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Intentional Integration Initiative Yr. 1 Review & Yr. 2 Considerations

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Dr. Ronald G. Taylor, Superintendent of Schools | March 21, 2022

www.somsd.k12.nj.us | A district that celebrates students, community and diversity

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Agenda

  • Research/Design/Launch
    • Previous presentations;
    • Literature review;
    • Parental/Community Feedback; and,
    • Framework Design

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  • Year 1 Report/Results
    • Demographic Comparison; and,
    • Transportation

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  • Year 2 Design and Considerations
    • Middle School Comparison
      • 2021-2022 vs III Beta Test;
      • Demographics; and,
      • Transportation

To briefly review the South Orange and Maplewood School District’s Intentional Integration Journey and Considerations

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Previous Public Presentations/Discussions

  • March 2019 - ‘SOMSD 2020’ School Integration Plan Postponed Until 2021

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  • Jan 8, 2020 - Equity in Integration Symposium

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  • Feb 4, 2020 - Equity in Integration Discussion (Elementary Staff)

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  • Feb 19, 2020 - Intentional Integration Initiative Community Town Hall

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  • April 2020 - Intentional Integration Initiative Digital Update (Webinar)

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  • June 2020 - SOMSD BOE approved the Intentional Integration Initiative (III)

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  • April 2021- Consultant (Alves Group) shared III Algorithm simulation with BOE

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  • June 2021 - Virtual Q&A with incoming Kindergarten Families

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  • June 2021 - Webinar for Local Realtors

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Event Summaries

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January 8, 2020-Equity in Integration Symposium

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Event Summaries

  • Superintendent presented the following:

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    • Global commitment to the ‘growth-mindset’ for all of our stakeholders;
    • Mission and vision with regards to intentional integration;
    • Belief in the benefits that intentional integration can have for both the children and community that we serve; and,
    • Plan towards not just compliance, but relevance and ultimately excellence.

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January 8, 2020- Equity in Integration Symposium�

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Event Summaries

  • E. Boddie, Esq. Professor Rutgers Law :
    • Presented and discussed the history of segregated schools in New Jersey, including the relevant current cases.
  • Dr. E. Frankenberg, Co-Founder Center for Education and Civil Rights & Professor Pennsylvania State University:
    • Presented and discussed the ways that Integration has been achieved in various communities throughout the US.
  • Dr. E. Fergus, Author and Educational Equity Expert, Associate Professor Temple University:
    • Moderated the evening including the speakers responses to the audience’s questions.

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January 8, 2020- Equity in Integration Symposium Continued...�

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Legal Cases & Mandates

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Legal Cases & Mandates

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Event Summaries

  • Evening highlights, took place at Columbia High School Auditorium, more than 800 attendees.

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  • Served as an impactful ‘restart’ to the community and District Conversation on Integration.

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  • Many community members stayed afterwards to ask questions directly to the panelists.

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  • Evening created a running record of community/parental concerns on this important topic.

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January 8, 2020- Equity in Integration Symposium Continued...�

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February 4, 2020- Equity in Integration Discussion (Elementary Staff)

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Event Summaries

  • Superintendent presented the following:
    • Reiteration of the January 8, 2020 Public Symposium for context.
      • Including playing the video of E. Boddie’s presentation.
    • The disparities of the enrollment of students of color in high level course historically at Columbia High School and the possible assertion that there is a connection of this data to the segregated enrollment of our elementary schools.
  • Mr. Paul Roth, School Business Administrator presented an update on the planning and process of bringing our construction project to fruition.

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February 4, 2020- Equity in Integration Discussion (Elementary Staff)�

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Event Summaries

  • Event took place on a early dismissal Professional Development Day, more than 700 attendees including all elementary teachers and administrators..

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  • Many of our SOMSD educators stated that was the first time they had participated in these important discussions.

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  • There were very fruitful follow-up conversations created from this event, including our Physical Education Teachers follow-up with Mr. Roth around the operational constraints of the Elementary Multi-purpose room design.

