The Segregation of Multilingual Learners in North Carolina

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 11:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Segregation and Peer Diversity: New Evidence on their Sources and Impacts

Abstract

This study examines the growing segregation of Multilingual Learners (MLs) in North Carolina public schools, situating this trend within broader patterns of resegregation across the U.S. South. Drawing on enrollment data, we analyze how ML populations have changed over time and assess their concentration in segregated school contexts. Preliminary findings reveal that despite their increasing enrollment, MLs remain highly concentrated in segregated schooling environments, with about 75% attending schools where a majority of students are students of color and roughly 25% are enrolled in intensely segregated schools of color. These trends highlight that MLs continue to experience heightened segregation, underscoring the urgent need for policies that equitably address both racial and linguistic diversity.

Authors

• Cassandra Rubinstein, North Carolina State University

• Victor Cadilla, North Carolina State University

• Mary Kathryn Oyaga, North Carolina State University