“Eighty-eight percent of students affected by school closures were African American,” according to a research report released last month that analyzed some of the fallout from CPS’s decision in 2013 to close 49 elementary schools and one alternative high school in the city.
Those students affected by the closures, in addition to being largely African American, were also “likely to receive free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, and be old for their grade,” according to the report.
“Nearly all displaced students (93 percent) attended schools with higher performance ratings than the closed schools. However, almost one-quarter of students attended schools that were lower-rated than their designated welcoming schools.”
The welcoming schools for all four of Austin’s public schools that closed—Robert Emmet Elementary, Horatio May Elementary Community Academy, Francis Scott Key Elementary and Louis Armstrong Math & Science Elementary—had higher performance levels than the schools they replaced.
In addition, all of the welcoming schools except DePriest, had higher utilization rates than the schools they replaced.
