Professor Myron Orfield Discusses Race to the Bottom Between Public and Charter Schools in Minneapolis and Saint Paul  

Professor Myron Orfield commented in the Star Tribune about proposed changes in St. Paul Public Schools that would emulate the charter schools model.

St. Paul, Minnesota's second-largest district, has long recognized its diversity, the Star Tribune reports, "Dual-language programs are among its most popular. But the district has picked up the pace of new offerings in recent years with moves designed in part to reclaim market share lost to charter schools that often cater to families of specific backgrounds and offer culturally specific environments." However, Orfield counters that this may not be the right move. He says, "emulating charter schools with their culturally affirming programming can lead to an over-concentration of poor, single-race student bodies and abysmal test scores."