Sociology Department Colloquium Series presentation by Sean F. Reardon, Stanford University. 

Segregation and Educational Opportunity: New Evidence from Population Data

Abstract:

Do patterns of racial and economic neighborhood and school segregation exacerbate racial and socioeconomic disparities in educational opportunities? I investigate this question using data from over 200 million standardized tests taken by students in every public school in the U.S., as well as Census and school data describing patterns of segregation and school and neighborhood composition. I find that racial segregation is strongly correlated with racial achievement gaps, and this association remains strong even after controlling for a host of measures of racial disparities in family socioeconomic background as well as measures of school funding and teacher experience. Similarly, socioeconomic segregation is correlated with socioeconomic achievement gaps; this association likewise is not explained by measures of family socioeconomic characteristics and economic inequality. These patterns suggest—but do not prove—that segregation may independently affect disparities in educational success. I conclude with some exploration of possible mechanisms that underlie these patterns.