AFT on Release of Civil Rights Data Collection

WASHINGTON—Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the release of the Civil Rights Data Collection:

"The newest release of the Civil Rights Data Collection, while sobering, provides valuable information to inform the supports and interventions needed to help our students, educators, schools and communities succeed.

"This data highlights how misguided it is to judge schools based only on test scores. The data provided gives a clearer and more compelling picture of the challenges facing our schools than test scores alone ever could, and offers avenues for action that can improve school climates and lift scores too.

"While we're encouraged by the overall downward trend in suspensions, students of color still are more likely than their white peers to be suspended, lack access to advanced courses, and attend a school that has a law enforcement officer but not a counselor. These facts cannot be ignored. The high rates of chronic absenteeism also are very concerning.

"The data presents a starting point that cries out for change—and that means providing supports, not sanctions.

"Restorative justice programs and other alternatives to suspension can succeed when educators and school staff have the necessary support, resources and training to help students change their behavior. It can't be accomplished by simply ending suspensions or going from zero-tolerance to zero-discipline.

"The lack of access to advanced courses and the high percentage of inexperienced teachers in the most challenging schools also underscore the desperate need for equitable funding. Schools serving high-need students require resources to provide real educational opportunity and services to support whole-child wellness, like counseling, healthcare and alternative pathways to college and career.

"While we applaud the Department of Education for the depth and scope of data included, we hope in the future they will include data on teacher diversity. All available research shows that a diverse teacher workforce helps students succeed and that it is especially important for students of color.

"The AFT has been a consistent champion for interventions that can help schools serve all students fairly by improving—not closing—schools. We've seen tremendous results where districts implement programs that engage students and support educators. More than half of U.S. public school students live in poverty and come to school with significant disadvantages. These students, and the educators and staff who serve them, deserve our best efforts, not quick-fix solutions that do nothing meaningful for our kids and only kick the can down the road."