Economic Segregation in Ohio's Schools
Studies have consistently shown that the more racially isolated a school is, the fewer resources it has. Segregation is directly correlated with low student performance and low graduation rates, yet time after time, strategies that would redress the problems associated with segregation—metro-wide school districts, tax-sharing plans, mobility strategies and fair-share housing programs—are strongly resisted. Policies that contribute to the concentration of poverty, the segregation of communities by race, and the diminished hope that results from lack of choice and opportunity must be replaced with a renewed commitment to equality and fairness in our society as a whole. The issues of school and housing segregation need to be linked and addressed on a regional and national level. The Kirwan Institute uses its expertise in research, policy analysis, geographic analysis and communication to illustrate the severity of economic and racial segregation in our schools and the causes and consequences of this segregation for our families and our future.
Economic and racial segregation in Ohio’s schools threaten the educational outcomes for many of Ohio's students. In the state's six major urban counties, 40% of students attend high-poverty schools. The Institute's exploration of the dimensions of high-poverty schools in Ohio was published in a report released in 2005. This report provides an overview of the racial and economic segregation in the six largest metropolitan areas of Ohio and the causes and consequences of this segregation. The report offers a short set of broad-based recommendations that have the potential to redress the fundamental problems of economic segregation and stimulate meaningful dialogue on these issues. The Institute has used the report to raise awareness and engage advocates around the issue of economic segregation in the State's K-12 educational system. We have also conducted meaningful out-reach around this research, including various presentations and convenings, and we have collaborated on these issues with the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, the League of Women Voters, the Homeless Coalition of Central Ohio and other educational advocates statewide.
- Economic Segregation: Challenging Ohio's Public Schools (pdf)
john powell, Jason Reece, & Rebecca Reno. (November 2005)
