State Board of Education Summary of Six Plans to Achieve Racial Desegregation

    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

A Summary of

SIX PLANS TO ACHIEVE RACIAL DESEGREGATION* 

In Public Schools of the 

Detroit Metropolitan Area

*Developed in response to U.S. District Court 

order in the case of Bradley vs. Mi 11iken

LANSING, MICHIGAN

February 1, 1972



STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

A Summary of

SIX PLANS TO ACHIEVE RACIAL DESEGREGATION* 

In Public Schools of the 

Detroit Metropolitan Area

*Developed in response to U.S. District Court 

order in the case of Bradley vs. Mi Hi ken

LANSING, MICHIGAN

February 1, 1972



State Board of Education

Edwin L. Novak, O.D., President

Flint ........ ......

Michael J. Deeb, Vice President

Detroit ............

Dr. Gorton Riethmiller, Secretary

Chelsea.............

Thomas J. Brennan, Treasurer

Dearborn............

Marilyn Jean Kelly

Detroit..............

Annetta Miller

Huntington Woods.... .

Dr. Charles E. Morton

Detroit............. .

James F. O'Neil

term expires 

Jan. 1, 1973 

Jan. 1, 1977 

Jan. 1, 1975 

Jan. 1, 1979 

Jan. 1, 1977 

Jan. 1, 1979 

Jan. 1, 1973

Livonia........................  Jan. 1, 1975

Dr. John W. Porter, Superintendent of

Public Instruction, Chairman ex-officio 

William G. Mi Hi ken, Governor,

Member ex-officio



*

INTRODUCTION

Six plans which might be pursued to achieve racial desegregation 

in public schools of the Detroit Metropolitan Area are here briefly summarized. These 

plans were studied by the State Board of Education in accordance with orders of 

United States District Judge Stephen J. Roth in the case of Bradley vs. Mil liken 

as follows:

. -- September 27, 1971, Court finds de jure segregation in Detroit;*

-- October 4, 1971, Court verbally directs metro plan development;

-- November 5, 1971, Court issues formal order for metro plan, and,

-- February 1, 1971, State Board of Education studied six plans.

Five of the six plans prepared for Judge Roth offer specific approaches 

that would involve assignment to, or voluntary selection on the part of students 

of, the school to be attended. Following any of these five plans, racial integration 

would be increased from current levels. The other plan, in more general terms, offers 

an approach to promote racial integration, and suggests how this approach might apply 

to the Detroit metropolitan area schools.

* In this ruling, the Court found that the State Board of Education contributed to 
bring about the condition of de jure segregation in Detroit. This portion -- and only 
this portion -- of the September 27, 1971, ruling is being appealed by the State Board 
of Education to a higher court.



If the State Board submits any of these plans’ to Judge Stephen J. Roth, 

the board would assume that the Judge would (1) select one of the plans or approaches 

as an appropriate remedy for the problems; (2) select another plan or approach from 

materials submitted to him by other parties in the case of Bradley vs. Mi Hi ken;

(3) select some combination of two or more plans or approaches from among materials 

submitted by the State Board of Education and other parties in the case, or (4) seek, 

develop or select some other plan or approach deemed an appropriate remedy.

The State Board of Education received considerable assistance from a host 

of consultants with expertise in the field. However, it should be pointed out that 

no university assigned staff to develop any plan. The origination of plans was by 

the State Board of Education and assistance was requested from individual consultants.

The six plans discussed by the State Board of Education are identified as:

(I) Detroit Metropolitan Racial Proportion Criteria Plan; (II) Metropolitan 

One-Way Movement Plan; (III) Metropolitan School District Reorganization Plan;

(IV) Metropolitan Magnet Plan; (V) Neighborhood School Based Metropolitan Plan, and 

(VI) Metropolitan Equal Educational Opportunity and Quality Integration Plan. The 

last of these (Plan VI) offers general criteria and suggests how such criteria could 

apply in efforts to encourage racial desegregation and educational excellence in the 

Detroit metropolitan area. The other five (Plans I, II, III, IV, V) offer specific 

steps by which racial characteristics of schools in the Detroit metropolitan area 

might be changed.

