Stasis and Change in Public School District Racial/Ethnic Segregation, 1993–2015

• In Event: Tracking, Labeling, and Sorting

Abstract

Many scholars have documented changes in segregation, often suggesting that racial integration is inherently unstable. This study provides initial evidence of the stability of segregation patterns in public school districts. We calculate annual measures of school district racial/ethnic segregation from the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data from 1993 to 2015. We find that stability is the rule, rather than the exception, for most public school districts, despite increasing racial/ethnic diversity. Using a taxonomy of severity and stability derived from previous scholarship, we find that most districts are “stably integrated”, with a minority “stably segregated” or exhibiting meaningful change. Our findings suggest that further attention to the characteristics and practices of “stably integrated” districts may be warranted.

Authors

• Meredith Paige Richards, Southern Methodist University

• Kori James Stroub, Rice University - Kinder Institute

• Camila Cigarroa Kennedy, Rice University