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February 4, 2020- Equity in Integration Discussion (Elementary Staff) Continued...�

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February 19, 2020- Intentional Integration Initiative Community Town Hall

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Event Summaries

  • Superintendent presented the following:
    • A brief review of the previous Symposium.
    • Synthesis of the major parental/community concerns.
    • A review of recent scholarly literature on this topic.
    • The disparities of the enrollment of students of color in high level course historically at Columbia High School and the possible assertion that there is a connection of this data to the segregated enrollment of our elementary schools.
    • A tentative timeline of next steps.
  • Mr. Paul Roth, School Business Administrator presented an update on the planning and process of bringing our construction project to fruition.

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February 19, 2020- Intentional Integration Initiative Community Town Hall

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Event Summaries

  • Event took place at Jefferson Elementary School.

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  • Approximately 300 attendees.

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  • Key dependencies between our construction project and our integration plans were examined and shared.

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  • There were very fruitful follow-up conversations created from this event, including parents who are a part of the Sustainable Schools’ Green Team bringing concerns around the plans to make our school construction as sustainable as possible. Mr. Roth was able to meet with them in a follow up to discuss their concerns with our Architects.

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  • Online feedback was made available to those who still had questions.

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February 19, 2020- Intentional Integration Initiative Community Town Hall

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Event Summaries...

Our research and review was paired with community feedback, this was then analyzed and used to create a ‘draft framework’ that was shared with the Board of Education for further discussion. The Board gave valuable feedback and insight into the framework, as well as tentative approval for the Administration to take the feedback and synthesize it to prepare for our next community presentation for discussion.

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Event Summaries...

Though COVID 19 did not allow for our planned in-person follow up Town Hall event, the Administration created a webinar that would allow the community to learn about the Framework with the community to solicit feedback. Our efforts resulted in more than 3000 confirmed views. We also, of course, received community feedback that was reviewed and vetted with our Board of Education.

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April 2020- Intentional Integration Initiative Webinar (Digital Update)

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Event Summaries

  • Superintendent presented the following:

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    • Shared our needs assessment findings, Intentional Integration Framework recommendations and next steps…
    • Research-Internal & External;
    • Construction & Elementary Integration;
    • Intentional Integration Methodology;
        • Controlled Choice vs. Grade Span vs. Other;
        • Curriculum and Thematic Discussion;
        • Variables, Pacing etc. and,
      • Framework

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April 2020- Intentional Integration Initiative Digital Update (Webinar)

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Event Summaries

  • Highlights include:
    • Untethering our Intentional Integration Initiative from our Construction efforts, due to the innate spontaneity of construction.
    • Utilizing a modified Berkeley Approach for our Integration methodology which includes:
      • Developing an algorithm that creates micro-neighborhoods an utilizes variables-
        • Parental Education Level;
        • Parental Income;
        • Race;
        • Sibling Preference; and,
        • Proximity
    • Pacing of our Integration with a Pilot of the Kindergarteners entering our District in September of 2021.
    • Year 2 of the III would address the next group of Kindergarteners entering our district in September of 2022, as well as 6th graders entering middle school that year.

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April 2020- Intentional Integration Initiative Digital Update (Webinar)

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Event Summaries

  • Highlights include-
    • More than 3000 individuals viewed the Intentional Integration Initiative Digital Update (Webinar).

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    • We received 16 questions, comments etc.

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    • We analyzed those comments, as some were either rhetorical or repetitive of others received, we broke them down into multiple larger buckets of concern, including...

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April 2020- Intentional Integration Initiative Digital Update (Webinar)

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Concerns received...

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Other Events…

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Year 1 Review/Outcomes

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

  • Overall, almost 62% of all Kindergarten students and 60% of those who were not pre-assigned in the algorithm due to sibling priority or administrative placements were assigned to their nearest school

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  • About 70% of students living in Medium and High SES Tier neighborhoods attended their nearest school, compared with 46% of all Low SES students (39% of those who were not pre-assigned.)

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  • Black students were less likely than others to be assigned to their nearest school. However, High SES Black students, along with High SES Asian and Hispanic students, were more likely to be assigned to their nearest school than was the average High SES student or High SES White student, suggesting that at least some part of the racial disparities was due to SES differences.