By way of further identification, the six plans may be characterized as follows: 

-- DETROIT METROPOLITAN RACIAL PROPORTION CRITERIA PLAN (I) —

Would call for establishment of criteria for metropolitan racial desegregation which 

could be applied in each building in the appropriate designated metropolitan area;



—  METROPOLITAN ONE-WAY MOVEMENT PLAN (II) -- Would call for 

movemant of minority students from Detroit schools to other metropolitan area schools;

—  METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION PLAN (III) —  Would 

establish six new Regional School Districts directly involving 36 of the 86 school 

districts in the tri-county (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb) Detorit metropolitan area, and 

put all 86 districts under a three-member Authority;

-- METROPOLITAN MAGNET PLAN (IV) —  Would extend the "magnet school" 

concept now applied in Detroit to other schools in the metropolitan area;

—  NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL BASED METROPOLITAN PLAN (V) -- Would involve 

moving every student in a designated metropolitan area at least twice a week to a 

school having a racial majority different from the "home" school, and

—  METROPOLITAN EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND QUALITY INTEGRATION 

PLAN (VI) -- Discusses the judicial perception of integration and suggests ways in 

which equalized educational opportunity might be accomplished to bring about quality 

integregated education.

Recognizing the full assimilation of the circumstance' , assumptions, recommendations 

and suggestions encompassed by the six plans which are being considered for 

submission to Judge Roth would be a monumental and exhaustive task -- as development of 

the plans was for the State Board of Education -- a listing of a few of the many 

significant factors which were considered is here provided, along with very brief 

summaries of each of the six plans.

Materials here presented are intended to assist in achieving substantial -­

although by definition incomplete -- understanding of what the State Board of 

Education is considering supplying the Court. These materials have no other formal 

or official standing as a State Board of Education document.

Timetables are, of course, under the purview of the Court.



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METROPOLITAN DESEGREGATION MATERIALS 

Facts Sheet (all figures approximate)

Counties: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb

Population: 4,202,784

Square Miles: 1,952

School Districts: 86

Students: 1 ,006,062 (nearly half of state total)

Teachers: 44,000

School Buildings: 1,000

State Equalized Valuation (tax base) per pupil: $20,500

Students by Race: 80 per cent white, 20 per cent black

DETROIT ONLY

Students: 289,382

Students by Race: 64 per cent black, 34.5 per cent white (remaining 1.5 per cent

American Indian, Oriental and Spanish-Surname)



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Summaries of Plans

^ -^ IB O IIJ ilR Q P O L IT A N  RACIAL PROPORTION CRITFRTA PLAN

This plan, if applied, would establish criteria for bringing about 

relative proportions of racial composition in each school of a designated 

metropolitan area. Thus, the criteria could be applied to any designated metro 

politan area (whether comprised of one or several dozen southeastern school 

districts) and would result in the racial composition of every school in that 

area being within 15 per cent of the racial composition of the entire area.

Nine states other than Michigan have adopted or are 

such criteria. The states are: California, Connecticut, 

Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

in the process of adopting 

Illinois, Ohio, Maryland,

This plan suggests certain definitions and criteria, which among other 

things (and in addition to achieving relative racial balance) would give 

priority to meeting needs in such areas as special or compensatory education, 

hot lunches, and others. Ratio of races among school staff would also be subject 

to application of criteria, although greater variance in the ratio would be 

possible for educational considerations (such as, perhaps, assuring that black 

teachers were provided if it were determined that this would help children learn).

Specifics of student movement, including transfers, within the district or 

area would be the responsibility of the local district or districts, consistent 

with criteria and/or guidelines established tv the State Board of Education.



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The criteria under this plan would be stated in terms of "the racial 

minority in a building or district" as differentiated from "racial minority 

of the United States or Michigan population." Thus, the school population racial 

characteristics of the unit to which the criteria were applied would determine 

whether the minority group was white, black, American Indian, Chicano or other.

This is significant in the suggested criteria allow for up to 75 per cent minority 

students in a school, provided educational assessment measures are up to state norms

Specific cost of this plan would depend on where and how applied. One 

application of the criteria, as an example, would move 188,000 students in Detroit

from the schools currently attended to other schools, at an estimated cost of 

$19.5 million.

