks.

“This is a pretty significant task,” he continued. “We’re talking about $100 million. We’re talking about racial equity, which is a very important topic, and integration, which has a rich history in this state.”

Mariani is having the panel’s proposal drafted into a bill, which he plans to introduce later this week. He has no guarantee the committee will hear it.

Pioneer Press: Minnesota’s integration program supported by religious leaders

Megan Boldt covers the ISAIAH press conference in the Pioneer Press today: “Minnesota’s integration program supported by religious leaders.” She focuses on the fact that Rep. Pat Garofalo is trying to pass the buck to MDE:

Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, chairman of the House Education Finance Committee, said last week that he expects the state Education Department to flesh out a proposal legislators can act on this session.

Legislature’s court. Spokeswoman Charlene Briner said the department fulfilled its statutory obligations, which included naming six members to the task force, convening the first meeting, offering support to the task force and delivering the report to the Legislature.

“I’m not certain exactly what Rep. Garofalo is referring to when he says he’s waiting for more details from the department,” Briner said.

Pioneer Press: Overhaul of Minnesota school integration in limbo

Mila Koumpilova writes in the Pioneer Press today: “Overhaul of Minnesota school integration in limbo.” In the story she notes that the Legislature and the Minnesota Department of Education differ about who should take the next step with the integration task force recommendations.

Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, chairman of the House Education Finance Committee, said Friday that he expects the Education Department to flesh out a proposal legislators can act on this session. But the department says the ball is in the Legislature’s court.

Koumpilova also exposes some of the tensions emerging from members of the task force.

[Kersten said,] “If the Legislature does nothing, the integration program goes away, and I think that might be the best outcome.”

Kersten added that her Center for the American Experiment report, a year in the making, is completely independent of her service on the task force. …

Myron Orfield, a fellow task force member, said Kersten’s views set her apart on the task force. “Everyone but her felt there were benefits to integration,” he said.

It is odd that the Legislature has already had Kersten testify about her own views but has failed to hold any sort of hearing about the actual task force recommendations.

“You have something that’s so rare in this day and age – a bipartisan recommendation with more than a supermajority,” said committee co-chairman Scott Thomas, an equity coordinator in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district. “The response has been absolute silence.”