Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Racial and social class inequality have long governed patterns of residential and school segregation across the American urban metropolis. However, as neighborhoods across the country that have historically been home to residents of color experience an influx of white and middle-class residents, new questions arise as to whether or not these demographic shifts in neighborhoods can alleviate the stark economic and racial isolation of historically marginalized groups. This study examines New York City’s most gentrifying areas, and the impact on racial diversity in local public schools. The quantitative study draws on data from the Decennial Census, the American Community Survey, and the National Center for Educational Statistics, providing evidence that school enrollment patterns in NYC’s most rapidly gentrifying areas have seen a reduction in racial segregation, more so in traditional public schools than in charters. While this trend is promising, a high level of racial segregation remains and progress is still needed to ensure that newly integrated neighborhoods also mean desegregated schools. Given barriers to school desegregation efforts, gentrification is offering a unique opportunity to create racially and economically diverse schools. However, managing the process of gentrification such that it supports school desegregation requires coordinated and targeted policies that underscore the fundamental relationships among housing, communities, and schools.