Healthy school districts are diverse, community-centered, and are given the support they need to serve all students.
Healthy school districts are diverse, community-centered, and are given the support they need to serve all students.Many systems and policies – including segregated communities, unfair district accountability measures, and harmful student testing methods – make districts unhealthy.
Learn more about IDRA’s work to support healthy school districts below.
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Healthy school districts are a critical part of strong communities – they involve diverse groups of families, students and other local partners in school governance, policy, and practice. But, punitive accountability systems, testing that punishes students and schools, and systems that take control away from communities without supporting their success create barriers to school district health.
School districts should be accountable to their own diverse communities. School success and student performance should not hinge on a letter grade. IDRA works to grow family leadership in education, supports research-based assessment systems that are not harmful to students and schools, and researches the impacts of inappropriate state intervention in local school districts.
Learn more about IDRA’s policy recommendations for Texas.
Resources
Changing Policy
Statement: Flaws of standardized testing in Texas revealed
Article: In-grade retention is a civil rights concern
Article: Will States Use ESSA to Undermine Communities of Color as Some Have for Voting Rights?
Acting on Research and Data
State Takeovers Don’t Work Issue Brief
Individual Graduation Committees Policy Brief
Infographic: The Benefits of Individual Graduation Committees
IDRA EAC-South: Resources for Achieving Integrated Schools
Engaging Communities
Habits of a Healthy School District Where All Students Thrive, by Celina Moreno, J.D., & Christie L. Goodman, APR
Communicating Effectively
Podcast: School District Takeovers History and Today
Data Deficit: No A-F Grades for Districts or STAAR Exams for Students
