238 Whitney St, Hartford, CT ‘March 4, 2017 The Honorable Leonard A Fasano Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Legative Office Bulding 300 Capitol Avenue, Suite 3400, Hartford, CTO6106-1591 Dear Senator Fasano ‘am gla to explain the context of my statement atthe State Board of Education meeting on January 4 about which you have inquired ‘The State Board and Department of Education ae charged by Sections 10:226a through 10-2266 ofthe Genera Statutes to take corrective acon whenever we determine that a Connecticut public elementary oF secondary schools acaly imbalanced. Racial Imbalance i defined by section 10-226 ‘as2 situation in which the proportion of racial minorities in the grades ofa school is “substantially” mare of less than the proportion of racial minorities inthe same grades forthe district a whole. The regulations adopted pursuant tothe statute define “substantially” more or less a a ference of 25% of cenvoliment from the percentage ofthe district as a whole. In other words ifa town's ks minority population s 30% of the student body, a school with ak minority enrollment over 55% oF les than S¥ ‘would be considered racially imbalanced [At the January 4 meeting, tl tothe State Department of Education’s finding tat the MetKinley Schoo is racially imbalanced because the percentage ofits enrolment that is minority (491%) substatily exceeds the percentage of the Distlts enrollment that s minority (20.18). This situation Is not aew at McKinley Ithad been before us several times over the last decade, and each time we accepted the Faleld Board of Education's proposals to implement various programs at McKinley and at neighboring choolsin an attempt to induce a rebalancing of the enrllment without redistricting. Eachof those plans produced minor and temporary benefits in tems of racial balance, but they did not bring Menley ito lasting compliance with the statute Board considered the response of the Failed Goard of Education In ts reponse tothe current racial imbalance finding, the Fairfield Board af Education proposed a two-step redistricting process. with bot stes contingent on the funding and completion of onstruction projects, including the building of anew school that had not yet been proposed te or approved by ether the Town or the State, Flees tmetabecallsfor some amelioration ofthe Imbalance in 2019, and its complete correction in 2021 2022 upon the completion ofthe second School. Fall's proposal was supported by an outpouring of passionate testimony from a lage turnout of Mekinley School parents who dd not want thelr chien reditricted out ofthe school especially on a temporary basis pending 8 more permanent redistricting when (and if construction completed."Moved by that testimony and by the strong academic performance ofall ofthe students at “Mekinley, the State Board reluctantly and tentatively accepted the Fairfield proposal, We were, however, concerned that our approval not be taken asa free pass to ignore the legative mandate for racial balance unt 2023, and we therefore required Fairfield to propose additonal interim steps ad to provide periodic progres reporting, ‘the end ofthe Boar's discussion, I summarized the Board’ intent and concerns. | began by ‘acknowledging both the strong support we had heard from Mekinley parents and the excellence ofthe school evident ints ests. In that context. and to emphasiae the impartance af avolding the cretion ‘of addtional imbalanced schools, stated that even with good rests, “We don’t want to create ghettos In Faifiela ‘As my comments about the MeKinley Schoo’s evident strengths had aleady made clear, |in no way Aisparaged ether the schoo! or its pupil | would be glad to discuss this matter with you should you desie any further Information, can be reached at 860.985.8858, ‘Allan 8, Taylor