Learning From Diverse-by-Design Charter Schools: Intentional Student Recruitment to Increase Diversity

• In Event: Examining Charter School Resources and Practices

Abstract

Since the 1970s, public schools have become more segregated. This mixed-methods study examines efforts to increase student diversity at 24 diverse-by-design charter schools (DBDCS) in three states. Interviews and focus groups revealed that local context, including state policy and gentrification, shaped schools’ recruitment practices. Schools responded to contextual factors by using data to strategically employ a wide range of recruitment practices, with a focus on differentiated messaging that builds trust among target parents. Quantitative analyses show that sample DBDCS are more diverse than comparison schools, defined as similar traditional public and charter schools. We conclude that DBDCS have considerable agency in cultivating student diversity and end by offering implications for policy, practice, and future research regarding school diversification.

Authors

• Sophia Seifert, Temple University

• Lorna Porter, University of Oregon

• Priscilla Wohlstetter, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Joanna R. Smith, University of Auckland