NEW YORK—The College Board released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court rulings in two K-12 cases (Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education and Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1) involving the consideration of race in assigning students to public schools:
"We are disheartened that the Supreme Court rejected the plans of the Jefferson County and Seattle school districts to increase the diversity in their schools—plans that several lower courts had held to be constitutional. We believe there is a compelling national interest to support diversity at all levels of education and that our current K-12 system does not provide equal access to educational opportunities for all students.
"The College Board is studying the implications of the Supreme Court's decision and is committed to helping our member institutions understand its effects. We will, of course, continue our work with schools, districts and colleges and universities to promote both equity and excellence."
Analyses of the implications of these decisions for K-12 and higher education are being prepared and will be posted at www.collegeboard.com/diversitycollaborative.
For more information, please contact Sandra Riley, director of communications, at (212) 713-8052 or by email at sriley@collegeboard.org.