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Race-blind admissions, school segregation, and student outcomes

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  • Cook, Jason

Abstract

In 2007, the Supreme Court declared race-conscious school admissions unconstitutional. This paper provides the first evaluation of a related federal mandate where the Columbus City School District was forced to adopt a race-blind lottery system for its magnet schools. I explore the impact of the dramatic increase in racial segregation resulting from the mandate. More segregated schools spend less per-pupil, enroll lower achieving students, employ lower value-added teachers, and perpetuate “White flight” out of the district. Ultimately, segregation arising from mandated race-blind admissions causes student achievement and college attendance rates to decline.

Suggested Citation

  • Cook, Jason, 2024. "Race-blind admissions, school segregation, and student outcomes," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:239:y:2024:i:c:s0047272724001737
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105237
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    Cited by:

    1. Dur, Umut & Hammond, Robert G. & Lenard, Matthew A. & Morrill, Melinda & Morrill, Thayer & Paeplow, Colleen, 2025. "The attraction of magnet schools: Evidence from embedded lotteries in school assignment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    2. Setren, Elizabeth, 2025. "The impact of increased exposure of diversity on suburban students’ outcomes: An analysis of the METCO voluntary desegregation program," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J48 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Particular Labor Markets; Public Policy

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