Court-ordered ‘integration program’ has Los Angeles Unified School District charter schools chasing 70:30, 60:40 ratios

Charter schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) are subject to a policy that seeks to racially and ethnically balance enrollment, targeting a student demographic ratio of 70:30 or 60:40.

The district states that the policy is in compliance with the Crawford v. Board of Education, City of Los Angeles court order and the LAUSD Integration Policy, which was “adopted and maintained pursuant to the Crawford court order by the District’s Student Integration Services (collectively the REV – August 2020 Page 20 of 44 “Court-ordered Integration Program”). The Court-ordered Integration Program applies to all schools within or chartered through LAUSD.”

The policy states: “Charter School has set forth below its initial plan for achieving and maintaining the LAUSD’s Racial and Ethnic Balance goal of a 70:30 or 60:40 ratio. (Ratio represents the percentage of Predominantly Hispanic Black Asian Other (PHBAO) compared to Other White (OW)). The written plan lists specific dates and locations of recruitment activities that Charter School will undertake in order to achieve the District’s Racial and Ethnic Balance goal. Charter School shall monitor the implementation and outcomes of the initial plan, and modify it as necessary throughout the term of the Charter to achieve the District’s goal. Upon request, Charter School shall provide the District with a copy of its current written plan.”

The Wonderland Ave Elementary and Gifted Magnet school, which is also part of LAUSD, appears to be promoting the same 60:40 ratio to achieve a “diverse student body.”

One LAUSD document detailing the district’s magnet program states, “Each magnet program’s openings are determined by the need to maintain a racially balanced enrollment and by available space.”