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June 11, 2024 Story by: Editor
A recent report by the Massachusetts Racial Imbalance Advisory Council reveals that 60% of public school students in the state attend racially segregated schools. Among the quarter of students enrolled in predominantly non-white schools, over 225,000 are Black and Latino.
Based on 2024 state data, the analysis shows that students in “intensely segregated” schools, where over 90% of students are non-white, have lower high school graduation and college attendance rates, as well as poorer performance in math, English Language Arts, and SAT scores.
Raul Fernandez, a council member and senior lecturer at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, stated, “Looking at that research shows us it ain’t the kids. It’s the system around them, it’s the schools that they’re placed in, it’s the lack of resources and also the real lack of attention to their circumstances.”
The report defines a racially segregated school as one with 71% or more of a single racial group, categorizing them as “segregated white” or “segregated non-white.” Segregated non-white schools are predominantly found in Boston and other large cities like Springfield, Worcester, Brockton, Lawrence, and Lowell.
The report also highlights significant disparities in student achievement. For example, high school graduation rates are 93% in predominantly white schools versus 72% in predominantly non-white schools. The college attendance rate is 71% for mostly white schools compared to 47% for mostly non-white schools. Additionally, middle school suspension rates are nearly four times higher in mostly non-white schools than in mostly white schools.
Furthermore, 46% of students in racially diverse schools achieved passing or proficient scores on the fifth-grade math section of the state standardized test (MCAS), while only 27% of students in segregated non-white schools did the same.
“I was struck by the considerable and persistent harm that is done in our communities across the state as a result of segregation,” said Matt Brunell, an RIAC member and co-executive director of the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership.
The report’s release coincides with the upcoming 50th anniversary of the June 21, 1974 federal court ruling that found Boston Public Schools unconstitutionally segregated, which led to a mandatory busing plan to balance racial enrollments.
Fernandez and Brunell emphasize that the report does not advocate for renewed busing efforts but rather highlights that segregation extends beyond Boston and requires statewide solutions. They suggest inter-district school choice and public policies to ensure high-quality education in all schools.
“Kids and their families should be able to make a decision about where they want to be and expect excellent outcomes wherever that is,” Fernandez said. “It shouldn’t be on the preponderance of white or non-white at any given school.”
Fernandez urges the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to promote more integrated school enrollments and enforce the Racial Imbalance Act of 1965. The council also recommends expanding the METCO program, which allows Boston students to attend suburban schools. METCO participants show higher test scores, better attendance rates, and fewer suspensions than their peers in Boston Public Schools.
The council provided 18 recommendations to enhance school integration efforts. In response, Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler stated that the Healey administration “is committed to ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education in inclusive learning environments.” Source: wbur
