More than a third of public schools in the U.S. are segregated. According to a report by the Government Accountability Office, “Nearly 19 million students in the U.S., or more than a third, attended a public school in the 2020-21 school year where at least 75% of students were of the same race or ethnicity.” The Department of Education’s data also shows that although the diversity amongst the total student population has increased, inequity is still persisting. Within the schools where over three quarters of the students are of one race, over half of them are White, “compared to 31% Hispanic, 23% Black, 19% American Indian/Alaska Native, and 4% Asian students.” In cases where schools have seceded, there are higher concentrations of White students in smaller, wealthier districts, making students of color isolated. YPulse research shows when choosing a college, BIPOC students are more likely than their White/non-Hispanic peers to look for schools with diversity in their students and faculty. (NBC)
