School Segregation and School Enrollment Patterns Amid Neighborhood Gentrification

• In Event: Segregation, Gentrification, and Inequality in Public Schooling

Abstract

The relationship between neighborhood gentrification and school-level segregation and enrollment patterns is not well-established. We seek to further explore this relationship in 10 cities undergoing gentrification. In gentrifying neighborhoods, we measure school-level racial and income segregation and enrollment trends from 2000 to 2015 to understand changes over time in schools. We consider school closures and openings, and school types, to understand if particular organizational structures are more common in gentrifying areas. We also examine tract-level patterns of segregation and population changes in gentrifying areas, which we compare to trends in gentrifying schools. Comparing school-level and tract-level patterns in gentrifying areas allows us to better understand if certain populations are opting out of the public school system in gentrifying areas.

Authors

• Erica Frankenberg, The Pennsylvania State University

• Kendra Taylor, The Pennsylvania State University

• Bryan Mann, University of Kansas