Racial diversity: A secret of high-performing school districts across the United States

Abstract

Objectives In this study, we aim to provide insights into the relations between racial composition and students’ academic performance in U.S. public school districts. Methods Extracting data from the Stanford Education Data Archive (SEDA), which includes longitudinal data of state testing scores over a ten-year span, we conducted descriptive and independent-samples t-tests to measure the differences in racial diversity between high- and low-performing school districts. Results The quantitative data analysis of 300 U.S. school districts showed that at any given socioeconomic level: high, low, or national-average, there is a significant difference in racial diversity between high- and low-performing school districts. Conclusion High-performing districts at all three socioeconomic levels are more racially diverse compared to low-performing districts. This reveals that contrary to the stereotype that more students of color mean lower academic performance, racial diversity of a student body translates to higher academic performance. Keywords quality education, racial segregation, school choice, academic performance, socioeconomic status, sustainable development goals