As a result of the Brown v. Board of Education case over seventy years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. Despite this federal ruling, recent studies have found that segregation has continued to increase in K-12 schools across the country.
According to a new study published in the American Sociological Association’s American Sociological Review, this steady increase in school segregation is widening the racial achievement gaps among Black, Hispanic, and White students.
The study authors examined data on standardized test scores and school segregation for millions of students in grades 3 through 8 during the 2008-2009 and 2018-2019 school years at nearly all public schools throughout the country. In their analysis, the authors found racial achievement gaps grow more quickly in districts where Black and Hispanic students attend higher-poverty schools than their White peers.
On average, higher-poverty schools are less effective than lower-poverty schools as they often have fewer experienced teachers. The authors conclude that this concentration of Black and Hispanic students in higher-poverty schools is amplifying racial disparities in early childhood educational opportunities, leading to long-term disparities in income and wealth.
The authors stress that without systemic changes in housing, school policies, and funding, school segregation will persist, limiting the future economic opportunities and social mobility of Black and Hispanic Americans. Going forward, they suggest educational policymakers should focus on creating more equitable school assignment policies, investing in underfunded schools, and promoting connections between economically diverse communities.
The research team included scholars from Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Alabama
