| You know that racial gap that's getting so much | | | | Hispanic student population. The decision is based |
| attention? Well, I'm thrilled that it's on the minds of | | | | primarily on making school choices available in the San |
| politicians, because it's a problem. Unfortunately, it's a | | | | Jose Schools. School choice is another hot topic. |
| problem with some pretty deep roots. In 1971, San | | | | Frankly, I think that choice pushes all schools to |
| Jose Public Schools had a dilemma. It seemed to | | | | improve. But not everyone aggress. |
| parents that the schools were knowingly and | | | | The court order was modified in 1998 to allow |
| purposely segregating students. Hispanics were the | | | | elementary age students to attend their |
| group most targeted in this segregation. So some | | | | neighborhood schools. As a result of the Federal |
| parents filed a class action suit with the intention of | | | | Court Order, the San Jose School offers parents and |
| forcing the district to remedy the situation. | | | | students a wide variety of middle and high school |
| San Jose Schools began to address and remedy the | | | | program and school choices. |
| problem. For 18 years - from 1985 when the Federal | | | | In 1971, when segregation of schools in San Jose |
| Court Order was settled, to 2003 when they were | | | | Schools was examined, San Jose Schools were the |
| able to demonstrate that they had complied with it, | | | | only schools in California to have been found guilty of |
| the district has implemented the changes required by | | | | intentional discrimination. The Court Order consisted |
| the court order. | | | | of two main goals: 1) to minimize racial isolation by |
| A large urban school district, San Jose Schools serve | | | | allowing parents to choose their schools; and, 2) to |
| approximately 32,000 students. San Jose Schools are | | | | enhance academic achievement of all Latino students. |
| located fifty miles south of San Francisco, in the | | | | In 2003, San Jose Schools were found to be in |
| heart of the Silicon Valley. This is a geographic area | | | | compliance with the order, and were released for |
| of over fifty square miles. The eleventh largest urban | | | | Federal Court Oversight. The decision is of historical |
| school district in California, it has thirty-one | | | | and national significance, as San Jose Schools are one |
| elementary schools, seven middle schools, and seven | | | | of the only districts approaching agreement in |
| high schools. | | | | partnership with plaintiffs rather than through |
| The student population is: | | | | contentious litigation. |
| 31% Anglo 49% Hispanic 13% Asian | | | | But here we are in 2007, and all the desegregation |
| 3% Black 4% other. | | | | effort find San Jose Schools, and the nations, still |
| From 1985 to 2003, San Jose Schools followed the | | | | struggling with a racial achievement gap. Perhaps the |
| plan to desegregate all of its schools in accordance | | | | answer doesn't lie in is desegregation. |
| with a Federal Court Order signed on behalf of the | | | | |