Minority students face harsher discipline, less access to rigorous school curricula, & are more often taught by lower-paid, less experienced teachers

U.S. Department of Education Releases New Data Highlighting Educational Inequities Around Teacher Experience, Discipline and High School Rigor, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali present at Howard University

WASHINGTON (March 6, 2012) – Today, at the iconic Founder's Library of Howard University, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali presented new data from a national survey of more than 72,000 schools serving 85% of the nation’s students. The report is the first of its kind, representing findings from school districts nationwide.

Minority students across America face harsher discipline, have less access to rigorous high school curricula, and are more often taught by lower-paid and less experienced teachers, according to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

The event at Howard University was attended by civil rights and education reform groups. The self-reported data, Part II of the 2009-10 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), covers a range of issues including college and career readiness, discipline, school finance, and student retention.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the CRDC findings are a wake-up call to educators at every level and issued a broad challenge to work together to address educational inequities.

"The power of the data is not only in the numbers themselves, but in the impact it can have when married with the courage and the will to change. The undeniable truth is that the everyday educational experience for many students of color violates the principle of equity at the heart of the American promise. It is our collective duty to change that,” Duncan said.

For more information and details of the report visit www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-data-us-department-education-highlights-educational-inequities-around-teache About Howard University: Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 12 schools and colleges. Founded in 1867, students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman Scholar, a Marshall Scholar, 19 Fulbright Scholars and 10 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on campus African- American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University’s Web site at www.howard.edu.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Rachel Mann Communications Specialist 202.238.2631 rachel.mann@howard.edu WEB: www.howard.edu/newsroom/