How More Equitable Assignment Mechanisms Can Increase School-level Segregation

Abstract

I investigate how implementing a school assignment mechanisms that gives families influence over their child’s placement can lead to an increase in school level segregation when compared to a more typical "neighborhood school" mechanism. Using data from a major U.S. school district and a theoretical model I show that under certain conditions, this surprising outcome can occur even when housing within the city is geographically segregated by race.