The Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles at UCLA

The?New Jersey Monitor is following?a continuing lawsuit filed against New Jersey in 2018, alleging widespread segregation in the state’s public school system.?The plaintiffs claim that the history of discriminatory housing policies and residential segregation, and the policies requiring students in New Jersey to attend schools in their municipality, has led to segregated schools.?The CRP research cited in the article backs up claims that New Jersey public schools are in fact heavily segregated. The lawsuit has been brought forth by concerned families and a group of advocates who hope to achieve an educational future for New Jersey children that is free of the disadvantages of racial segregation.? Learn more about this pressing issue using the link below! ?? https://lnkd.in/duwfS6NV

A collaborative research brief from UCLA's Latino Policy and Politics Institute, Center for the Transformation of Schools, and the Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles highlights the negative effects of immigration policies on Latino/a students’ academic performance. The Impact of a Broken Immigration System on U.S. Students and Schools?documents how students are forced to think about their families’ safety and security, instead of focusing on academics and post-high school education plans.?? ? One Tennessee high school administrator states, “They are not thinking about college or the test next week or what is being taught in the classroom today.?They are thinking about their family and whether they will still be a family; whether their family will remain intact.” To help students and families who are most affected by harsh immigration enforcement, the research brief also offers policy and practice recommendations for school systems to implement. ? Read more about CRP’s research using the link below! ?? https://lnkd.in/dDZrEBbi

A collaborative research brief from UCLA's Latino Policy and Politics Institute, Center for the Transformation of Schools, and the Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles highlights the negative effects of immigration policies on Latino/a students’ academic performance. The Impact of a Broken Immigration System on U.S. Students and Schools?documents how students are forced to think about their families’ safety and security, instead of focusing on academics and post-high school education plans.?? ? One Tennessee high school administrator states, “They are not thinking about college or the test next week or what is being taught in the classroom today.?They are thinking about their family and whether they will still be a family; whether their family will remain intact.” To help students and families who are most affected by harsh immigration enforcement, the research brief also offers policy and practice recommendations for school systems to implement. ? Read more about CRP’s research using the link below! ?? https://lnkd.in/dDZrEBbi

Our Statement on Trump-Musk Initiatives to Force Illegitimate Reversals of Long-Established Civil Rights Policies asks: What is the basis of the extraordinary powers the administration suddenly claims? The current administration is trying to immediately compel one of the most dramatic reversals of racial justice policy in U.S. history. See the legal analysis by a coalition of leading law scholars concluding that the administration's claims are wrong. CRP calls on leaders of U.S. educational and other institutions to challenge and resist illegitimate political pressures to turn the country backward. Read the CRP statement as well as the legal memo and press release from the coalition of leading constitutional law scholars here: https://lnkd.in/gd_y-QFj

In an article by New Mexico in Depth, Patricia Gándara talks about the uncertainty many schools and educators are facing as the U.S. Department of Education is at risk of closure. Within the federal Department of Education, the Office of Civil Rights, in Washington, D.C., investigates alleged civil rights violations through collected data from the nation’s schools and releases the information every two years. State and local departments of education, such as New Mexico’s Department of Justice, then use this collected data to investigate issues such as racial disparities in schools. Read more about this important current issue using the link below! ?? https://lnkd.in/d29qBxyV

CRP Co-director Patricia Gándara recently received the Ohtli Award, one of the highest honors awarded by the Government of Mexico to its citizens living outside of Mexico. Gándara, a UCLA research professor of education, has worked to create opportunities across borders for transnational students and teachers, and expand educational pathways for immigrant students and multilingual learners. Her work has highlighted the impacts of harsh immigration enforcement actions on school communities across the country and documented the benefits of bilingual education for CA and the nation. As CRP co-director, her tireless advocacy for equalizing educational opportunity and the protection of civil rights for Latinos and others will have ramifications for generations. Congratulations, Dr. Gándara, on this well-earned achievement! To read more about the award and Gándara’s work, use the links below! ?? https://lnkd.in/gcJhwdD4

Reminder! The "California’s Untapped Potential: Embracing Multilingualism for All” webinar is tomorrow, Wednesday Feb 14th at 3:30 pm! Don’t miss this great, virtual, opportunity to learn more about how the findings and recommendations of two important recent reports from the UCLA Civil Rights Project can be analyzed to further the support of multiliteracy policy for all students! To read the reports being focused on tomorrow, use the links below ?? Bilingual?Education and America's Future: Evidence and Pathways https://lnkd.in/dHnRMx87 Meeting its Potential: A Call and Guide for Universal Access to?Bilingual Education in California https://lnkd.in/dUBz9fJx

This exciting and important webinar will share the findings and recommendations from two of The Civil Rights Project’s recent reports, Bilingual Education and America’s Future: Evidence and Pathways (2023) and Meeting its Potential: A Call and Guide for Universal Access to Bilingual Education in California. CRP’s Co-Director, Patricia Gándara, and authors of the spotlighted papers, Conor Williams, The Century Foundation; Lorna Porter, WestEd; and Manuel Vasquez Cano, Education Northwest, are invited speakers. California has been a leader in building programs, models, and policies that support multiliterate education, such as the voter-passed Education for a Global Society initiative, the first State Seal of Biliteracy (now adopted by all 50 states), and a CA Master Plan for Early Learning that centralizes dual language learners. Despite these, few English learners in CA are offered dual language education, and only a small percentage of students graduate with the Seal of Biliteracy. Join us for this great virtual event to explore what we can do to ensure all students have access to a multiliterate education as they prepare to become the next leaders and participants of a linguistically diverse global society!?? Use the QR code to RSVP! Access the reports that will be focused on using the links below. Bilingual Education and America's Future: Evidence and Pathways ?? https://lnkd.in/dHnRMx87 Meeting its Potential: A Call and Guide for Universal Access to Bilingual Education in California ?? https://lnkd.in/dUBz9fJx

Amidst new executive orders changing immigration enforcement's limitations on school campuses, educational leaders across San Diego County are working to support and reassure students and families.? ? CRP Co-director Patricia Gándara was interviewed for an article by the San Diego Union-Tribune about heightened immigration enforcement by federal authorities and the increased student absenteeism that results.?Gándara and her colleagues emphasize that schools should reach out and inform the communities they serve of their rights. Many school district leaders in San Diego are following suit and working together to keep students safe and retain the community’s trust. ? Read the SD Union-Tribune article and access our research on the effects of immigration enforcement on schools and students using the links below! ?? Link to article: https://lnkd.in/d6B2Zawd Link to report: https://lnkd.in/dGiANY3k

In an?article by the Washington Post,?on a federal court ruling regarding the use of race in the admissions process for military academies, CRP’s co-founder, Gary Orfield, is quoted.?This?ruling?comes after the Supreme Court’s?2023?decision to reject the use of affirmative action in college admissions.?In his ruling, Senior District Judge Richard D. Bennett emphasized the importance of diverse leadership in the military that reflects the country it defends; he states, “...it must not be forgotten that our military’s efforts to increase the diversity of the officer corps follow centuries of institutionalized discrimination.”? ? A notable decline has been reported in the enrollment of Black students at selective universities, starting in the 2024 academic year, which?followed the Supreme Court’s decision.?The ruling also preceded the new administration’s order to close federal D.E.I. efforts, recently issued on January 22, 2025. Keep on reading about the developing decisions regarding affirmative action cases using the link below! ?? https://lnkd.in/d_X2QtQV