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Demographics and Transportation Assignment

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

Demographics and Transportation Assignment

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III Microsite with the Year One Report

Demographics and Transportation Assignment

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Year 2 Considerations

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SOMSD 2021-2022 District Goal Action Plan

Our District and Board of Education are fully committed to ensuring access and equity in our offerings for the students that we serve. The questions listed below will assist in validating current census data (socio-economic conscious) used to inform our Intentional Integration Redistricting Initiative (III). Your responses will help our District continue with its commitment to maintaining an equitable lens with all aspects of our programming.

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Information submitted is for internal purposes only and will remain confidential. For more information regarding the District's Intentional Integration Initiative (III) please visit: bit.ly/SOMSDIII

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As previously discussed, the Board of Education of the South Orange and Maplewood School District requested that the Administration review the possibilities of utilizing our Intentional Integration Initiative methodology to support an equitable distribution of our rising 6th graders for Fall 2022 supporting our long term goal that our schools reflect the demographics of our diverse community.

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The results of the Grade 5 to Grade 6 Middle Schools SES “nearest school” assignment algorithm Beta Test 1 are as follows. From our consultant the Aleves Group:

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…the results clearly show that the algorithm works to improve both SES and racial/ethnic diversity at MMS and SOMS, while also providing continuity between elementary schools SES algorithm and the Grade 5 to Grade 6 middle schools feeder patterns with the potential of improving student transportation to the Grade 5 students nearest middle school (See attached MAPS.)

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Intentional Integration Initiative (III) Middle School Considerations

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Middle schools attended by 6th graders: 2021-22

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Middle schools assigned to current

5th graders under Beta Test 1

MAP 2

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Beta Test for Rising 5th Graders vs Current 6th Graders

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BT 1 SES ASSIGNED

T SES

T % SES

MMS

% MMS

SOMS

% SOMS

LOW

168

34%

83

34%

85

35%

MEDIUM

150

31%

76

31%

74

30%

HIGH

171

35%

86

35%

85

35%

TOTAL SES

489

100%

245

50.1%

244

49.9%

Current 6th graders

T

T % SES

MMS

% MMS

SOMS

% SOMS

LOW

200

38%

108

42%

92

34%

MEDIUM

159

30%

62

24%

97

36%

HIGH

169

32%

89

34%

80

30%

TOTAL SES

528

100%

259

49.1%

269

50.9%

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Beta Test for Rising 5th Graders vs Current 6th Graders

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BT 1 SES ASSIGNED

T SES

T % SES

MMS

% MMS

SOMS

% SOMS

LOW

168

34%

83

34%

85

35%

MEDIUM

150

31%

76

31%

74

30%

HIGH

171

35%

86

35%

85

35%

TOTAL SES

489

100%

245

50.1%

244

49.9%

Current 6th graders

T

T % SES

MMS

% MMS

SOMS

% SOMS

LOW

200

38%

108

42%

92

34%

MEDIUM

159

30%

62

24%

97

36%

HIGH

169

32%

89

34%

80

30%

TOTAL SES

528

100%

259

49.1%

269

50.9%

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Beta Test for Rising 5th Graders vs Current 6th Graders

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BT 1 SES ASSIGNED

T SES

T % SES

MMS

% MMS

SOMS

% SOMS

LOW

168

34%

83

34%

85

35%

MEDIUM

150

31%

76

31%

74

30%

HIGH

171

35%

86

35%

85

35%

TOTAL SES

489

100%

245

50.1%

244

49.9%

Current 6th graders

T

T % SES

MMS

% MMS

SOMS

% SOMS

LOW

200

38%

108

42%

92

34%

MEDIUM

159

30%

62

24%

97

36%

HIGH

169

32%

89

34%

80

30%

TOTAL SES

528

100%

259

49.1%

269

50.9%

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Beta Test for Rising 5th Graders vs Current 6th Graders

