Demography and Educational Politics in the Suburban Marketplace

Abstract

The demography of public school enrollment continues to change dramatically, with students of color comprising an increasing proportion of the whole. As such, suburbia, with both White and non-White students, is a place in which integration is more possible in the beginning of the 21st century. Due to the intertwined nature of how these factors affect educational politics in suburban districts, we draw on Hirschman's exit-voice-loyalty framework to examine factors influencing residential and education decisions. Drawing on in-depth fieldwork in seven multiracial suburban districts, this article examines how, and whether, the way in which districts define issues related to increasing diversity shapes the actions they take. The article also examines how district jurisdiction affects the implementation of diversity policies as well as the policies themselves. We argue that policymakers’ decision making, both due to the pressure of exit to less diverse suburban districts and the rising voices of more advantaged residents in the suburban marketplace, has increased inequality within districts, particularly those that we call “multimunicipal,” or districts with multiple, disparate municipalities within the district.

Acknowledgments

This article relies on research supported by the Spencer Foundation (PI Gary Orfield). All conclusions are solely those of the authors.

Notes

Hawaii, with its statewide school district, represents the one exception to this localized system.

For more detailed discussion of project methodology, see Frankenberg and Orfield (2012, Chapter 1).

The research team included Elizabeth DeBray, Ain Grooms, Jennifer Jellison Holme, Anjalé Welton, Sarah Diem, Susan Eaton, Lorrie Frasure Yokely, Gail Sunderman, Barbara Shircliffe, Jennifer Morley, Baris Gumus-Dawes, Thomas Luce, and Myron Orfield.

An asterisk indicates that the name used is a pseudonym, per research agreement with district.