Making School Integration Work
Lessons from Morris

Paul Tractenberg (Author), Allison Roda (Author), Ryan Coughlan (Author), Deirdre Dougherty (Author)

9780807763629

Paperback / softback, published 3 April 2020

224 pages
22.8 x 15.4 x 1 cm, 0.311 kg

Many American schools continue to struggle with segregation. This important book tells the story of how two school districts-one a predominantly White and wealthy suburban community and the other a more diverse and urbanized community-were merged into a single district to work toward a solution for school segregation. The authors focus on the Morris School District in New Jersey as an exemplar to demonstrate what is possible and how it can be accomplished. They document what makes a district like Morris successful and include lessons learned in each chapter. Along with analyzing the legal and educational policy implications of the nearly 50-year history of the merged district, the authors take a mixed methods approach to deepen our knowledge of effective leadership, community–school relations, and classroom practices in the context of a community committed to genuine integration.

Book Features:

• Offers a deep analysis of one of the few districts that is making progress toward true integration.
• Examines a local story that has wide applicability to those interested in social justice, enlightened leadership, and equitable educational opportunities for all students.
• Employs qualitative and quantitative research along with GIS mapping to study the legal, educational, political, historical, and sociological dimensions of the case study.
• Provides a series of lessons learned from the Morris School District that will assist those engaged in building equitable school systems.

• Acknowledgments 
  vii
• 1. 
  Introducing the Morris Story 
  1
• A Note About Terminology 
  2
• The Morris School District in New Jersey as an Important Case Study 
  5
• The Merger Process and Its Aftermath 
  11
• The Morris School District of Today—
  Almost 50 Years After Merger 
  12
• MSD'
  s Current Level of Integration as Compared to the State and National Picture 
  16
• Why a Book about the Morris School District? 
  20
• Overview of the Book 
  22
• 2. 
  Using Law and Litigation to Advance School Integration 
  25
• Why Litigate to Achieve School Desegregation and Integration? 
  29
• The Jenkins Decision 
  32
• Analyzing Jenkins 
  40
• The Impact of the Jenkins Decision 
  44
• Lessons Learned 
  47
• 3. 
  The Role of Educational Leadership 
  50
• The Link Between Mackey Pendergrast and Steve Wiley 
  52
• Culturally Responsive School Leadership 
  55
• The Postmerger Period 
  58
• Maintaining a Delicate Balance of Diversity: "I Had to Walk a Fine Line with How We Promoted the District" 
  70
• Successes and Challenges of School Diversity 
  77
• Lessons Learned 
  85
• 4. 
  The Black Student Experience in MSD 
  90
• Changing Demographics and the Substantial Loss of Black Students Over Time 
  97
• Black Parents Who Leave 
  104
• Black Parents Who Stay: "We'
  ve Got to Work Harder" to Advocate for Our Children 
  109
• The District'
  s Response Then: "Good Intentions" but "It Never Felt Like Priority #1" 
  122
• The District'
  s Response Now: Equity and Inclusion 
  124
• Lessons Learned 
  127
• 5. 
  The Latinx Student Experience in MSD 
  129
• The Federal/State/Local Policy Landscape of Bilingual Education 
  130
• Emergent Bilingual Students in MSD 
  136
• Parental Involvement 
  143
• Teachers and Support Staff 
  147
• School Leaders 
  153
• Lessons Learned 
  154
• Conclusion: Moving from Desegregation to True Integration 
  156
• What Have We Learned in MSD? 
  159
• How Should MSD Apply What Was Learned?  
  163
• How Can Other School Districts Apply the Lessons Learned from MSD? 
  164
• Statutory and Constitutional Authority for Students to Cross Existing District Lines 
  170
• Practical Recommendations 
  174
• Conclusion 
  182
• Appendix A: Statutory Provisions That Enable Students toReceive Education in Districts Other Than Their Districts of Residence 
  183
• Appendix B: An Action Plan to Diversify New Jersey'
  s Schools 
  185
• Notes 
  188
• References 
  200
• Index 
  207
• About the Authors