Ebbs and Flows: Revisiting the Relationship between Student Mobility, Segregation, and Neighborhoods

ABSTRACT

In order to access and take advantage of the educational opportunity promised by the Brown decision, student mobility is an operative consideration. In this study, I examine the relationship between student mobility, neighborhoods, and segregation. First, I draw upon empirical evidence from the extant literature to provide a conceptual framework of relationships among educational equity, student mobility, neighborhoods, and segregation. Next, I provide a geospatial analysis by mapping student mobility patterns and school and neighborhood characteristics across the timing of school changes in the Clark County School District (CCSD). The results indicate that the journey to integrate schools nationwide has been constant with ebbs and flows of progress since Brown v. Board in 1954. In the current school system with assignment based on residences, school segregation mirrors residential segregation. A change in student assignment policies such as school choice provides no guarantee that preferences, values, and attitudes that propel residential segregation will not continue to permeate public education. Furthermore, there is inequity in the distribution of resources and opportunities that may be beyond the scope of student assignment policies. The results indicate that the majority of school changes in CCSD occur between neighborhoods in the same city. There is considerable variation in school quality between cities in Clark County. The findings demonstrate that there are segregated school options by demographic composition and school quality.

Notes

¹ As of 2012–13, there are 357 schools in CCSD (217 elementary schools, 59 middle schools, 49 high schools, 24 alternative schools, and 8 special schools). The data includes information on some of the alternative schools operated by CCSD including: 5 behavior, 3 continuation schools, 4 juvenile detention centers, and 6 adult education schools. The data also includes information on all of the 25 CCSD-run magnet schools and career and technical academies that provide parents with school choice and 9 Prime 6 schools (The Prime 6 Initiative was first adopted in 1994 in an effort to provide support for 9 schools located in West Las Vegas that serve a predominantly low-income African American and Latinx population). There is data for the charter schools in CCSD for the 2012–2013 school year.

² According to the USPS, there are 108 zip codes in Clark County. However, this figure includes P.O. boxes as well as geographic zones. The ACS estimates provides information on 73 unique zip codes excluding P.O boxes. There are 79 unique zip codes in Clark County, Nevada. In the data utilized in this study, there are 64 unique zip codes spanning 16 cities in CCSD. The majority of zip codes fall in three cities: 41 unique zip codes in Las Vegas; 8 in Henderson; and 5 in North Las Vegas. There are 9 zip codes not included in the dataset for which the ACS has data. These are: 89026, 89039, 89054, 89085, 89086, 89109, 89161, 89179, and 89191. Las Vegas has the lion’s share of schools (254), followed by North Las Vegas (44) and Henderson (40).

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Notes on contributors

Richard O. Welsh

Richard O. Welsh is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at New York University. Welsh’s areas of expertise include the economics of education and K-12 education policy analysis. He studies the efficacy, equity, and political dimensions of education reform in urban school districts, with a particular emphasis on school choice policies, student mobility, and school discipline.