How White is Your School? The Most Diverse High Schools in MA

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Kate Nagle, GoLocal Contributor

Where are Massachusetts' most diverse high schools? Most fall in the Commonwealth's urban areas, and that includes Worcester being well represented, with South High School, North High School, Doherty Memorial High School, University Park School, and Burncoat Senior High landing in the top 25 most diverse high schools in all of Massachusetts.

"We have a very diverse student body, which is great," said Worcester City Councilor Sarai Rivera. "The challenge is staffing the schools with teachers and administrators to reflect that."

See MA's Most Diverse High Schools BELOW

GoLocal looked at the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics, which collects enrollment data from the states' public high schools, vocational-technical high schools and charter high schools, and breaks it down into six racial/ethnic categories: American Indian/Alaskan, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, Two or More Races, and White.

In order to determine the high school with the most diverse student body, GoLocal judged each against an "ideal" student population with an equal share, or 16.66 percent, of each of the six categories represented in the total enrollment. The closer a high school came to that ideal student population, the higher they ranked.

Looking at Numbers -- and Impact

University Park School is one of Worcester's, and MA's, most diverse high schools.

Worcester School Committee member and GoLocal Mindsetter John Monfredo recently took a look at the latest enrollment numbers for all of Worcester, noting on the findings, as well as trends.

"The demographics in our city have changed greatly and therefore so have the diversity in our schools," Monfredo wrote in an article for GoLocal in January. "Let’s look some of the statistics… the Afro-American population in our schools is 16.6%, Asian population is 8.1%, Hispanic population leads with 37.5% and the white population is 37.3%."

He continued, "In addition, there are more than 80 languages spoken in our schools. In 1995, the minority population in the schools was 42.1% with the Hispanic percentage being 25.6% and the white population at 57.1%. In 2013, the minority population is up to 62.7% with the Hispanic population increasing to 37.5% and the white population as mentioned at 37.3%."

Former Worcester GOP State Rep candidate Carol Claros shared her perspective on the opportunities -- and challenges -- facing a diverse student body.

"Having a diverse population helps to reduce the stress on students by creating an accepting feeling for everyone thus promoting a better learning environment," said Claros. "It also opens their eyes to other cultures and fosters curiosity to learn about others further breaking down stereotypes."

Claros said, "The challenges are from outside sources and peer pressure telling them not to like someone because of their background. A good example would be someone who is a practicing Muslim, you know them as a friend but the media and friends say those people caused 9/11 or bombed a school overseas."

Diversity in Worcester Schools

"Diversity as it euphemistically called is really the full promise of Brown vs. Board of Education," said Worcester activist Jordan Berg Powers. "Diverse schools are the goal because they train our kids to see other children as equal and a part of their community. It arms them with the ability to navigate the complexities of the real world and it ensures that regardless of race or wealth of the family we are bound together in making sure our children have the resources they need."

He continued, "The report makes it clear our poor districts, which Worcester is one, need money, lots of it. To make sure they have the resources to provide a complexity of course offerings, lots of qualified teachers and the wrap around services to make sure they are not ending up in the school to prison pipeline. In those efforts there are a few good voices but overwhelming the school committee and administration is a failure. They are too focused on testing and not enough on equality of opportunity."

Andy's Attic clothing pantry at South High

South High was the third most diverse school in Massachusetts (and most diverse in Worcester), according to GoLocal's analysis of most recent school reporting data. Out of a total enrollment of just over 1,250 students, 14 percent of students are Asian/Pacific Islanders, 19.6% of students are black/Afro-American, 24.1% white, and 39.2% Hispanic.

Principal Maureen Binienda spoke to the role that diversity played at the school -- and the opportunities available for students.

"One of the most exciting things we did this year was that we partnered with Hanover Theater," said Binienda. "Everyone at school was able to participate in the show Memphis. For one month, in every single English class, they learned about the literature, the history of the show. The whole school got involved in this community service project, and Hanover Theater took our artwork, essays, projects, and they covered the theater with it. It brought everyone together....to be able to take a Broadway show to a diverse school and have everyone participate, we're hoping to do it again in the future."

Binienda noted the role of community service at the school -- and the impact it had on the diverse student population.

"We opened a clothing pantry in our school," said Binienda. "We were recipients of the pantry, and we took it over. Now we're running it like a business. Our students oversee the distribution for all of Central Massachusetts. 80 bags at a time can come out of there. We have 36 kids a day volunteering, helping people who don't have clothing. It has completely added to our sense of community. Sometimes you hear in the news that teens don't care about the world. This is an inspiration."

"Our AP scores are up this year, and we saw a large increase -- and exceeded our goals -- for the English MCAS," said Binienda. "We accept every opportunity that comes our way, because we need to. We need to partner with as many groups as we can, so we can become the resource for our students, and they in turn become the resource for their families, and communities."

See the Full Chart of Most -- and Least -- Diverse Schools in Massachusetts HERE

How White is Your School? The Most Diverse High Schools in MA

Looking at Numbers -- and Impact

Diversity in Worcester Schools

Related Slideshow: The 50 Most Diverse High Schools in Massachusetts

#50 Curtis-Tufts HS

Medford, MA

#49 Boston Green Acad.

Boston Green Acad. Horace Mann Charter, Boston, MA

#48 Fitchburg HS

Fitchburg, MA

#47 Global Learning

Global Learning Charter Public HS, New Bedford, MA

#46 Lowell Middlesex

Lowell Middlesex Acad. Charter HS, Lowell, MA

#45 Community Academy

Jamaica Plain, MA

#44 Quincy HS

Quincy, MA

#43 Foxborough Regional

Foxborough Reg. Charter HS, Foxborough, MA

#42 Boston Collegiate

Boston Collegiate Charter HS, Dorchester, MA

#41 Full Circle HS

Somerville, MA

#40 Waltham Senior HS

Waltham, MA

#39 Medford HS

Medford MA

#38 Snowden International

Snowden Int'l School at Copley, Boston, MA

#37 Brockton HS

Brockton Champion HS, Brockton, MA

#36 Worcester Tech. HS

Worcester, MA

#35 Acad. of the Pac. Rim

Acad. of the Pac. Rim Charter Public HS, Hyde Park MA

#34 Lynn Vocational

Lynn Vocational Tech. Institute, Lynn, MA

#33 Boston Arts Academy

Boston, MA

#32 Greater Lowell

Greater Lowell Reg. Vocational Tech., Tyngsborough, MA

#31 Amherst Regional HS

Amherst, MA

#30 Horace Mann

Horace Mann School for the Deaf, Allston, MA

#29 Everett HS

Everett, MA

#28 Lynn English HS

Lynn, MA

#27 Boston Latin HS

Boston, MA

#26 Prospect Hill

Prospect Hill Academy Charter HS, Cambridge, MA

#25 Brookline HS

Brookline, MA

#24 New Bedford HS

New Bedford, MA

#23 Randolph HS

New Bedford, MA

#22 Charlestown HS

Charlestown, MA

#21 Burncoat Senior HS

Worcester, MA

#20 Springfield Ren.

Springfield Renaissance School, Springfield, MA

#19 Sabis International

Sabis Int'l Charter School, Springfield, MA

#18 Quincy Upper HS

Boston, MA

#17 Springfield Central HS

Springfield, MA

#16 Mystic Valley

Mystic Valley Reg. Charter HS, Malden, MA

#15 Univ. Park Campus

University Park Campus HS, Worcester, MA

#14 Doherty Mem. HS

Worcester, MA

#13 North HS

Worcester, MA