The benefits of diverse classroom settings are well established. How then to protect diversity in schools when the surrounding neighborhood is quickly becoming homogenous?
An article by Kyle Spencer examines the ideas behind a New York City Department of Education program "aimed at maintaining a racial and socio-economic balance at schools in fast-gentrifying neighborhoods."
"For the first time," reports Spencer, "the department is allowing a group of principals to set aside a percentage of seats for low-income families, English-language learners or students engaged with the child welfare system as a means of creating greater diversity within their schools."
The article includes a lot of anecdotal evidence from schools participating in the program around New York, along with mentions of the academic research behind the program. The ideas behind the program also recently gained traction at the national level, according to Spencer, when last week "President Obama put his support behind that research when he announced his budget would include a $120 million grant program for school integration initiatives that seek to deconcentrate poverty."
FULL STORY: New York Schools Wonder: How White Is Too White?
New York City More Diverse Than Ever
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‘Emergent City’ Documentary Highlights Rare Anti-Gentrification Victory
The film charts the saga of a Brooklyn site called Industry City.
Bitter Irony Behind Brooklyn’s Sweet Domino Sugar Sign
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What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.
Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi
One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
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The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research