米兰体育

NOWCAST 米兰体育 13 Midday Newscast
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Get The Facts: Transfer program aims to combat racial isolation in Jefferson County Schools
Taylor Lang
Digital Content Manager
Get The Facts: Transfer program aims to combat racial isolation in Jefferson County Schools
THIS EVENING, BRITTANY AND GUY. THANK YOU. 60 YEARS AFTER A PIVOTAL DESEGREGATION CASE IN ALABAMA, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS STILL UNDER FEDERAL OVERSIGHT. BUT A NEW PROGRAM MAY BE A STEP TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE. IT鈥橲 CALLED THE MAJORITY TO MINORITY TRANSFER PROGRAM. 米兰体育 LISA CRANE LIVE AT GARDENDALE HIGH SCHOOL TO EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS. YEAH, THERE IS A LOT TO THIS PROGRAM, BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO HAVE EVERY SCHOOL IN THE JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT MIRROR THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, WHICH IS 52% BLACK. SO A SLIGHT MAJORITY THERE. NOW, RIGHT NOW, GARDENDALE HIGH SCHOOL, YOU SEE, BEHIND ME HERE IS MAJORITY WHITE. SO WHITE STUDENTS HERE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO TRANSFER OUT, BUT ONLY BLACK OR HISPANIC STUDENTS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO TRANSFER IN AS PART OF THIS MAJORITY TO MINORITY PROGRAM. ONE OF THE THINGS WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON IS THE FACT THAT A CHILD鈥橲 EDUCATION IS NOT LIMITED TO THAT CHILD鈥橲 ZIP CODE. JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR WALTER JOSLIN SAYS THE M TO M PROGRAM IS A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. WHO鈥橲 ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART? DEPENDS ON THE SCHOOL. THEY鈥橰E CURRENTLY ZONED FOR AND WHICH SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT THEY鈥橠 PREFER TO ATTEND. THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILD AND THAT鈥橲 THAT鈥橲 IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS 51% OR MORE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN. IF THAT CHILD WANTS TO TRANSFER WITHIN A ZONE OF ANOTHER SCHOOL, THAT THEY鈥橰E THE MINORITY, WHERE IT鈥橲 LESS THAN 50%, THEN THAT CHILD WILL BE ABLE TO TRANSFER TO THOSE SCHOOLS. ONCE THE SCHOOL HITS 50% PLUS ONE MAJORITY. BLACK. NO MORE TRANSFERS WOULD BE ACCEPTED. AND SCHOOL LEADERS SAY A SCHOOL鈥橲 CAPACITY IS THE TOP PRIORITY, SO NO TRANSFERS. IF IT WOULD MAKE THE SCHOOL OVERCROWDED. THE PURPOSE IS TO ENSURE THAT WE DON鈥橳 HAVE ANY RACIAL ISOLATION, SO IT IS ALSO TO WHERE WE COULD. IT FURTHERS DESEGREGATION, WHERE WE WON鈥橳 HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SEGREGATED BY RACE, WHETHER BLACK OR WHITE. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET OUT FROM UNDER THE DECADES OF FEDERAL OVERSIGHT AND ACHIEVE UNITARY STATUS. NOW, IN SOME CASES, TRANSPORTATION WOULD EVEN BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE STUDENTS FROM THEIR CURRENT LOCATION TO THEIR NEW SCHOOL THAT THEY TRANSFER TO. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY鈥橰E COMING FROM AND WHERE THEY鈥橰E GOING TO. BUT THERE IS A LOT TO THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHY THE DISTRICT IS HOLDING TEN MORE INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS FOR PARENTS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE HAVE A LIST OF THOSE TIMES AND PLACES ON OUR FREE APP AND ON OUR WEBSITE. THE TRANSFER PORTAL, BY THE WAY, IS OPEN UNT
Advertisement
Get The Facts: Transfer program aims to combat racial isolation in Jefferson County Schools
Taylor Lang
Digital Content Manager
Jefferson County Schools wants to make sure students have access to all of the programs the district has to offer while making the demographics of schools mirror the district.Starting in the fall of 2025, students will be allowed to transfer from a school where their race is in the majority to another in a district where they would be in the minority.The program, called "The Majority to Minority Program," is part of a federal desegregation case spanning more than six decades. It is one step "The purpose is to ensure that we don't have any racial isolation," said Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin Jr. "It furthers desegregation, where we won't have communities that are segregated by race, whether black or white."米兰体育 13 is working to clarify some of the most common questions surrounding this program so that you can make the best decisions for you and your family.>> YOU CAN FILL OUT THE APPLICATION HERE <<What is the federal desegregation case? In January 2025, representatives of The Jefferson County Board of Education, as well as the plaintiffs of the 1965 court case Stout v. Jefferson County, came together to propose a new consent order that would allow Jefferson County Schools to shed the court oversight it's been beneath for decades.That original lawsuit, filed by Blevin Stout in 1965 on behalf of his daughter and other Black students, challenged racial segregation in the county's school system following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education.The case led to the operative desegregation order that the Jefferson County School District has remained under since 1971.The consent order states that parts of the former segregated system still remain and puts forth several steps the district must take in order to satisfy its desegregation obligations, achieve educational equity, and end both the case and the judicial supervision it still faces.Are there important terms to know first?Before getting into the eligibility, it's important to know where Jefferson County Schools is gathering its data from.Two things to know before getting into the program:A student's race is based on what is specified in PowerSchool, according to Jefferson County Schools.The school district defined a "majority" as more than 50 percent.Who is eligible to transfer?The following must take place in order for a student to be eligible for the program:the student is going into kindergarten through 12th gradethe student's race is in the majority at their zoned schoolthe student's race is not the majority at their desired schoolthere is space available at the desired schoolthe student lives within the district's boundariesTo determine if your student's race is or is not the majority at a school, you can check the table from Jefferson County Schools here. There is a column for the race of students who can transfer in and one for the race of students who can transfer out. There are some schools that say "no transfer out." That means that there is no majority in that school and no students are eligible.Once a school reaches a majority, the portal will automatically stop accepting transfers.Can a student transfer if they are not Black, white or Hispanic?There are no Jefferson County Schools that have a majority race other than Black, white or Hispanic, so no other races are eligible for the program at this time.When granting transfers, the district said the highest priority will go to transfer students in this program.Is transportation available for students who transfer?Transportation will be made available for students who transfer based on geography. To learn more about the transportation availability, click here.Do I have to reapply every year?Once the student receives a transfer, they can remain at that school without having to reapply until the end of their time at that school. Their guardians will then have to reapply for them to go to the next school for the next grade span if they don't want to go to the zoned school for that grade section.Where do I go if I have more questions?Anyone who needs answers to additional questions can contact the Student Services Department at 205-379-2165 or email [email protected] district is also holding meetings to discuss the program with parents. Times and dates include:4/23 Center Point High School @ 6:00pm4/23 Minor High School @ 6:00pm4/28 McAdory High School @ 6:00pm4/29 Hueytown High School @ 5:30pm4/29 Mortimer Jordan High School @ 5:30pm4/30 Fultondale High School @ 6:00pm5/1 Shades Valley High School @ 5:30pm5/7 Clay-Chalkville High School @ 6:00pm5/8 Oak Grove High School @ 6:00pm5/8 Pinson Valley High School @ 6:00pm
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. —

