McMillian, M. M., Fuller, S., Hill, Z., Duch, K., & Darity Jr, W. A. (2018). Can class-based substitute for race-based student assignment plans? Evidence from Wake County, North Carolina. Urban Education, 53(7), 843-874.

Abstract

This study uses a North Carolina administrative data set to analyze racial segregation and student achievement in Wake County during race-based and income-based school assignment plans. We find a modest increase in the level of racial segregation in Wake schools during the income-based plan, but compared with other large districts in the state, Wake County remained relatively desegregated. We also find a small increase in reading and math test scores and a narrowing of the Black-White test score gap. Our analysis indicates that the improvement in math scores may be partially due to school composition changes attributable to the income-based assignment plan.