Jun
18
2008
Desegregation in San Jose Schools
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Deep Roots, Elementary Age Students, Elementary Schools, Silicon Valley, Student PopulationYou know that racial gap that’s getting so much attention? Well, I’m thrilled that it’s on the minds of politicians, because it’s a problem. Unfortunately, it’s a problem with some pretty deep roots. In 1971, San Jose Public Schools had a dilemma. It seemed to parents that the schools were knowingly and purposely segregating students. Hispanics were the group most targeted in this segregation. So some parents filed a class action suit with the intention of forcing the district to remedy the situation.
San Jose Schools began to address and remedy the problem. For 18 years – from 1985 when the Federal Court Order was settled, to 2003 when they were able to demonstrate that they had complied with it, the district has implemented the changes required by the court order.
A large urban school district, San Jose Schools serve approximately 32,000 students. San Jose Schools are located fifty miles south of San Francisco, in the heart of the Silicon Valley. This is a geographic area of over fifty square miles. The eleventh largest urban school district in California, it has thirty-one elementary schools, seven middle schools, and seven high schools.
The student population is:
31% Anglo 49% Hispanic 13% Asian
3% Black 4% other.
From 1985 to 2003, San Jose Schools followed the plan to desegregate all of its schools in accordance with a Federal Court Order signed on behalf of the Hispanic student population. The decision is based primarily on making school choices available in the San Jose Schools. School choice is another hot topic. Frankly, I think that choice pushes all schools to improve. But not everyone aggress.
The court order was modified in 1998 to allow elementary age students to attend their neighborhood schools. As a result of the Federal Court Order, the San Jose School offers parents and students a wide variety of middle and high Continue Reading
May
26
2008
San Jose Schools-programs and Projects
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Charitable Foundation, Elementary Schools, Phase One, Student Population, Vision StatementSan José Schools are members of a large urban school district serving about 32,000 students from kindergarten through grade twelve. San Jose Schools represent the eleventh largest urban school district in California, with thirty one elementary schools, seven middle schools, and seven high schools. The student population is 31% Anglo, 49% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 3% Black and 4% other minority. The district’s web page states the following Vision Statement: “San Jose Schools [are] learning communit[ies] that inspire students to be the best they can be, equipping them with world class skills, a commitment to lifelong learning, active citizenship in a diverse society, and respect for self and others.”
Service Projects: San Jose Schools students learn about service projects through a partnership with Youth Re:Action Corps (www.yrcorps.org), a high school based program to educate young people about local, national and international issues, empower them to create plans for social change, and invest financially in their visions of a better world.
Awards: On May 27, 2007, San Jose Schools announced that the Capitol Expressway Auto Dealers Charitable Foundation donated $50,000 to 12 elementary schools
and supports 38 third grade classroom libraries. San Jose Schools Superintendent Don Iglesias, stated, “We are very grateful…for their generosity and commitment to education displayed by their…donation. Literacy is the key to successful learning for our students.”
New Program: One San Jose Schools high school, Leland High School, has instituted the “Every 15 Minutes” program. This is an anti-DUI program which emphasizes good decision making for high school juniors and seniors. The program has two phases; phase one is a simulated accident scene and phase two is a funeral that includes guest speakers who have lost loved ones in alcohol related collisions. The program Continue Reading