3 Tips for Choosing an Integrated School
Our national survey indicates that a large majority of parents across race, economic class, geography, and political affiliation say they want schools that are substantially integrated both racially and economically. But in districts where parents actually have more choices, schools appear to become even more segregated.
Schools and parents have a moral responsibility to make school integration a priority. Integrated schools have important social, emotional, ethical, and academic benefits for all children. Integration is also vital to keeping our country whole, and to a meaningful democracy.
If you are a parent who lives in a district with school choice or you have the means to move to a more integrated district, here are some steps you can take to both find a school that is best for your child and to increase the chances that the school you choose will be thoughtfully integrated.
Overview
For: Parents and Caregivers
Ages: PreK-12
Resource Type: Tips
1. Go beyond test scores.
Why?
Standardized test scores are closely tied to the socioeconomic status of the families in the community. They tell parents very little about, for example:
The quality of learning
The dedication of teachers and staff
The day-to-day social and emotional experiences of students at the school
The involvement of the parent community
Try this:
Instead of focusing on one narrow data point, gather many types of information.
A. Take school tours.
See the schools in your district for yourself! While you’re there, talk to teachers, staff, and current parents at the school. Do the children seem happy and engaged? Are the principal and other school staff available to prospective parents? Do students seem engaged in learning, and does what they’re learning seem important? Do teachers seem to have good relationships with students and is caring for others a school priority?
You may be surprised to see that there are a number of good options in your district or that the school you thought you’d like the most doesn’t seem to live up to the hype.
B. Talk to parents outside of your circle.
Research suggests that parents often only talk about schools with other parents in their “bubbles” who are like them and who often know little about a variety of schools in a district. Instead of relying on second-hand information, try talking to a diverse array of parents whose children attend your district’s schools.
Many schools have parent liaisons or parent-teacher associations. You could also send an email on a local parenting listserv, attend an information session for the school, or strike up a conversation at a local playground.
C. Talk to the experts.
An education expert might be a former teacher in your district, a school committee member who spends a lot of time in district schools, or a faculty member at a nearby university with expertise in education.
D. Find more information.
Don’t simply rely on information that’s easy to find on a school or district website. Does your district produce school climate reports or other qualitative school reports? Check with individual schools or with district-level parent information centers. Remember that in some districts, it may be hard to find information online. Expect to make some phone calls or visit information centers in person.
2. Check your assumptions and reflect on your biases.
Why?
False assumptions and biases can interfere with an accurate and fair assessment of a school. Research suggests, for example, that white, advantaged parents may assess school quality based on the number of other white, advantaged parents at a school, and that they tend to avoid schools with large numbers of Black children.
Try this:
A. Test your assumptions and keep an open mind.
These biases are another reason why parents should do careful research about schools to find out if their assumptions are correct. Is there any evidence that that the quality of teaching is less rigorous or that students are less safe in a particular integrated school or are those perceptions based on biases? If a friend or neighbor suggests an integrated school is poorer quality, what evidence do they have?
B. Get honest feedback and seek diverse perspectives.
Ask respected loved ones and friends to be frank with you if they think any biases may be contaminating your thinking. Try to also talk to people who have different perspectives on a school who might make you aware of a bias or blindspot.
3. Make the best choice for your child, but consider other children in your community.
Why?
In choosing a school, parents need to consider what’s good for their child. But it’s also important to consider other children, what’s good for your community, and what’s good for the country as a whole. Parents should feel a moral responsibility to try to make an integrated school work for their child, not only because these schools are likely to benefit their own children, but also because these schools are likely to benefit other children as well. They are also key to a healthy democracy and to healing the fractures in our country.
Try this:
A. Check your reflex to simply “do what’s best” for your child.
While parents should clearly seek to do what’s best for their child, parents must also think beyond their own families when making school choices. When white, advantaged parents fall back on the common saying “I have to do what’s best for my child,” it can block out important considerations about other children, their communities, and the collective good of the country.
B. Be careful to avoid patronizing stereotypes.
When white, advantaged parents frame the choice to send a child to an integrated school as a service to other children, they can perpetuate patronizing stereotypes and deficit-minded thinking about economically disadvantaged children and children of color. Integration is important because it’s good for your children, other children, and the country as a whole.
