More Resources Secretary's Remarks Report: Race-Neutral   Approaches to Diversity

MIAMI -- U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today joined dozens of the nation's distinguished education leaders at the Education Department-sponsored conference, "Race-Neutral Alternatives in Postsecondary Education: Innovative Approaches to Diversity."

"The world is not like it was 20 years ago or 10 years ago or even two years ago. We in the education community -- from preschool to post-graduate -- face new challenges that demand new ways of thinking," Paige said. "That means those of us who are leaders in the education community must have the courage to embrace fresh new ideas and innovative new approaches to make a good education system better and more accessible to all -- not just some. That's what this conference is all about."

The two-day conference is an opportunity for education leaders to share best practices and foster innovative thinking at education institutions that are seeking race-neutral means to achieve diversity on their campuses.

Education institutions that use race-neutral approaches use admissions and college preparatory policies that do not focus on or single out racial or ethnic groups for preferential treatment.

Conference presentations include:

• Class-rank approaches with Larry Faulkner, president, University of Texas; John Winn, deputy education commissioner, Florida; and Susan Wilbur, director of admissions, University of California.

• Florida's Partnership with the College Board with John Winn, deputy education commissioner, state of Florida; and Peter Negroni, vice-president of K-12 Services, College Board.

• Partnerships between Colleges and Low-Performing Schools with Manuel Gomez, vice president for educational outreach, University of California; and David Colburn, provost and senior vice president, University of Florida.

• Advanced Placement Initiatives with George LaNoue, University of Maryland; Barbara Breier, University of Texas; Monica Hayes, director of equity and access, Florida Department of Education; and Jenny Oren Krugman, College Board.

• Preferences Based on Socioeconomic Status with Richard Kahlenberg, The Century Foundation.

• College Summit with J.B. Schramm, founder and president, College Summit.

• Approaches for Graduate and Professional Programs, Private Colleges and Universities with Gerald A. Reynolds, assistant secretary for civil rights, U.S. Department of Education; Brian W. Jones, general counsel, U.S. Department of Education; Richard Kahlenberg, The Century Foundation; and Daniel Woodring, general counsel, Florida Department of Education.

Last month, the Education Department released a report on this critical issue. The report demonstrates that, as education institutions seriously investigate the options available to them, they will find that there are dozens of race-neutral approaches they can consider.

For example:

• Many education institutions provide preferences on the basis of socioeconomic status.

• Colleges and universities are expanding their recruitment and outreach efforts by targeting students from schools that traditionally have not been "feeder schools" for those institutions.

• States are creating new skills-development programs, ones designed to improve education achievement among students who attend traditionally low-performing schools. Examples of these programs include the Texas Advanced Placement Initiative and Florida's partnership with the College Board.

• Many universities are entering into partnerships with low-performing public schools to strengthen their students' abilities to succeed in college.

• Texas, California and Florida have created admissions plans for students who finish at the top of their high school classes.

The report also demonstrates that, while many race-neutral approaches are relatively new, the early results from these programs are promising. It points out that the initial positive results are only the beginning; the full advantages of many of the race-neutral alternatives will not be fully known until they are seriously implemented for a sufficient period of time and several classes of students have been able to benefit from them.

The report does not endorse any particular program but rather provides a catalog or description of what education institutions are attempting.

The document is available at www.ed.gov/ocr/raceneutral.html.

Secretary Paige added, "By raising the bar for achievement in our nation's schools, we raise the quality of high school graduates. And that increases the number of students capable of winning admission to the college of their choice, based on their talent and potential. All kids want what every one of us wants: to be accepted on our own merits; to be recognized as individuals with potential and heart; and to get a fair shot at the American dream. That's what the president wants as well. And the Department of Education is committed to helping him achieve that noble goal. Not through artificial racial preferences that pit one American against another, but through equal access -- starting with a quality education that begins the moment each child sets foot in kindergarten."

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