Full Citation
Title: The Gerrymandering of Educational Boundaries and the Segregation of American Schools: A Geospatial Analysis
Citation Type: Dissertation/Thesis
Publication Year: 2012
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Abstract: Analyses reveal that, on average, both school attendance zones and school districts are gerrymandered to zone out more racially/ethnically dissimilar students in favor of more racially/ethnically similar students. As a result, schools and districts are significantly more racially and ethnically homogeneous than they would be in the absence of gerrymandering. While gerrymandering serves to segregate students of all races and ethnicities, it particularly serves to exclude blacks and Hispanics from predominantly white schools and districts, reinforcing the historical divisions between these groups. Indeed, estimates suggest that, on average, school attendance zones and school districts are 15% and 14% less black-white diverse, respectively, than would be expected if their boundaries were not gerrymandered. Findings suggest that the gerrymandering of boundaries adds another pernicious layer of segregation to public education institutions, which are already highly segregated by residency.
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Authors: Richards, Meredith P
Institution: University of Texas
Department: Educational Administration
Advisor: Jennifer Jellison Holme
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Publisher Location: Austin, TX
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Data Collections: IPUMS NHGIS
Topics: Education, Housing and Segregation
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