Desegregation and Black Dropout Rates - Duke University.ppt

Desegregation and Black Dropout RatesBy Jonathan GuryanHistory ofDesegregation?Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?Brownv. Board of Education (1954) stated segregated schools were “inherently unequal”?Over next 30 years, schools implemented desegregation plansProblemWhatwas the contribution of court-ordered desegregation to this decline in dropout rates?BackgroundPrevious Work?James S. Coleman (1966) concluded that disadvantaged black school children learn better inwell integrated classrooms–Main study behind busing–Criticisms of statistical methodology?Robert Crain and Jack Strauss (1985) randomlyoffered chance to be bused to suburban school–More likely to work in white-collar, professional jobs 17 years later?Michael A. Boozer et al (1992)found that black students who go to high school witha higher fraction of black plete less schooling andearnlower wages–Guryan aims to refine Boozer’s study Desegregation Process?The2nd Brown decision gave enforcement responsibilities to federal district courts on a case-by-case basis–Timing of integration varied at the school-districtlevel?The 1964 Civil Rights Act allowed USDepartment of Justice to join suitin pliant school districts and prohibited aid for segregated schools?Green v. New Kent County (1968) forced schools to take positive actions to integrate schools instead of simply removingrace-based attendance restrictionsInter - and Intra - Regional Variation of Desegregation?Of 22 districts that desegregated in 1960’s, 7 were outside of the south?Similarly, of the 77 districts that desegregated in the 1970’s, 35 were outside of the south?Variation in timing of desegregation plans, not explained by regional differencesEffectiveness of Desegregation Plans?Effect of desegregation plans on position of school districts–Did desegregation plans lead to more racial integration?–Didintegration happen immediately or over the course of several years?–Did racial integration last for the ten years that are relevantfor theanalysis“White Flight”?Co