Source: The Guardian

Yet, while much of the focus in the affirmative action debate is on college admissions, the proposal would have more important implications for the state’s K-12 system, said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, the executive director of The Education-Trust West, a research organization that advocates for student equity.

Currently, education officials in California can allocate resources to students based on income, but not race.

“Race and income overlap, but they’re not synonymous”, said Smith Arrillaga.

“If we were allowed to consider race, we could target funds to black and brown students who need the most support. We could invest in resources like summer bridge programs, which help colleges recruit and retain students of color. Right now we don’t have the tools to do that”.