| Minneapolis Schools, like most school districts, | | | | transfer into these schools are overwhelming the |
| struggles with diversity. They struggle with | | | | building capacity of the more desirable schools. |
| making sure their schools are not segregated | | | | The Minneapolis Schools have looked at various |
| based on color or economic status. That is difficult | | | | options to aid parent choice. But some things, like |
| when people of like economic status tend to live | | | | providing transportation for students who choose |
| in certain areas. | | | | not to attend their neighborhood schools, is almost |
| One of the ways Minneapolis Schools achieves this | | | | impossible to fit into an already stretched budget. |
| is through parent choice. Parents in Minneapolis | | | | Minneapolis Schools labels schools as "racially |
| Schools are given options such as private school | | | | identifiable" if they are not adequately |
| vouchers, charter schools, and opting to send | | | | desegregated. These schools receive funding to |
| their children outside of their neighborhood. | | | | attract students into their buildings- but this |
| Although this program has done a good job of | | | | doesn't always work. |
| helping to desegregate schools, there are some | | | | Upper income white parents hesitate to send their |
| areas in the Minneapolis Schools where this has | | | | children into lower income neighborhoods, even |
| had the opposite affect. | | | | when the education itself is comparable. There is |
| There are some Minneapolis Schools where white | | | | some rational basis to this as studies have shown |
| students are transferring out of schools where | | | | that students can be pulled wither up or down by |
| they are already the minority, and students of | | | | their academic surroundings. So bringing |
| color are transferring into these schools. One of | | | | better-educated families into these poorer areas is |
| the obstacles to this program is that there simply | | | | likely to benefit the lower income families, but |
| are not enough white students enrolled in the | | | | there is fear that it will negatively impact the |
| Minneapolis Schools to balance the numbers. | | | | students from the upper income families. |
| Another obstacle is that students struggling to | | | | |