Gentrification and School Segregation: Exploring the Impact of Gentrification on Harlem’s Public Schools

Abstract

Sixty years after Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) deemed segregation unconstitutional, schools nationwide remain severely segregated. New York City’s schools in particular are among the most segregated in the country. The literature on the relationship between residential communities and school composition suggests that residential integration may contribute to school integration. This study explores this relationship using Harlem as a case study. It investigates whether the residential integration caused by the forces of gentrification helped create more diverse local school communities. It uses Census data and American Community Survey data to map the demographic changes within the peak years of gentrification in Harlem (1990-2010). An analysis of the trends suggests that gentrification did not lead to school integration in the traditional schools or in the local charter schools. However, there did seem to be an association between the rise of gentrification and the emergence of charter schools in Harlem. This study suggests that more focused educational reforms are necessary to combat segregation.