Nearly 70 years after Brown v Board, our schools are still segregated

Brown v Board of Education will turn 69 next month, but a Government Accountability Office report last year found that schools in America remain severely segregated across racial and socioeconomic lines, even as the US student population has grown increasingly diverse.

School segregation is especially stark in New York and Texas.  New York City continues to be one of the most segregated school systems in the country, and Texas schools are more segregated for Black students now than they were in the years following the Civil Rights Movement. Both New York and Texas are among the ten most segregated states for Black students.

This month, New York Appleseed and Texas Appleseed launched a collaborative project to tackle this problem and help rebuild our communities’ hope in integrated schools.

With support from the Spencer Foundation, the new Appleseed Collaborative Project on School Integration builds on the long-standing education equity work of New York Appleseed and Texas Appleseed.

Over the next year, the project will bring together students, families, educators, researchers, community advocates, and policymakers from New York City and Texas to identify shared challenges and build momentum for effective reforms.

School integration is the most reliable and cost-effective way to expand educational opportunity for America’s children.  Segregation is an issue that continues to harm students across the country, but the good news is families and communities can be empowered to disrupt and dismantle its damaging legacy.  We’re excited for the opportunity to tackle this challenge together, and we’re looking forward to sharing what we learn along the way.