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BT 1 RACIAL/ETHNIC ASSIGNED

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T ASG

W

% W

B

% B

H

% H

API

% A

M

% M

TOTAL RE ASG

489

272

56%

126

26%

46

9%

20

4%

25

5%

MMS RE

245

139

57%

61

25%

27

11%

8

3%

10

4%

SOMS RE

244

133

55%

65

27%

19

8%

12

5%

15

6%

Current 6th Graders

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T

W

% W

B

% B

H

% H

API

% A

M

% M

TOTAL

528

295

56%

143

27%

51

10%

24

5%

15

3%

MMS

259

133

51%

85

33%

28

11%

6

2%

7

3%

SOMS

269

162

60%

58

22%

23

9%

18

7%

8

3%

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Beta Test for Rising 5th Graders vs Current 6th Graders

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BT 1 RACIAL/ETHNIC ASSIGNED

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T ASG

W

% W

B

% B

H

% H

API

% A

M

% M

TOTAL RE ASG

489

272

56%

126

26%

46

9%

20

4%

25

5%

MMS RE

245

139

57%

61

25%

27

11%

8

3%

10

4%

SOMS RE

244

133

55%

65

27%

19

8%

12

5%

15

6%

Current 6th Graders

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T

W

% W

B

% B

H

% H

API

% A

M

% M

TOTAL

528

295

56%

143

27%

51

10%

24

5%

15

3%

MMS

259

133

51%

85

33%

28

11%

6

2%

7

3%

SOMS

269

162

60%

58

22%

23

9%

18

7%

8

3%

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Beta Test for Rising 5th Graders vs Current 6th Graders

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BT 1 ECON DISADV ASSIGNED

T ASG

Econ Disadv

% Disadv

TOTAL

489

46

9%

MMS

245

25

10%

SOMS

244

21

9%

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​

Current 6th Graders

T

Econ Disadv

% Disadv

TOTAL

528

53

10%

MMS

259

32

12%

SOMS

269

21

8%

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Beta Test for Rising 5th Graders vs Current 6th Graders

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BT 1 ECON DISADV ASSIGNED

T ASG

Econ Disadv

% Disadv

TOTAL

489

46

9%

MMS

245

25

10%

SOMS

244

21

9%

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Current 6th Graders

T

Econ Disadv

% Disadv

TOTAL

528

53

10%

MMS

259

32

12%

SOMS

269

21

8%

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Transportation Considerations…

  • We have previously shared that transportation (via proximity) was a strong variable for our Intentional Integration Initiative design. We expressed that while some increase of transportation would most likely be needed during year 1, many of our families live within 2 miles of multiple schools. In reviewing the more than 511 kindergarten students enrolled for the 2021-2022 school year, the number of kindergarteners riding school buses this year (135) increased as compared to last year (88), however the number was manageable and within budget.

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  • Keeping this concern ‘top of mind’, we also analyzed the possible transportation impact of year 2 (III), if we move forward with applying this methodology to rising 6th graders.

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Transportation Considerations…

Understanding the challenges (fiscal and other) that transportation can bring to efforts such as this, we asked our Consultant to perform a comparison of our current 6th graders who are eligible for transportation vs those assigned via the aforementioned Beta Test. The results are as follows-

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As indicated in the current Grade 6 spreadsheet, the over 2.0 miles assigned students include 7 assigned to MMS and 30 assigned to SOMS for a total of 37 students, and the Beta Test 1 spreadsheet indicates that the over 2.0 miles assigned students include 6 students assigned to MMS and 31 students assigned to SOMS for a total of 37 students.

The fact that these results are essentially the same, strongly suggest that the new “nearest school” SES Beta Test 1 algorithm should not increase the number of Grade 6 students being assigned to a SOMSD middle school that is more than 2.0 miles from their home.

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Final Comparison of III Middle School Impact

The highlighted numbers are the students that are placed in a different school* than they traditionally would have been as a result of the III algorithm. For example, the “Beta Test 1” method placed 245 students at MMS. However, our traditional method would have placed 57 out of these 245 students at SOMS. Sibling preference (not legacy) are applied to these assignments.

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*One important note that traditionally multiple elementary schools’ rising 6th graders normally are split between MMS and SOMS, in other words we have multiple elementary schools that are currently not a 100% feeder schools exclusively for a particular middle school.