Analysis of criteria application under this plan was assisted by staff of 

the Council of the Great Cities Schools, which includes the 22 largest school 

districts in the United States.

To implement this plan, it would be necessary to:

—  modify and adopt suggested criteria through formal procedures 

of the State Board of Education;

-- Assure a minimum of movement of kindergarten-through-third grade

pupils;

—  have the court consider steps necessary to make sufficient resources 

available to implement the plan.



II. METROPOLITAN ONE-WAY MOVEMENT PLAN

This plan suggests only movement of black students from Detroit 

to surrounding districts to bring about racial balance within and outside Detroit. It 

could be implemented either by contractual arrangements between districts to fill existi 

spaces, or could involve consolidation of districts (perhaps as outlined in the six- 

district metropolitan plan -- see next section of this summary). The plan does not 

specifically consider student transfers within Detroit, but deals only with the movement 

of black students from Detroit to the suburbs.

Effects of the plan, if implemented, are identified as including: 

-- a reduced black-to-white student ratio in Detroit, thereby 

making it possible to racially balance all schools in the district through student re­

assignments ;

-- better racial balance in the suburban districts;

-- elimination of overcrowding in several schools in Detroit;

-- removal of students from obsolete structures in Detroit, and, 

if the plan were totally or partially voluntary, increased 

general acceptance on the part of students and parents involved.

If the one-way busing plan were implemented to fill only existing 

spaces in Wayne County suburban districts with less than 25 per cent black student pop­

ulation, or to fill existing spaces in mostly white "close-in" districts of Wayne,



#

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Oakland and Macomb Counties, between 22,000 and 27,000 black students would 

be reassigned.

This plan also shows that to achieve equal racial balance in Detroit 

schools (roughly 50 per cent black and 50 per cent white -- disregarding American 

Indian, Chicano or Oriental students) some 78,600 black students would have to 

be reassigned to other districts. This would leave Detroit with about a 50-50 

ratio and 205,000 students. However, using all available space in all of the 

school districts in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties which now have less than 

25 per cent black students would provide places for only 62,099 students.

Facilities would therefore have to be built or found for some 16,500 students.

In discussing other possible racial percentages for Detroit under one-way 

busing, the plan shows that reassignment of 62,099 black students from Detroit 

to fill all the existing spaces in heavily white suburban districts in the three 

county area would leave Detroit schools with 53 per cent black and 47 per cent 

white students.

In discussing advantages and disadvantages of one-way busing of black students, 

this plan points out the obvious implications in terms of social justice or 

"exploitation" of the black community.

Additional costs under the plan are estimated at anywhere from $2.5 million 

to transport 25,000 students to some $14 million to transport 150,000 students, 

assuming full state funding.



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The one-way busing plan identifies certain steps that would be necessary 

for its implementation:

-- the Legislature would have to authorize the State Board of 

Education to move students across school district lines;

—  provision would have to be made for parents and students to 

volunteer for reassignment outside Detroit, with reassignments within and outside 

Detroit the second step and special procedures for mandatory reassignment only

as a last resort;

- -- if there were selection of an option within the plan which would

overload existing classroom space, the Legislature would have to provide 

financing for acquiring needed additional facilities;

-- regardless of the specific form of any one-way busing plan 

selected, sufficient funds would have to be provided for effective training for 

all instructional personnel affected, and

—  sufficient funds to pay for busing would have to be appropriated.

III. METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION

This plan provides for desegregation that affects the entire tri-county 

area of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties. Within this "Detroit Metropolitan 

Educational Area (DMEA)" 50 of the 86 existing school districts and their existing 

school boards would be maintained. The remaining 36 "Initial Operating Zone (IOZ)" 

districts, including Detroit, would form six new Regional Educational Districts 

with an approximate 550,000 student population, 65 per cent white and 35 per cent



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black. The new districts would have from 80,000 to 109,000 students each,

but kindergarten-through-third grade students would not be moved for desegregation 

purposes. -

A three-member DMEA Authority, which could be appointed by the State 

Board of Education, would be established to adminster desegregation involving 

the 86 school districts in the tri-county area.

