In the United States today, schools remain significantly segregated by race and economic background. Despite the landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 declaring separate but equal unconstitutional, contemporary evidence shows that many students still attend schools where the vast majority of their peers share the same racial or socioeconomic status. Understanding how segregated schools are today involves examining levels of exposure to other racial groups, trends over time, and the policy decisions shaping current patterns.
Current Levels of Segregation in U.S. Schools
Recent data reveal troubling patterns in racial and economic segregation across public schools
- The typical white student attends a school that is about 69% white, giving them exposure to students of other races of just 31% on average contentReference[oaicite0].
- Over 40% of Black and Latino students attend intensely segregated schools where at least 90% of peers are students of color a proportion that has increased since the late 1980s contentReference[oaicite1].
- In 2018-19, approximately one in six students attended schools that were more than 90% comprised of their own racial group 19% of white students, 15% of Black students, 17% of Hispanic students, and 0.5% of Asian students contentReference[oaicite2].
Trends and Changes Over Time
Efforts to integrate schools peaked in the 1980s, but since then racial segregation has grown in many districts
- White-Black segregation in large school districts increased by around 35% between 1991 and 2020, while economic segregation rose by 47% during the same period contentReference[oaicite3].
- Segregation across schools in major districts, measured by a segregation index, fell from about 0.66 in 1968 to 0.03 by 1971 in some areas, then gradually rose to around 0.28 by 2019 contentReference[oaicite4].
- Intensely segregated schools (90-100% nonwhite) more than doubled from about 7% in 1988 to nearly 20% by 2021 contentReference[oaicite5].
Differences by Racial and Economic Group
Segregation differs markedly depending on student background and location
- White students generally attend majority-white schools with limited exposure to students of color contentReference[oaicite6].
- A majority of Black students (42%) and Hispanic students (56%) attend majority-Black or majority-Hispanic schools, respectively, as of 201819 contentReference[oaicite7].
- Economic segregation is intertwined about 72% of Black students attend high-poverty schools, compared to roughly 31% of white students contentReference[oaicite8].
How School and Housing Policies Contribute
Policy choices in district lines, court oversight, and school assignments significantly influence segregation
- Lifting of court-ordered desegregation plans since the late 1990s has led many districts to resegregate. Districts released from court oversight often saw larger increases in segregation contentReference[oaicite9].
- Growth of charter schools and school choice has often accelerated segregation. In 2021, nearly 59% of charter schools were intensely segregated, up from 49% in 2000 contentReference[oaicite10].
- Segregation exists both between districts and within districts. Around 60% of school segregation aligns with residential segregation across district boundaries, but approximately 40% is due to internal district policies that could be changed contentReference[oaicite11].
Why School Segregation Still Matters
Persistent segregation has significant negative impacts
- Black students in segregated, high-poverty schools tend to score lower on standardized tests and face wider achievement gaps than peers in integrated schools contentReference[oaicite12].
- Students in segregated settings have less exposure to racial diversity, which can reduce empathy and perpetuate stereotypes over time contentReference[oaicite13].
- Unequal distribution of resources by local funding and property wealth creates schools in minority neighborhoods that are underfunded, with fewer opportunities than schools in wealthier, whiter areas contentReference[oaicite14].
Efforts to Reduce Segregation
A range of policy strategies and research initiatives aim to promote integration
- Redrawing school attendance boundaries has been shown to reduce segregation by a median of 14% in simulations across districts, often with minimal travel changes for families contentReference[oaicite15].
- School mergers combining adjacent elementary schools can reduce racial segregation by about 20% and up to nearly 60% in some districts, with only modest increases in commute times contentReference[oaicite16].
- Voluntary integration programs, socioeconomic-based student assignments, and integration-promoting school choice policies have also been proposed to reduce segregation and equalize opportunities contentReference[oaicite17].
Regional and Demographic Patterns
Segregation exists across all types of communities
- Northeast and Midwest regions feature among the highest levels of racially homogeneous schools contentReference[oaicite18].
- Affluent suburbs sometimes resist integration even under state mandates, as seen in Connecticut towns such as Greenwich and West Hartford contentReference[oaicite19].
- In states like Indiana, average Black students attend schools that are approximately 68% non-white, while white students attend schools that are about 81% white contentReference[oaicite20].
Schools today remain noticeably segregated by race and economic status. Despite desegregation efforts since the 1960s, segregation has increased in many large districts over the past few decades. White students typically attend majority-white schools with limited racial diversity, whereas many Black and Hispanic students remain concentrated in predominantly minority and high-poverty schools. Policy decisions including ending desegregation orders and expanding school choice have played a significant role in these trends. While progress is possible, meaningful change requires proactive integration policies, boundary reforms, and investment in equity. Reducing segregation remains a critical goal for ensuring equal educational opportunity for all.