Award Date

12-1-2012

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Committee Member

Sonya D. Horsford

Second Committee Member

Edith Rusch

Third Committee Member

Robert McCord

Fourth Committee Member

Todd Robinson

Number of Pages

184

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to document and examine the perspectives of members of a historically African American community located in Las Vegas, Nevada (historic West Las Vegas) concerning equal education and school desegregation and resegregation in the Clark County School District from 1968 to 2008. Using historical case study methods, this study sought to provide a historical description and analysis of the social, political, and cultural contexts that shaped decades of school desegregation and resegregation in this historically African American community. Data sources included: legal cases and court documents; archived news, newsletters, newspaper and magazine articles; (3) Clark County School District documents such as school board meeting minutes, district reports and plans to include the Sixth Grade Center Plan of Integration and Prime 6 Plan; and archived oral histories. The questions that guided this study were: In what ways did West Las Vegas community stakeholders' perspectives vary in terms of equal education and how did these variations shape school policy? How did the Clark County School District (CCSD) respond to West Las Vegas community stakeholders' concerns for equal education? What modifications did CCSD propose or implement to remedy West Las Vegas community stakeholders' concerns regarding educational inequality? How does the historical evidence illustrate an interest in the return to neighborhood schools among West Las Vegas stakeholders? This study answers these questions by telling the story of school desegregation and resegregation in Las Vegas and why education leaders and community stakeholders continue to grapple with identifying and implementing the best strategies to ensure an equal, high-quality education for all students.

Keywords

African Americans; Clark County School District; De facto school segregation; Discrimination in education; Nevada – West Las Vegas; School integration; Segregation in education

Disciplines

African American Studies | Educational Leadership | Education Policy

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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