School Resegregation in Florida - Different State, Just as Bad

Percent of students passing both reading and math vs. % of students at each school who are black. Each dot is a school. The colored dots are from Pinellas County; the gray dots are other counties in Florida

A few days ago, I wrote about modern school segregation and the ruinous effects it has on education outcomes for minority students. Today, a friend pointed me to an investigation from the Tampa Bay Times, published yesterday, about the willful school resegregation conducted in Pinellas County, FL. Resegregation has been a disaster for the black students in this county, as the newly majority-black schools have utterly failed the students.

These students are, demographically, no different than other poor students elsewhere in Florida. Their test performance and behavior at school has become markedly worse than those similar students. Previously-successful students who transfer into these schools have fallen behind their previous trajectories. Despite this, attempts at reform in the district have failed. The district has become dynamically unstable: schools are so bad that good teachers won't stay, and they're replaced by either bad teachers, inexperienced teachers, or both.

I won't write much today, as the Times' work stands alone. Please read this article. Also, their interactive feature is excellent, and contains a number of charts that illustrate the situation. 

Pinellas County is too far away from where I live to help out, but I do plan to get involved in Palm Beach County schools this year. Is anyone else interested in getting involved?