A new study UCLA’s Civil Rights Project reveals public schools in New York State are among the country’s most segregated.
The report released Wednesday analyzed data through 2011 that indicated students are increasingly isolated by race and economic class.
Across the state, white children attend the least ethnically diverse schools. Meanwhile, black and Latino students were more likely to be in schools together.
Senior Data Analyst John Kuscera said, “Mainly, we saw persisting segregation; in some areas we saw an increase. In terms of demographics, obviously Latinos and Asian proportions are increasing dramatically.”
For Walter Cooper, State Regent Emeritus, the news does not come as a surprise.
“You have more segregated schools particularly in urban communities than ever,” said Cooper.
In Rochester, the population of Asians and Latinos increased more than 150 percent over the past 20 years. Over the same time period, the share of white students in public schools declined by 10 percent.
Cooper points to largely segregated neighborhoods as part of the problem. He listed, “Income inequality, an urban renewal and low income/ moderate income policies in housing that were doomed to failure as early as 1964.”