Dive Brief:
- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio this week signed a diversity reporting bill, requiring school districts to do more in reporting demographic and diversity statistics.
- The School Diversity Accountability Act mandates that all schools supply data on diversity and demographics by grade and programing, such as gifted and talented and dual-language programs.
- The bill also asks that districts note any steps they take to increase diversity.
Dive Insight:
“This is a step further in our efforts to ensure that our schools are as diverse as our city and people of all communities live, learn, work together,” de Blasio told Chalkbeat New York.
The bill follows a 2014 report from UCLA's Civil Rights Project, which found that New York City schools are some of the most segregated schools in the nation. The effects of segregated schools, like segregated neigborhoods are dire. The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights issued a letter in October reminding school leaders that districts with high minority populations were less likely to have experienced and qualified teachers, offer Advanced Placement courses (or even mainstays such as chemistry and calculus), or have consistent access to technology.