Diversity by Design: New Visions for School Districts That Serve All Students

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium draws on the expertise and experience of some of the nation’s most creative school district leaders, activists and scholars who are reimagining school district boundaries based on principles of inclusion, integration and innovation. Collectively, symposium participants bring (1) first-hand experience with redesigning school district boundaries; (2) insights of activists fighting for schools of excellence for all children and (3) a rich background in research about experimental district redesigns. The organization of the symposium is interactive, members of the audience will be encouraged to share their own experiences and research. The aim of this symposium is to act as a catalyst for more experiments in district-wide attendance designs leading to desegregation and opportunities to learn for all.

Sub Unit

• Division A - Administration / Division A - Section 3: School and District Improvement

Chair

• Peter Willis Cookson, Learning Policy Institute

Papers

• Evidence That Integration Works - Rucker C Johnson, University of California - Berkeley

• The Importance of Community Participation and Engagement - Matt Gonzales, New York Appleseed

• What Can We Learn From Regional Desegregation Plans? - Kara S. Finnigan, University of Rochester

• How Can School Districts Make Integration Plans Legally and Politically Viable? - Richard Kahlenberg, The Century Foundation

• Making Diversity by Design Plans Work for All Students - Mohammed Choudhury, San Antonio Independent School District