Under State Board of Education guidelines, the DMEA Authority would 

share its defined powers with nine-member Regional Educational District boards 

elected from single-member sub-districts. Each I0Z school would have a Local 

School Council. The financing of the plan would be determined by the existing 

statutes and Court interpretations.

The plan proposes that allocation to all districts under the DMEA

Authority be equalized to equate with the highest mi 11 age rate of any district 

in the DMEA area.

A comprehensive program of educational activities requiring careful 

attention, and including such things as community involvement, leadership 

orientation, in-service teacher education, student involvement, curriculum 

change, parent-student-staff relationships, administrative and financial 

considerations, and safety of persons and security of school facilities is 

included in the Metropolitan School District Reorganization Plan.

The plan is based on certain assumptions:

-  that the Court has power to adopt anu implement a desegregation 

plan as proposed;



-- that aspects of the plan fundamental to its success, in addition 

to movement of pupils, are to be considered by the Court as appropriate elements;

-- that the Court will retain jurisdiction until metropolitan 

desegregation has been successfully accomplished.

No specific costs for this plan were calculated, although elements of the 

plan which would produce added costs were identified. Pupil transfers would be under­

taken in such a manner that no Detroit pupil would have to move twice.

The Metropolitan School District Reorganization Plan proposes that upon 

order of the Court, the State Board of Education would:

— appoint the three-member DMEA Authority, and, .

--prepare guidelines on division of authority and responsibility 

between the Authority, Regional Educational District Boards, and Local School 

Councils.

Since elements of this plan are incorporated by reference in several other 

of the plans discussed, the following page is provided as a handy guide to some 

basic facts of this plan. -



• •
Proposed Detroit Metropolitan Educational Area

Facts at a Glance

-- Affects all 87 public school districts in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties.

-- Administrative/school board structure not affected in 50 of the 86 districts.

—  Remaining 36 districts combined in six Regional Educational Districts as follows:

DISTRICT ONE: Detroit Murray-Wright, Chadsey, Western and Southwestern; Melvindale-
North Allen Park; River Rouge; Ecorse; Lincoln Park; Allen Park; Wyandotte, and 
Southgate —  total students 82,988; white-black per cent, 70-30.

DISTRICT TWO: Detroit Northwestern, Mackenzie, Cody; Dearborn; South Redford; North
Dearborn Heights; Fairlane; Crestwood; Westwood, and Inkster -- total students 
98,615; white-black per cent, 57-43.

DISTRICT THREE: Detroit Central, Mumford, Cooley, Ford, Redford; Oak Park; Southfield;
Redford Union, and Berkley -- total students 109,403; white-black per cent, 60-40.

DISTRICT FOUR: Detroit Northern, Pershing; Highland Park; Hamtramck; Warren Fitzgerald;
Centerline; Hazel Park; Ferndale; Royal Oak, and Madison Heights -- total students 
85,775; white-black per cent 68-32.

DISTRICT FIVE: Detroit Northeastern, Kettering, Osborn, Denby; East Detroit; Van
Dyke; Warren Woods, and Roseville -- total students 93,392; white-black per cent 69-31.

DISTRICT SIX: Detroit King, Southeastern, Finney; Grosse Pointe; Harper Woods; South
Lake; Lakeview, and Lake Shore -- total students 79,472; white-black per cent 60-40.

-- Metropolitan desegregation governance structure:

Six Regional Educational 
Districts from 37 districts 
in Initial Operating Zone; Council for each 

I0Z school

Local School

DETROIT
METROPOLITAN
EDUCATIONAL
AUTHORITY

Each has 9-member elected 
board from sub-districts

(3 members) 50 Wayne-Oak!and-Macomb districts outside IOZ



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IV. METROPOLITAN MAGNET PLAN

This plan would extend the "Magnet school concept," which has been 

operating in Detroit schools since last fall, to a wider metropolitan area.

There are at least two possible ways in which the concept could be extended 

beyond Detroit's boundaries, according to this plan: (1) cooperation between

existing districts could be required, with a Regional Advisory Council for 

each magnet area, or, (2) six independent districts could be formed as in 

the "Metropolitan School District Reorganization Plan" (see previous Plan III 

summary).

