Story first appeared on WSJ.com.
Assembling diverse classes is an oft-stated goal among New York City private schools, with brochures featuring beaming multicultural students.
But this September Dalton will approach a rare benchmark: Nearly half of the incoming kindergarten class will be students of color.
Dalton will dramatically exceed the citywide average for kindergarten diversity at New York's private schools, which was 30% students of color last year, according to data from the National Association of Independent Schools.
It's a milestone in an aggressive campaign by the admissions director, Elisabeth "Babby" Krents, to broaden the school's reach since she assumed the position in 1996. The previous year, the kindergarten class was 6% diverse. This year, it will be 47% of the 97-member incoming class.
Ms Krents stated that years ago, she thinks primarily kids at Dalton were from the Upper East Side and homogenous in lots of ways. She said that they sat down to see what they could do to widen that a bit.
Dalton isn't alone: Brearley will be 41% students of color next year, according to school officials, while its kindergarten class will be 45%. But it is a significant shift for Dalton, a school that had long been known as a neighborhood destination in the city's most exclusive East Side ZIP Codes.
The push has added to the mystique of Ms. Krents, who is known only by one name in some parenting circles—"Babby"—and whose every expression is scrutinized for the tiniest flicker of intent.
Diversity has become one more factor to add to the obsessions of parents, fueling debates on websites such as Urbanbaby.com. One post stated that people begrudge Dalton for emphasizing too much on diversity and not on brains. Ms. Krents said she was sympathetic, but not surprised.
She said that people just look for something to blame for why their child didn't get in, so she thinks it's inevitable that those comments are going to happen.
School officials said they believe the diversity push has been embraced while admissions standards have remained rigorous.
Ms. Krents said that it was their strong belief that having a school that was more heterogeneous in lots of different ways would be more like the world, and it would be a better place for all children to learn.
Like many of the city's elite private schools, Dalton remains a reach for many families. Even as diversity has increased, the number of students in kindergarten receiving financial aid has remained steady, school officials said. Tuition for the coming year is $36,970.
The shift in the school's racial make-up, however, has influenced everything from the curriculum to the faculty.
Ms. Krents and other officials including Head of School Ellen Stein began by visiting pre-schools across the city, venturing downtown and out of Manhattan, developing relationships with dozens of schools. They relied on word of mouth from parents, some of whom hosted admissions events in their homes.
In 2007, Dalton named diversity as an integral part of school life in its mission statement.
But Ms. Krents also credited the fire that drove her and other school officials in convincing applicants that diversity mattered. She stated that people respond to a genuine commitment.
When Kelvina Butcher, who helps shape curriculum for grades K through 3, arrived in 1995 she said students from the Upper West Side were considered a novelty, and now the school reflects the population of the city.
The changes have been large and small. As children began traipsing in from corners of the city, early-morning programs were instituted.
The pink flesh-colored crayons have been exchanged for multicultural hues; students can choose from a range of materials to mimic hair textures.
Pictures along the wall were reassessed. The school felt it was important not to just have all of one background in a picture.
When some parents began complaining about arranging playdates across a larger geographical area, Dalton expanded its after-school program.
When Roy Swan, who is black, and his wife, Taran, who is biracial, began looking at private schools for their older daughter, they had some concerns.
They understood that if they wanted their kids to go to one of these schools, there very well may be some characteristics of the school that they might not feel great about.
But friends told them Dalton was different. Not only did their daughter enroll, but her little sister just finished her kindergarten year there.
