COVINGTON - School leaders want the minority population at all of the city's elementary schools to be at least 10 percent, as they struggle to integrate a school district in a segregated city.

        About 27 percent of Covington's 4,500 students are minorities — the most racially diverse school district in Northern Kentucky. However, more than half of the students at one school are black, while another school is nearly all white.

        To create a better balance, Covington Independent Schools is redrawing its elementary boundary lines. The redistricting is also aimed at creating a better mix of students economically and more evenly dividing enrollment among all the schools.

        “We want all of our schools as nearly alike as we can,” said Superintendent Jack Moreland. “We can't win if there's one best school in the district. We need all of our schools to be good schools.”

        Parents next week will get a look at five proposals for new boundary lines and school configurations. The district has set public hearings for Monday and Wednesday.

        The school board will get the proposals and community input the first week of June.

        The redistricting is in response to last spring's state audit, which kick-started sweeping reform plans in Covington, one of the lowest-performing districts on state tests. State officials pointed to crowding, a lack of diversity and inequities at some schools.

        Latonia Elementary, with about 5 percent minority students and the smallest number of poor students, is often referred to as the best Covington elementary school. It posts the highest test scores and houses the district's advanced placement program for fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

        Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of First District's students are black, most come from low-income families and the school has scored at the bottom on state tests.

        This tale of two schools is not uncommon, nor is Covington's challenge to find a better balance.

        While some cities in Kentucky, including Lexington, are under federal desegregation orders, Covington's move is voluntary, based on state recommendations.

        Some of the proposals are expected to generate race-based protests among some parents, however Mr. Moreland has been a vocal advocate for better diversity and equity in Covington schools.

        “All the groups are going to come together at Holmes (High School) eventually,” he said. “The sooner we get the kids interacting with each other and learning from each other the better.”

        District leaders also want to create economic balance, so all schools have access to the same extra dollars given to schools with high numbers of poor students. About 70 percent of the district's students receive free- or reduced-price lunches, a measure of poverty.

        The district also wants to relieve crowding at Latonia and Glenn O. Swing Elementary, which have more than 500 students each. Mr. Moreland wants enrollment to be between 350 and 450 at every elementary school to make the buildings more manageable.

        District officials plan to reopen Fourth District Elementary on Scott Street, a neighborhood school in a predominantly black area that was closed in 1998 despite strong parental opposition. All five proposals include reopening the school.

        District leaders have pushed for smaller, neighborhood schools as a way to boost parent and community involvement.

        The scenarios also suggest changes to the district's advanced placement program, which pulls students from across the district.

        Of the five scenarios, the first three are Mr. Moreland's recommendations, while the final two were suggested by community members.

        The two proposed by the community leave the racial balance at Latonia Elementary virtually unchanged.

        Mr. Moreland said all of his proposals are viable and “make sense instructionally.” And while he's not discounting the other two, he said the plans are “problematic,” mainly because they do very little to change the racial balance among schools.

        Here's a brief look at the five proposals:

        • Scenario 1: The district would have seven elementary schools with kindergarten through sixth grade. The advanced placement program, which currently has about 130 students, would move to First District.

        • Scenario 2: All kindergartners would go to First District, and the other six elementary schools would serve grades 1-6.

        First District would be similar to the district's preschool program, the James E. Biggs Early Childhood Education Center.

        This plan would also create three advanced placement programs: language arts, social studies and physical education at Latonia; math, science and foreign language at Fourth District; and music and art at Carlisle.

        • Scenario 3: All sixth-graders would attend First District, making the other six elementary schools K-5. The sixth-grade advanced program would be at First District, while the fourth- and fifth-grade program would move to Fourth District.

        If successful, this plan could open the door to turning First District into a middle school.

        “It might be good to isolate these kids because we can work with them during a transition in their lives,” Mr. Moreland said. “They can develop an identity here that they might not on the Holmes campus.”

        • Scenario 4: First District would become an advanced placement school for fourth through 12th grades. The other six elementary schools would be K-6.

        • Scenario 5: The district would evenly divide enrollment among seven elementary schools without regard to race. The advanced program would remain at Latonia.

        This plan makes few changes to the existing boundaries.

        The proposals can be reviewed at the district's main offices at 25 E. Seventh St.

Officer's family under strain
Arrests down since shooting
Race panel seeks mix of candidates
Police officer guards Luken
OxyContin maker curbs shipments
Reds' seats will be green
War veterans become graduates
Hospital diversions continue at high rate
Killer gets closer to execution
Grad overcame brain trauma
Graduation is end of long journey
Other Tristate commencements
HOWARD: Madeira targets sex offenders
McNUTT: Tour peeks at restored homes
Norwood opposes light rail
School boundaries redrawn
School planners regroup
Taft asks for support of quarter design
Traficant pleads not guilty
County considers tax levy for health care for poor
Kentucky Digest
Lebanon band units seek funds
Local Digest
Search continues today for man in Licking River
Suit threatened over new peaking station
Teacher union sues over charter schools
Two critically hurt in robbery, shootings
Bill appears too late to help
Bill gets bureaucracy out of alimony pacts
Congrats
Court says coalition can get school records
EPA chief praises cleanup effort
Fiscal court seat filled
GOP primary looms for 4th District seat
Henry wedding costs reviewed
Invisible fence defended