Choice Without Inclusion? Comparing the Intensity of Racial Segregation in Charters and Public Schools at the Local, State, and National Levels

• In Event: 64.056 - School Choice at Scale: Critical Examinations of Access and (In)Equity at City, State, and National Levels

Abstract

We conduct descriptive and inferential analyses of publicly available Common Core of Data (CCD) to examine segregation at the local, state and national levels. Nationally, we find that higher percentages of charter students of every race attend intensely segregated schools. The highest levels of racial isolation are at the primary level for public and middle level for charters. We find double segregation by race and class is higher in charter schools. Charters are more likely to be segregated even when controlling for local ethnoracial demographics. A majority of states have at least half of Blacks and a third of Latinx in intensely segregated charters. At the city level, we find higher percentages of urban charter students were attending intensely segregated schools.

Authors

• Julian Vasquez Heilig, California State University - Sacramento

• T. Jameson Brewer, University of North Georgia

• Yohuru Williams