The Geography of Gentrification: Variations in the Demographic Links Between Neighborhoods and Schools

• In Event: Gentrification, Segregation, and Potentials for Disruption

Abstract

We examine gentrification's heterogeneous effects on schools, addressing a gap in the school-gentrification literature. We propose a framework that extends beyond the current monolithic operationalization of gentrification, considering racial variations, intensity, and regional differences. Merging data from NCES, SABS, and the Census, we analyze how different forms of gentrification relate to demographic changes in neighborhoods and schools. Findings reveal complex patterns: Asian gentrifying areas show the most substantial socio-economic changes; enrollment increases in White, Asian, and mixed-race gentrified areas contrast with declines in Latino and Black gentrified areas; and segregation patterns vary by gentrification type. Regional differences between coastal and inland metros further complicate the picture. Findings underscore the complex, racialized, and varied impacts of gentrification on enrollments and segregation patterns.

Authors

• Kfir Mordechay, Pepperdine University

• Jenn Ayscue, North Carolina State University

• David Mickey-Pabello, University of California - Los Angeles