Five-Year Binding Agreement Cements Measures to Correct Inequities

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has finalized a settlement with Reading School District, cementing a five-year action plan to address problems blocking district students' achievement and fair access to education. The district adopted the settlement at its Jan. 25 board meeting.

The settlement is a binding agreement to address the commission's findings and recommendations following a public investigatory hearing on equal opportunity issues in the Berks County-based district. The commission held the hearing on several dates in September 2010 and February 2011 in response to Reading parents, former district employees and community members who requested that the commission exercise its authority to address racial problems in the district.

"The Reading School District has recognized both the serious problems their students face in getting an education, and how crucial their academic success is to our communities and our economy," said JoAnn Edwards, the commission's executive director. "Committing to these tangible measures is a huge step toward tackling the complex problems faced by Reading and so many other districts that struggle to educate all of our children, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or disability.

"The Pa. Human Relations Commission commends the Reading School District for recognizing the importance of our children's futures, and acknowledging that equal educational opportunity is an investment worth making."

The 96 settlement terms include measures in three general areas; equal educational opportunity; school safety and security; and equal employment opportunity. 

The settlement and attached report and recommendations do NOT address a pattern of intentional illegal discrimination. The hearing was not intended for that purpose and did not reveal such a pattern. Settlement terms are designed to address identified issues inhibiting student achievement in a district comprised of 76 percent Latino or Hispanic students and another 11 percent African-American and other minority ethnic and racial groups.

The five-year settlement includes monitoring requirements for the commission and reporting requirements for the school district. Terms are based on statistical models, and on methods that have been successful in other districts with similar populations. 

The settlement points the district to public and private organizations with expertise and resources available to address various problems — some without cost to the district.

Settlement terms include:

• Hiring an Equity Coordinator and appointing a five-member volunteer Equity Panel to oversee the district's educational equity efforts and reporting as detailed in the settlement;
• Increased instructional support such as additional teachers and tutors in underperforming schools;
• Implementation of instructional programs and techniques modeled after high-achieving schools that meet or exceed state standards and have significant minority populations;
• Cultural awareness training for all school personnel and specialized training in discipline and behavior management;
• Enhancements and alterations to gifted and other special education programs and English Language Learner programs;
• Recruitment measures to increase the diversity of the pool of qualified applicants for teacher and administrator positions;
• Improvements to home-school communications, particularly as they relate to specialized instruction and disciplinary measures; and
• Measures to prevent disproportionate discipline of minority students, reduce bullying and increase the overall safety of the school environment.

The settlement is legally binding and enforceable. The settlement and Investigatory Hearing Report and Recommendations are available online at the PA Human Relation Commission's homepage, at www.phrc.state.pa.us.

Media contact: Shannon Powers, 717-783-8266

SOURCE Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission

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http://www.phrc.state.pa.us