In the News

Rochester schools to export diversity

By Edie Grossfield

January 7, 2006

Minority students in Rochester and students in six largely white surrounding school districts will be encouraged to meet, write to each other and study together, to provide state-mandated diversity experience to the students in the surrounding districts.

Working with the Byron, Chatfield, Dover-Eyota, Elgin-Millville, Pine Island and Stewartville school districts, Rochester has developed a state-mandated Area Collaborative Integration Plan. The Rochester School Board approved the plan during its regular meeting Tuesday.

The plan encourages interaction between students of color in Rochester and the surrounding racially isolated districts.

For example, the districts plan to set up semester- or year-long pen pal relationships between students followed by face-to-face meetings. Other activities planned include Prejudice Reduction Workshops and joint study sessions for juniors and seniors planning to take college entrance exams.

Enforcing rules associated with desegregation law, the Minnesota Department of Education notified the six districts in June 2004 that they are racially isolated and, therefore, must work with their larger, more diverse neighbor to provide a broader cultural experience for their students.

Children of color make up 25 percent of Rochester Public Schools' student body. By contrast, students of color make up less than 1 percent in most of the six identified districts.

The disparity between Rochester and the surrounding districts triggered the state requirement for the integration plan. Through these kind of collaborations, the state hopes to encourage interracial contact in racially isolated areas where demographics are significantly changing, said Cindy Jackson, principal state program administrator for the education department.

Eighty-six Minnesota districts participate in these multidistrict collaborations, including 20 racially isolated districts, Jackson said.

A committee of about 15 people, including superintendents, school board members, community members, teachers and administrators from all of the districts, developed the integration plan for the Rochester area collaboration.

© 2006 Post Bulletin. Used by permission.

1130 1/2 7th St NW, Suite 204 , Rochester, MN 55901 · Tel: 507.282.9951 · Fax: 507.282.9964 · info@diversitycouncil.org

Diversity...It's all about respect.