Florida charters less diverse than other public schools
Sentinel analysis shows growth in charters with concentrations of single race or ethnicity
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 Kindergarten teacher Stefanie Miller works with Theodore Lewis, 5, at Nap Ford Charter School. (George Skene/Orlando Sentinel / April 30, 2011) |
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Segregation is making a comeback in Florida's public schools with the new wave of charter schools springing up across the state.
One out of eight charter schools has a student body with 90 percent or more of a single race or ethnicity, an Orlando Sentinel analysis of the state's 456 taxpayer-financed charters shows. That compares with one out of 12 traditional public schools.
Those top heavy charters are adding to the list of out-of-balance public schools that have perplexed educators since integration 40 years ago. Educators have worked for decades to reduce the imbalance through rezoning, school-transfer options, magnet schools and other devices to shift students and make schools more diverse.
But the charter trend is toward segregation, and more of the charters with skewed enrollments may be on the way.
Segregation is making a comeback in Florida's public schools with the new wave of charter schools springing up across the state.
One out of eight charter schools has a student body with 90 percent or more of a single race or ethnicity, an Orlando Sentinel analysis of the state's 456 taxpayer-financed charters shows. That compares with one out of 12 traditional public schools.
Those top heavy charters are adding to the list of out-of-balance public schools that have perplexed educators since integration 40 years ago. Educators have worked for decades to reduce the imbalance through rezoning, school-transfer options, magnet schools and other devices to shift students and make schools more diverse.
But the charter trend is toward segregation, and more of the charters with skewed enrollments may be on the way.
Database: Racial and ethnic makeup of Florida's charter schools
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Search the database for racial or ethnic makeup of Florida's charter schools.Copyright © 2011, Orlando Sentinel
