Our Mission

In alignment with the Southern Education Foundation’s mission to expand educational opportunity for all, this site serves as a hub for educators, districts, and policymakers working on school desegregation efforts. We offer resources and practical tools informed by history and practice to support measurable progress toward educational equality. Our goal is to make resources clear, accessible, and aligned with current policy and regulations so users can achieve measurable outcomes in the pursuit of desegregation.

Success Stories

Meridian Public School District, MS

Breaking Free from Federal Supervision

Under a 2013 consent decree, Meridian significantly reformed disciplinary inequities. Suspensions dropped dramatically (from ~10,000/year to ~1,200), lifting the district into unitary status in 2023. Resource Link

Success Stories

Desegregation case for Jackson County School District closed

A federal judge has officially closed the long-standing desegregation case involving the Jackson County School District in Florida. The decision marks the end of court oversight that began in 1970, following a joint motion from the district and the U.S. Department of Justice confirming compliance with prior desegregation orders. Resource Link

Desegregation Indicators

Young Black girl focused on a tablet in a diverse classroom

The Desegregation Indicators: Supporting School Districts on the Path to Unitary Status

A comprehensive resource on the measures used by federal courts to evaluate progress in eliminating segregation and achieving unitary status.

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Facilities

Ensures all students learn in safe, well-maintained, and comparable school environments, regardless of demographics.

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Extracurriculars

Examines student participation in athletics, clubs, and activities to ensure fair access and balanced representation.

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Transportation

Evaluates routes and access to confirm all students can attend school equitably without reinforcing segregation.

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Student Assignment

Reviews how students are placed to promote racial balance and equal access to programs and services across all schools.

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Faculty and Staff

Focuses on equitable hiring, placement, and professional growth to ensure diverse and inclusive representation.

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Featured Tools and Success Stories

Desegregation Reflection Guide: Know Your School System

An EAC guide to assess compliance and identify gaps in policies, resources, and extracurricular access. Resource

Toolkit for Sustainable and Healthy Schools (White House / Federal Agencies)

Federal guide for improving school facilities, air quality, water safety, and infrastructure. Resource

Educational Equity Toolkit

Developed by The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, this toolkit offers advocacy frames, planning guides, and policy tools. Resource

Equity Policies Toolkit for School Boards

From Race Forward, this 2023 toolkit supports districts in crafting equity-aligned governance, planning, and communications suitable for consent decree revisions. Resource

Equity Assistance Center - South, Region II
Serving 11 Southern States & District of Columbia

Curious how desegregation varies across the South? Hover over a state to see desegregation stats, student demographics, and court oversight. Then click through to dive into state specific legal context, indicator tracking, and resources to help your push toward unitary status.

Our comprehensive collection of resources assist you in building equitable, inclusive schools where every student can thrive.

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Desegregation Indicators Overview
The Desegregation Indicators Overview
After Brown v. Board of Education, courts used a set of broad measures, later known as the Green Factors, to judge whether school boards were making real progress in desegregation. Today, these factors, often called "desegregation indicators", serve as benchmarks for determining whether a district has achieved "unitary status" by eliminating the vestiges of segregation.
Faculty and Staff
Faculty and Staff examines whether the recruitment, hiring, assignment, retention, and promotion of teachers and staff are carried out in ways that support diversity and ensure equal representation across schools. This also includes providing relevant support and professional development opportunities for all faculty and staff.
Student Assignment
Student Assignment looks at how students are placed in schools to confirm that assignment practices promote racial balance and equal access to educational opportunities, including gifted, honors, advanced, special education, and English learner services. It focuses on whether student representation in these areas aligns with school and district enrollment patterns.
Facilities
Facilities involves the quality, condition, and distribution of school buildings and resources to ensure all students learn in safe, well-maintained, and comparable environments regardless of school demographics.
Transportation
Transportation that supports desgregation effors ensures all students have fair access to school, regardless of where they live. This involves evaluatig bus routes, ride times, and access to ensure that transportation services are equitable and do not create or reinforce racial segregation among schools.
Extracurricular Activities
Extracurriculars involve student participation in athletics, clubs, and other enrichment activities to ensure all students have fair access and representation across programs and opportunities.
State Resources
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Washington DC
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