NC districts, charter school join “grassroots initiative to advance racial and socioeconomic integration and equity”

The Century Foundation, a progressive DC-based think tank, announced that 27 school districts, 17 charter schools, and 12 housing organizations joined the Bridges Collaborative. North Carolina participants include,

• Central Park School for Children
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Schools
• Wake County Public Schools
• Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District
• Inlivian (Charlotte Housing Authority)

The Century Foundation was an outspoken proponent of Wake County’s long-abandoned “healthy schools” busing program.

Aside from confabs and advocacy, it’s unclear what the Bridges Collaborative will do or require of participating districts, charters, and housing authorities.  The press release states, “Over the next two years, the collaborative will serve as a hub for practitioners from across the country, providing school and housing leaders the opportunity to learn from one another, build grassroots momentum, and develop successful approaches for integration.”

I suspect that this is the beginning of a major effort to restore Wake County’s busing program and implement similar efforts in Mecklenburg and Forsyth counties.