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Brown v. Board of Education's promise of inclusive, integrated, high-quality schools for all of our nation's children has never been more important. Yet in the 53 years since Brown, the nation has struggled to realize that promise. After a period of massive resistance and foot dragging, our country made real progress toward more integrated and equitable education. Over the last two decades, however, the nation has witnessed disturbing levels of resegregation across the country. Indeed, America's public schools are now more segregated than they were in 1970. Certain school districts have voluntarily tried to fight this trend, and to bring students together across lines of difference.

On June 28, 2007, the Supreme Court issued a sharply divided decision in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District, that limited the ability of school districts to take account of race to promote diversity and address racial isolation in their schools. While a majority of the Justices recognized the critical importance of community efforts to promote diverse local schools and provide opportunities for children to learn, play and work together, the Court struck down particular aspects of the Seattle and Louisville student assignment plans because they were not, in its view, sufficiently well designed to achieve those goals. But the Court did not – as some reported – rule out any and all consideration of race in student assignment. In fact, a majority of Justices explicitly left the window open for school districts to take race-conscious measures to promote diversity and avoid racial isolation in schools.

Every child has a seat at the educational table. It is now up to you to decide whether that seat must be segregated, or if it can represent the vibrant diversity of your community. We hope that the Manual and other information included on this site will be helpful to you as you take steps to bring your children – and your community – together across lines of difference.

Supreme Court Decision

Voluntary K-12 School Integration Manual (3.28 MB)

Decision Summary (371 KB)

Kennedy Opinion Fact Sheet (57 KB)