Jefferson County Schools wants to make sure students have access to all of the programs the district has to offer while making the demographics of schools mirror the district.

Starting in the fall of 2025, students will be allowed to transfer from a school where their race is in the majority to another in a district where they would be in the minority.

Advertisement

The program, called "The Majority to Minority Program," is part of a federal desegregation case spanning more than six decades. It is one step

"The purpose is to ensure that we don't have any racial isolation," said Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin Jr. "It furthers desegregation, where we won't have communities that are segregated by race, whether black or white."

米兰体育 13 is working to clarify some of the most common questions surrounding this program so that you can make the best decisions for you and your family.

>> <<

What is the federal desegregation case?

In January 2025, representatives of The Jefferson County Board of Education, as well as the plaintiffs of the , came together to propose a new consent order that would allow Jefferson County Schools to shed the court oversight it's been beneath for decades.

That original lawsuit, filed by Blevin Stout in 1965 on behalf of his daughter and other Black students, challenged racial segregation in the county's school system following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in .

The case led to the operative desegregation order that the Jefferson County School District has remained under since 1971.

The consent order states that parts of the former segregated system still remain and puts forth several steps the district must take in order to satisfy its desegregation obligations, achieve educational equity, and end both the case and the judicial supervision it still faces.

Are there important terms to know first?

Before getting into the eligibility, it's important to know where Jefferson County Schools is gathering its data from.

Two things to know before getting into the program:

  • A student's race is based on what is specified in PowerSchool, according to Jefferson County Schools.
  • The school district defined a "majority" as more than 50 percent.

Who is eligible to transfer?

The following must take place in order for a student to be eligible for the program:

  • the student is going into kindergarten through 12th grade
  • the student's race is in the majority at their
  • the student's race is not the majority at their desired school
  • there is space available at the desired school
  • the student lives within the district's boundaries

To determine if your student's race is or is not the majority at a school, you can check the table from Jefferson County Schools . There is a column for the race of students who can transfer in and one for the race of students who can transfer out.

There are some schools that say "no transfer out." That means that there is no majority in that school and no students are eligible.

Once a school reaches a majority, the portal will automatically stop accepting transfers.

Can a student transfer if they are not Black, white or Hispanic?

There are no Jefferson County Schools that have a majority race other than Black, white or Hispanic, so no other races are eligible for the program at this time.

When granting transfers, the district said the highest priority will go to transfer students in this program.

Is transportation available for students who transfer?

Transportation will be made available for students who transfer based on geography. To learn more about the transportation availability, click .

Do I have to reapply every year?

Once the student receives a transfer, they can remain at that school without having to reapply until the end of their time at that school. Their guardians will then have to reapply for them to go to the next school for the next grade span if they don't want to go to the zoned school for that grade section.

Where do I go if I have more questions?

Anyone who needs answers to additional questions can contact the Student Services Department at 205-379-2165 or email [email protected].

The district is also holding meetings to discuss the program with parents. Times and dates include:

  • 4/23 Center Point High School @ 6:00pm
  • 4/23 Minor High School @ 6:00pm
  • 4/28 McAdory High School @ 6:00pm
  • 4/29 Hueytown High School @ 5:30pm
  • 4/29 Mortimer Jordan High School @ 5:30pm
  • 4/30 Fultondale High School @ 6:00pm
  • 5/1 Shades Valley High School @ 5:30pm
  • 5/7 Clay-Chalkville High School @ 6:00pm
  • 5/8 Oak Grove High School @ 6:00pm
  • 5/8 Pinson Valley High School @ 6:00pm

Top Picks

DOGE, tariffs and executive orders: A look at President Trump's first 100 days
Movies coming to theaters in May
Here's how many of Trump's executive orders are tied up in court
'Oprah's Favorite Things' is packed with great Mother's Day gifts