Who Attends Their Assigned School in Detroit? A Sociospatial Analysis With Implications for Community Development

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Unpacking the Intersection of Race and Immigration in Urban Schools

Abstract

In Detroit, a history of systematic racism and deindustrialization has created structural conditions that hinder both community development and school improvement. In this context, district leaders and policymakers may turn to attendance zone policy to establish clear parameters for community schools and support a joint agenda of community development and school improvement. A combination of school choice policies, however, have largely disrupted the link between Detroit students’ residences and the city’s school attendance zones. This paper examines the student, school, and geographic factors associated with the likelihood of attending a residential zoned school in Detroit. Less than one-fourth of K-5 students attend their assigned school. School-level factors appear to be less influential on enrollment patterns than individual-level and socio-spatial factors.

Author

• Jeremy Lee Singer, Wayne State University