The summarization of the article I read discussed how the schools in the United States are continuing to become more segregated since Dr. Martin Luther King.  The wealthy continue to move to the suburbs creating wealthy public schools while the poor students in the city do not have the same access to such schools.  It is argued this could be changed in the United States Government created an incentive program where schools would receive additional funding

 “for each transfer student, construction funds to make more space available, funds to recruit and employ on-site advocates and mentors to ensure the social comfort and the pedagogic progress of these students, and funds to underwrite their transportation by the same convenient means that wealthy people use to transport their children to private schools.”

In addition to the incentives listed above the government could require the students whom get first choice are form the most crowded, poorest, and underachieving schools.  The author continued by citing an example used in Boston Public Schools describing a 90% success rate and most continuing their education after high school.  He also discussing how minority groups still want and believe in integration and are convinced their children would perform better in such environments.

He believes something needs to be done ASAP.  Charter and magnet schools he feels perpetuate the problem and a system similar to the one in Boston or described above should be implemented.

Implications for a Principal

There are two ways you could look at this problem and the authors’ solution. 

1.)If you were to be the acting principal of one of the “wealthy schools” you could use such a program to benefit all learners in your school.  The additional funding would allow more support and technology in the classroom.  It would also require staff development and training on how to educate students of a different background and how to close the gap between the advantaged and disadvantaged.  It would also have an impact on the school climate.  The additional diversity could cause problems or could add to the overall learning experience for students of different backgrounds.  Depending on how the principal approached the situation different positive or negative impacts are possible.

2.)  If you were to be the principal of one of the underachieving schools I believe it could cause even more problems.  The students who are not going to the wealthy schools would not feel the situation was equitable.  You would most likely lose your best performing students and have little or no student role models left in the classroom.  Teachers would struggle more and the climate and school community could become bitter and angry.  I would definitely the incentive system should consider giving the wealthy schools even more money when the inner city schools are already struggling?  It doesn’t seem there is any positive implications with the schools who are losing students, unless student to teacher ratio decreased and jobs weren’t taken away. Being a principal at one of these schools could become even more challenging.

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Website.  ASCD online Article: No Half Steps, No Equivocation by Jonathan Kozol.  Retrieved online November 15, 2010.
http://ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov10/vol68/num03/Resegregation@-What's-the-Answer%C2%A2.aspx