Why are schools in the US still racially segregated?

Schools in the United States are racially segregated in practice despite more than 65 years of legal precedent outlawing segregation through policy. The causes for school segregation have evolved, but the problem remains. The University of Kansas’ research investigates different geographic contexts to understand why. Their goal is to determine policy solutions in the United States that will end the practice of providing separate and unequal education to children from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Bryan Mann is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Kansas. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Policy from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Mann’s research centers on issues of geography and educational policy. This work revolves around a few simple questions with complex answers and profound implications: Where do children enroll in school, and what drives these trends? What policy mechanisms shape enrollment patterns to enhance educational and social equity? These motivating questions have led Dr. Mann to research several education policy areas, including enrollment patterns as they relate to segregation and diversity, school choice, and alternative models of education.