The magnet program approach has been described by Detroit Public Schools 

as follows:

"The concept was that excellence in education
would draw students to select desegregated
situations, thus providing quality integrated
education by choice. The plan was designed
to demonstrate voluntary integration based on
quality education, but was not expected to
accomplish desegregation of the whole (Detroit)
district at its inception." .

Specifically, the Metropolitan Magnet Plan would (1) create a Metropolitan 

Magnet District; (2) assure that all kindergarten-through-sixth grade students 

would attend specialized neighborhood schools; (3) require that all schools 

offering seventh-through-twelfth grades be magnet schools; (4) assure that all 

students would have equal access to magnet programs of their choice, and (5) 

eliminate "comprehensive" (i.e., full range program) high schools.

If this plan were ordered for implementation, the State Board of 

Education could provide guidelines for operation of the magnet school concept to be



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followed by the local governing structure selected. The plan envisions eventual 

relocation and construction of facilities appropriate to the magnet school concept -­

that is, schools designed for specialization in particular academic, vocational or 

scientific education. (Ideally, of course, the magnet school concept is used in conjunction 

with effective counseling and guidance which results in all choices being made on the 

basis of what the student wants and can learn, not where he or she wants to go to school.)

The obvious positive aspect of maintaining relative "freedom of 

choice" for the post-elementary grades is noted in the submitted plan's discussion of 

advantages and disadvantages.

No specific costs for this plan were calculated, since they would 

be dependent on the form of any such plan ordered. Costs would include transportation as 

well as money to adapt present facilities to the magnet school concept. To implement 

such a plan, it would be necessary that:

-- the Legislature authorize the State Board of Education to move 

students across district lines, or to adjust district lines;

-- guidelines be developed by the State Board of Education providing 

for maximum utilization of facilities to ensure equal access to magnet schools, and,

-- sufficient appropriations be made available for the plan.

V. NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL BASED METROPOLITAN PLAN

This plan calls for every student in the designated metropolitan



area to be bused at least on the average of twice a week to a school having a 

racial majority different from his or her own school. The home-based teacher 

would always accompany the students to the receiving schools.

The Initial Operating Zone (IOZ) district alignments as developed in 

the Metropolitan School District Reorganization Plan (Plan III) would be 

followed, and a three-member Authority or Metropolitan Coordinating Board 

would be created. Guidelines provided by the State Board of Education would 

help the authority serve as a catalyst in a number of activities relating 

to racial desegregation.

Existing local school districts would continue to have responsibility 

for educating children going to school within their boundaries, but would be 

required to cooperate in program offerings and other steps to maximize 

successful school desegregation. The plan calls for an advisory board from 

the districts to work with the three-member authority to bring about desegre­

gation, consistent with State Board of Education guidelines.

Parent advisory councils, a funded program of safety and security, 

and instructional accountability models to measure precise student progress 

would be required under the this plan.

Transporting of students under this plan is estimated at $29.1 million, 

or about $21.1 million if no kindergarten-through-third grade students were 

involved.

The principal features of this plan are the retention of school districts 

and the neighborhood school concept.



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X L __ m e tro po lit an equal educational opportunity

AND QUALITY INTEGRATION PLAN ’

This plan provides perspective on the total picture of the relation­

ship between racial integration, particularly in the schools, and judicial 

activity. It discusses the judicial perception of integration, and the 

relationship between integration and pupil performance.

In essence, the discussion in the plan provides a rationale for 

recommending that courts evaluate all proposals for school desegregation at

least partly on the basis of the effect they can be expected to have on the 

performance of black pupils.

Following the framework established in the first part of this plan, 

the recommendations that are included would:

-  promote open housing as the ultimate means to overcome segregation;

-  improve the statewide funding and performance of education in 

accordance with recommendations of the State Board of Education;

-  provide greater opportunity for black citizen influence on operation 

of neighborhood schools;

-- assure to a greater degree that desegregated black pupils will 

acquire basic school skills;

eliminate discriminatory pupil assignment, and,

-  bring about consideration of the State Board of Education's "Common 

Goals of Michigan Education" as a means of affecting equality of educational

opportunity in Michigan, which can lead positively to quality integrated 

education.

Ihe plan might be likened to a "freedom of choice" approach.

MM