Leading Education Organizations Launch Diversity Guide for Schools
Guide advises school districts on the establishment or refinement of diversity-related policies
Alexandria, Va. (September 7, 2011) – Three leading education organizations have released a new guide that examines the educational benefits of student diversity and addresses how school districts can establish or refine diversity-related policies that advance achievement for all students.
The National School Boards Association (NSBA), the College Board, and EducationCounsel, LLC, today unveiled Achieving Educational Excellence for All: A Guide to Diversity-Related Policy Strategies for School Districts. The guide, funded through a generous grant from the Ford Foundation, was written by Arthur L. Coleman, Francisco M. Negrón, Jr, and Katherine E. Lipper.
“Despite the fast-changing pace of our new global society, a longstanding need remains for schools to carry the promise of Brown v. Board of Educationinto the new millennium,” said Anne L. Bryant, NSBA’s Executive Director. “Our hope is that local leaders at all levels of the school community, from school board members, to educators, to superintendents and parents, use this resource to move the conversation forward about the importance of diversity as a means for achieving academic goals, and that they do so in a way that is not only legally sound, but also reflects the best values of the communities they serve.”
Achieving Educational Excellence for All: A Guide to Diversity-Related Policy Strategies for School Districts features chapters on policy, law, and community engagement associated with the development of diversity-related policies. The report has been endorsed by the American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, Association of Teacher Educators, National Association of School Psychologists, National Education Association, and School Social Work Association of America.
“This guide will help school boards translate our 20th century vision of equality and fairness into a workable plan that lifts the academic achievement of all students in the 21st century,” said Negrón, NSBA’s General Counsel. “While our society has become increasingly diverse, too many of our communities are becoming increasingly segregated. Voluntary migration patterns and economic segregation have replaced legally imposed divisions, and this guide will help school leaders navigate these difficult issues.”
Link to the report: http://www.nsba.org/