New York City, June 28, 2007—Communities that are committed to fostering diversity in public schools were dealt a serious blow today when, in an historic ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court restricted the ability of school districts to use race as a factor in school assignment plans. Districts should not give up on integration, however, says Richard D. Kahlenberg, senior fellow at The Century Foundation. “A growing number of school districts across the country have begun to use students’ socioeconomic status as a factor in school integration plans,” he says, “and preliminary evidence suggests such plans can raise academic achievement and produce racially diverse schools in a manner that is legally bullet-proof.”

In a report released today, June 28, by The Century Foundation, he examines twelve such school systems and finds that when socioeconomic school integration plans are well implemented, they can boost academic achievement and also provide students with a racially integrated schooling environment.Rescuing Brown v. Board of Education: Profiles of Twelve School Districts Pursuing Socioeconomic School Integration features detailed studies of three leading districts with the longest standing and most comprehensive socioeconomic integration policies—Wake County (Raleigh), North Carolina; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and Cambridge, Massachusetts. It also includes profiles of nine additional communities that are using socioeconomic status as a factor in assignment—Berkeley, California; Brandywine, Delaware; Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina, Manatee County, Florida; McKinney, Texas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Omaha, Nebraska; Rochester, New York; and San Francisco, California. In addition, the report looks at school districts that may move toward socioeconomic integration. These include districts already discussing that possibility (including Burlington, Vermont; and Pasadena, California) as well as districts now employing race as a criterion which may shift toward socioeconomic status (including Louisville, Kentucky; Seattle, Washington; Lynn, Massachusetts; and others).

“Brown v. Board of Education stood for racial integration of schools and equal educational opportunity,” says Kahlenberg. “School districts that are promoting socioeconomic integration are vigorously pursuing both goals.

Given the Supreme Court’s decision, socioeconomic integration moves to the cutting edge of equitable school reform.” The report notes that today, most districts seek to achieve socioeconomic integration through public school choice and magnet schools rather than compulsory busing. Rescuing Brown v. Board of Education: Profiles of Twelve School Districts Pursuing Socioeconomic School Integration can be downloaded from The Century Foundation’s main Web site, www.tcf.org, or its education Web site www.equaleduation.org. Richard Kahlenberg is available to discuss the report’s findings and other issues related to the Supreme Court decision and school integration. Please contact Christy Hicks at hicks@tcf.org or (212) 452-7723.