Beyond bussing: Supporting school integration in Minnesota through a rapid health impact assessment

Despite decades of funding dedicated to increasing school integration, Minnesota schools remain significantly segregated. Segregated schools have generally been associated with lower test scores and graduation rates for students of color, and the state has a 45% disparity in graduation rates between White and Black students, the worst in the U.S. Known issues related to previous integration funding led to the formation of a statewide bipartisan taskforce in 2012, which developed a set of recommendations that are being considered as part of the 2013 legislative session. School integration impacts health outcomes through educational achievement, cross-racial understanding, and social cohesion. For example, research consistently demonstrates that people with more education are likely to live longer and healthier lives.

Human Impact Partners partnered with the St. Paul congregation-based community organization ISAIAH to conduct a rapid Health Impact Assessment (HIA) on the taskforce recommendations during the legislative session. Goals included defining integration and other policies necessary to support it; describing the current state of school integration in Minnesota as well as the range of impacts of school integration on the health (including physical, mental and social well-being) of students, school staff, families, and communities; and developing and disseminating recommendations to improve current and proposed school integration policies so that education, health and well-being outcomes for children and communities of all races/ethnicities are improved and are equitable. Though the HIA was completed in three months, we engaged a wide range do stakeholders. This presentation will describe the HIA process, findings, and outcomes.