Murphy Leads Democratic Senate Colleagues In Reintroducing Bill to Provide Resources to Underfunded Schools, Strengthen Diversity in the Classroom

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) led Democratic colleagues in reintroducing the Strength in Diversity Act, legislation to give schools the resources they need to tackle segregation in the classroom. Though Brown v. Board of Education declared school segregation unconstitutional more than 70 years ago, America's public schools remain highly segregated along racial and socioeconomic lines. The most segregated public schools are often the most underfunded, making it much harder for Black and Latino kids and students from low-income families to get a fair shot at a good education.

The Strength in Diversity Act addresses this problem by providing new grant funding to help public schools build voluntary, community-driven programs to cultivate diversity in the classrooms. School districts and regional educational agencies will be able to access funding for a range of proposals, including:

1. Studying segregation, evaluating current policies and developing evidence-based plans to address socioeconomic and racial isolation;
2. Revising school boundaries, expanding equitable access to transportation for students, or improving open enrollment processes;
3. Creating or expanding school programs that can attract students from outside the local area;
4. Recruiting, hiring and training new teachers and improving teacher diversity;
5. Supporting the development and maintenance of best practices.

"Decades of bad policy decisions have segregated our schools and created a system where students of color and low-income kids are forced to settle for less," said Senator Murphy. "Desegregating our schools is not just about fairness, it's about giving all kids the opportunity to learn together in diverse classrooms and grow up to be more engaged and empathetic citizens."

"Our measure makes critical investments to ensure every child in America has access to a quality education and the best possible resources to succeed," said Senator Blumenthal. "Seventy years since the Supreme Court struck down school segregation, the promise of equitable education for all children regardless of race remains unfulfilled. Our legislation works to break down the racial and socioeconomic lines that keep many schools across America segregated to this day and empowers kids to achieve their dreams."

"Children are 100% of our future," said Senator Markey. "We can't afford to underfund our schools and deny equal opportunity to kids because of their zip code. I'm proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing the Strength in Diversity Act to ensure that we're prepared not only for the 21st century - but also for every century after that."

"Diversity is our strength and we thrive as a country when we address inequities in our schools. The Strength in Diversity Act would dedicate additional resources to support academic excellence for students, regardless of their backgrounds. When we break these barriers, our kids and school staff have the opportunity to grow, feel supported, and succeed," said Senator Padilla.

The bill is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

The Strength in Diversity Act has been endorsed by the following organizations:

AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), Advocates for Trans Equality, AFT, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Brown's Promise, Campus Without Walls, Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED), Children's Defense Fund, Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles at UCLA, Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity, EdTrust, Education Law Center, ERASE Racism, Glisten (Formerly GLSEN), IDRA, Institute for Social Progress, Wayne County Community College District, Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity at the University of Minnesota Law School, Integrated Schools, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Legal Defense Fund, Magnet Schools of America, METCO, Inc., National Action Network, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Center for Youth Law, National Coalition on School Diversity, National Education Association, New York Appleseed, PFLAG National, Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK), School Diversity Notebook, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and Sheff Movement Coalition.

For a one-pager on the bill click here. For full bill text click here.