Connecticut schools are becoming more integrated in contrast to a regional trend that is actually seeing more racial segregation, according to a new report from the Civil Rights Project at UCLA.
One reason for the Constitution State’s success is the landmark Connecticut school desegregation case Sheff v. O’Neill.
The case was launched by a group of courageous families and their attorneys, which resulted in an agreement with the state to foster significant integration across school district lines.
This legal victory charted a course for Hartford students to get a high-quality education in integrated public schools. This was to be accomplished through a voluntary two-way integration program of inter-district magnet schools and suburban Open Choice placements that enable Hartford students to study with their suburban counterparts.
The report’s author, Gary Orfield, said, “Thanks to creative educators, a path-making State Supreme Court, and determined civil rights advocacy, Connecticut is building a new model of educational opportunity though the creation of highly desirable and integrated schools of choice.”
Click here to read the report.
