November 14, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Coalition on School Diversity Celebrates 15 Years of Advancing School Integration
Washington, D.C. – November 14, 2024 – This year marks several significant civil rights anniversaries—70 years since Brown v. Board of Education, 60 years since Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and 50 years since Milliken v. Bradley. In addition, the National Coalition on School Diversity (NCSD) celebrates a milestone of its own: 15 years of championing school integration and advancing diversity and equity in education.
Founded in 2009 by nine civil rights organizations—including the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF), Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, American Civil Liberties Union’s Racial Justice Program, Harvard’s Charles Hamilton Houston Institute, and the Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC), which serves as NCSD’s fiscal sponsor—NCSD emerged from the Supreme Court’s historic Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 decision. In that 4-1-4 decision, the Court shifted the school integration landscape while recognizing the pursuit of racial diversity and reduction of racial isolation in elementary and secondary public schools as compelling government interests. In the wake of the ruling, NCSD’s founding members worked to amplify the social science evidence on the benefits of school integration and ensure that policymakers reprioritized school diversity. The belief was that a single-issue coalition was necessary to bring renewed attention to the longstanding and persistent issue of segregated and inequitable education in America.
Since its founding, NCSD has exceeded expectations, expanding from its original nine members to over 80 member organizations and individual members today. The coalition has become the primary hub for the school integration movement—advocating for evidence-based policies, shaping and disseminating research, and supporting the work of state and local integration advocates.
“We’re incredibly proud of how far NCSD has come in these 15 years,” said Phil Tegeler, PRRAC’s executive director and founding member of NCSD. “The coalition has remained steadfast in advancing the promise of Brown, working to address the challenges of segregated and inequitable education in America. Our efforts, while not without challenges, have brought about real progress, and we continue to believe in the power of integrated schools to create equitable opportunities for all students.”
Over the past 15 years, NCSD has produced a wealth of resources, including dozens of policy briefs, research briefs, and reports; spearheaded over 50 advocacy letters to Congress and the Department of Education; and hosted numerous Hill briefings, thought leader discussions, and four national conferences that have convened policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to advance holistic school integration. The coalition’s ongoing advocacy has helped generate a series of critical—albeit incremental—policy wins in support of school integration. A recent example is the Department of Education’s new Fostering Diverse Schools Demonstration Grants Program.
Looking forward, NCSD remains committed to its mission in the face of legal and political challenges. “As we reflect on the progress made since NCSD’s founding and other key milestones, we know our work is far from over,” said Gina Chirichigno, NCSD’s director. “We hope more people will join us in our efforts to secure integrated, equitable, and thriving schools for every child.”
About NCSD:
Founded in 2009, the National Coalition on School Diversity (NCSD) is a cross-sector network of 50+ national civil rights organizations, university-based research centers, and state and local coalitions working to expand support for school integration. NCSD supports its members in designing, enacting, implementing, and uplifting PK-12 public school integration policies and practices so we may build cross-race/class relationships, share power and resources, and co-create new realities.
For more information about NCSD and its 15th anniversary celebration, join us this evening at the Morrow Hotel in Washington, D.C.: https://ncsdat15.eventbrite.com
Media Contact:
Jenna Roberson
NCSD Communications Manager
jroberson@prrac.org
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