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BETA TEST 1 ASG

MMS

SOMS

Grand Total

MMS

188

57

245

SOMS

43

200

243

Grand Total

231

257

488

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Summation

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Summary…

In summary, we have shared a brief review of our journey over the last 3 years. The generational goal of establishing systems that result in our student populations being assigned in an intentional fashion that results in our schools reflecting our community’s demographics is well under way.

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We have shared the success of Year 1, including how we created space and opportunity to receive, understand and discuss parental concerns and in-turn build thoughtful and innovative ways to address these concerns while also reaching our overarching goal.

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We also shared that…

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Research tells us that it is beneficial for all students to attend schools that have diverse student populations.

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Benefits of Integration Research (emphasized)

  • Have reduced anxiety...
  • Are less likely to have racial biases;
  • Have enhanced student leadership skills;
  • Help schools/districts to reduce achievement gaps;
  • Have higher standardized test outcome averages;
  • Are more likely to enroll in college;
  • Are less likely to drop out; and,
  • Have improved intellectual self-confidence (stamina).

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According to this recently published scholarly work, students who attend schools in integrated environments…

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Legal challenges to school segregation in our State are escalating

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Court case continues…

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We are triangulating this challenge with curricular work and professional development as well, (previously shared details regarding our PD Topics and partnerships with Equal Opportunity Schools and others)…

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SOMSD 2021-2022 District Goal Action Plan - Teaching & Learning, Student Achievement, (Emphasized)

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Expanded Partnership with Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS) - Columbia High School

  • Teachers have completed the faculty survey and students are completing the student survey in January.
  • In concert with EOS, the administrative team and counselors will use the data to help students with their registration process for next year (February - April).
  • Middle States Accreditation self-study begins in March; EOS equity resources will be used for one of the goals.
  • EOS-led Equity Team begins planning for next year/Middle States (May -June).

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January-March Update

  • The CHS Administrative Team & the C&I Department have met to discuss and analyze the data
  • Data collection is continuing with CHS students until we reach the 90% completion threshold (CHS teachers have reached 90%)
  • EOS will providing data overview at the April C&I Committee meeting

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I&RS Review, PLCs and Restorative Practices Professional Development

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We believe that the efforts occurring in the important areas of Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS), Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and Restorative Practices/Justice are positioning our schools to support a diverse range of learners as we move towards the goal of ensuring that a coherent approach to academic and social-emotional intervention and supports will be consistently implemented across our District’s elementary and middle schools.

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We must continue to aggressively address the likelihood that a relationship (risk ratio) exists between the segregation of students throughout their early years of schooling in our District and their academic course selection (and success in our most rigorous courses offered).

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Next Steps...

  • The Board is considering a resolution that we believe captures our current context and beliefs, while continuing our efforts to actualize our Intentional Integration Initiative.
  • We believe that we have shown that the adoption of this resolution will indeed make our middle school student populations more diverse while also making our middle schools more ‘similar’(to each other); which we believe will have far reaching positive future outcomes for the students that follow and our community as a whole.
  • We also have shown that there will not be a drastic change in the number of students who receive transportation as we again have added proximity to the variables of this work.

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Next Steps...

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  • Lastly, if the Board supports this resolution, we will move forward with assigning rising 6th graders via the Beta 1 test algorithm as described this evening. This will result in our Intentional Integration efforts accelerating significantly.
  • In short, this action would result in our student populations in 3 (kgn, 1st & 6th) of our K-8 grade levels receiving placement via III by September 2022, and the same for 5 grade levels in that K-8 span (kgn, 1st, 2nd, 6th & 7th) by 2023 etc.
  • Rising 6th grade parents will receive notification of their child’s middle school assignment by April 4, 2022.

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Q&A with our Consultants

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The Alves Group

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Consultant

The Alves Educational Consultants Group, Ltd (AEGG) is an educational consulting company that specializes in the review, development, implementation, and assessment of equitable choice-based student assignment plans and magnet schools’ admissions policies in K-12 education. AECG was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in September 2000. The corporate office is located at 414 Canton Avenue in Milton, Massachusetts and it has a technical assistance services field office in Machesney Park, Illinois.

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