A report released today by the U.S. Department of Education has particular significance for Escambia County, in light of our cover story on such disparities (“Black & White“), the District’s not using budgeted funds for instruction while accepting $60 million in Title 1 dollars and the closure of three black elementary schools while spending more to replace a small white school. Have the actions of Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, the District Administration and School Board put this district at risk for a discrimination investigation by the feds? How will that impact the recruitment for new employers to this area?
The self-reported data, Part II of the 2009-10 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), covers a range of issues including college and career readiness, discipline, school finance, and student retention and is a national survey of more than 72,000 schools serving 85% of the nation’s students.
In an event at Howard University attended by civil rights and education reform groups,Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the CRDC findings are a wake-up call to educators at every level and issued a broad challenge to work together to address educational inequities.
“The power of the data is not only in the numbers themselves, but in the impact it can have when married with the courage and the will to change,†said Duncan. “The undeniable truth is that the everyday educational experience for many students of color violates the principle of equity at the heart of the American promise. It is our collective duty to change that.
Among the key findings are:
African-American students, particularly males, are far more likely to be suspended or expelled from school than their peers. Black students make up 18% of the students in the CRDC sample, but 35% of the students suspended once, and 39% of the students expelled.
In Escambia County, black student made up in 2009 38% of the students, but were 67% of students suspended and 57% of those expelled.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali said that for the first time, this survey includes detailed discipline data, including in-school suspensions, referrals to law enforcement, and school-related arrests.
“These new data categories are a powerful tool to aid schools and districts in crafting policy, and can unleash the power of research to advance reform in schools,†Ali said.
Part II of the CRDC also provides a clear, comparative picture of college and career readiness, school finance, teacher absenteeism, student harassment and bullying, student restraint and seclusion, and grade-level student retention.
The link for Escambia County’s page – http://ocrdata.ed.gov/Page?t=d&eid=31607&syk=5&pid=119
Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to today’s release by the U.S. Department of Education.
“We applaud the Department of Education for collecting and releasing this data – which points to mass and systemic discrimination in our public education system,†said Henderson. “With this knowledge comes the responsibility for the Department to investigate school districts that may be in violation of federal civil rights law and take appropriate enforcement action.â€
Henderson echoed the sentiments of Secretary Duncan.
“By showing vast disparities in virtually all dimensions of students’ experiences in schools including discipline, achievement, resources, and support, it reveals a harsh reality of student life for minorities and students with disabilities,†Henderson said. “These disparities start a vicious cycle for these students, who fall further behind in class time, suffer from lower self-esteem, and then either drop out or land in the criminal justice system. These are among the most treacherous barriers to economic and educational advancement for minorities in this country; they must stop.â€
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States, said that it will support in the Department of Education’s future investigation and enforcement of all civil rights violations inferred from this data.
