TENNESSEE
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that they had reached a settlement agreement to promote diversity and high quality education for all its students to further school desegregation, officials said.
As a part of the student assignment plan,officials said the agreement also requires the development of a new, innovative Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM magnet program at Springfield Middle School, which will be open to and draw students from across the district, according to authorities.
STEM will open in the 2016-2017 school year, officials said.
“I commend the Robertson County school board for unanimously approving this agreement to advance educational opportunities for all students,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to working with Robertson County Schools to effectively implement the agreement and fulfill the district’s obligations to desegregate.”
The district was required to revise its student assignment plans as a condition of the settlement agreement reached with the department on Feb. 2, officials said.
(Feb. 10 TV News Report)