DOJ gives MCSB its fix-it list
The U.S. Department of Justice provided a list of perceived deficiencies it claims the Monroe City School Board has not adequately addressed in a proposed order filed Thursday.
The Department of Justice has suggested the school system make changes or explain progress regarding staff placement, the Carroll High School Medical Magnet Program and equitable course offerings for all students.
The district and Superintendent Brent Vidrine must provide any responses to the proposal by Jan. 27.
If the court approves the DOJ order as proposed, the district would have to outline how it has complied with the federal court order to desegregate by Jan. 31.
Teacher and administration placement
The district would be required to avoid any actions that could undo the desegregation of teachers or administrators made while under the consent decree.
The DOJ suggested a plan to offer a $5,000 incentive to teachers who willingly transfer to schools where their race is the minority on the staff. The teachers would receive the funds at the end of five years' tenure at the new school.
To maintain current race ratios, the DOJ suggested a timeline for the schools to verify and submit staffing information for the 2017-18 school year to the court. The judge would determine whether the plan is OK by May 31. Afterward, the district would need court approval to make any changes.
Read more: Judge orders DOJ to list MCSB deficiencies | MCSB, Vidrine oppose request for special master | DOJ requests special master in consent decree | DOJ: Board should force compliance | DOJ, MCSB resolve some staffing questions | Monroe schools contempt argument continues | District provides consent decree data
Carroll High School Medical Magnet Program
To bring the Carroll High School Medical Magnet Program into compliance, the district would have to hire a director with a master’s degree and clinical, hands-on experience caring for patients in health care settings. The district would also, if it has not already, dedicate a counselor with health care knowledge to the program. The DOJ provides specific places to list the job vacancies.
The U.S. also requests that the district create a tool to determine whether graduates are gainfully employed and administer that evaluation to program graduates.
The DOJ requests that medical centers affiliated with the magnet program evaluate it in writing. The department requests that at least three local medial centers offer first-responder students hands-on clinical experience and proposes that the school district contact other professional health care organizations to provide mentors at the program.
The superintendent, principal, program director and counselor would have to visit medical magnet programs in Caddo and St. Landry parishes to observe best practices.
The district would have to file a timeline regarding changes being made to upgrade the program facility and complete those on time.
The district also would have to designate a specific date for a districtwide career day sponsored by the medical magnet program.
Regarding equal course access for all students, the district would have to update the Equity Assistance Center for the Intercultural Development Research Association and the DOJ on progress made via conference call.
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