Race, geography, and school choice policy: A critical analysis of Detroit students’ suburban school choices

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Jeremy Singer, Wayne State University; Sarah Lenhoff, Wayne State University

Version:  View help for Version V2

Name File Type Size Last Modified
Census Block Group Racial Demographics text/csv 716.4 KB 11/29/2021 12:04:PM
Census-Block-Group-Racial-Demographics.do text/plain 925 bytes 11/29/2021 12:08:PM
Census-Block-Group-Shapefiles.zip application/zip 9.2 MB 01/11/2021 09:00:AM
EEMDataReport 01-11-2021 01-59-35-871 text/csv 5.3 MB 11/29/2021 11:16:AM
Inter-District-Open-Enrollment-Policies.dta application/x-stata-dta 15.5 KB 11/29/2021 12:09:PM
READ_ME.docx application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document 26.6 KB 11/29/2021 12:07:PM
School District Shapefiles.zip application/zip 4.2 MB 11/29/2021 11:25:AM
School Geographic Locations.csv text/csv 5 MB 11/29/2021 12:03:PM
Summary Statistics.do text/plain 5.5 KB 01/26/2019 02:02:PM

Project Citation: 

Singer, Jeremy, and Lenhoff, Sarah. Race, geography, and school choice policy: A critical analysis of Detroit students’ suburban school choices. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2022-07-20. https://doi.org/10.3886/E155661V2

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary The purpose of this study is to advance our thinking about race and racism in geospatial analyses of school choice policy. To do so, we present a critical race spatial analysis of Detroit students’ suburban school choices. To frame our study, we describe the racial and spatial dynamics of school choice, drawing in particular on the concepts of opportunity hoarding and predatory landscapes. We find that Detroit students’ suburban school choices were circumscribed by racial geography and concentrated in just a handful of schools and districts. We also find notable differences between students in different racial groups. For all Detroit exiters, their schools were significantly more segregated and lower quality than those of their suburban peers. We propose future directions for research on families’ school choices as well as school and district behavior at the intersection of race, geography, and school choice policy.

This research result used data structured and maintained by the MERI-Michigan Education Data Center (MEDC). MEDC data are modified for analysis purposes using rules governed by MEDC and are not identical to those data collected and maintained by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and/or Michigan’s Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI). Results, information, and opinions solely represent the analysis, information, and opinions of the author and are not endorsed by, or reflect the views or positions of, grantors, MDE, and CEPI or any employee thereof. All errors are my own.

Scope of Project

Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage Metropolitan Detroit Area
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 9/1/2015 – 6/30/2016 (2015-16 school year)
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) administrative records data
Collection Notes:  View help for Collection Notes This research result used data structured and maintained by the MERI-Michigan Education Data Center (MEDC). MEDC data is modified for analysis purposes using rules governed by MEDC and are not identical to those data collected and maintained by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and/or Michigan’s Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI). Results, information and opinions solely represent the analysis, information and opinions of the author(s) and are not endorsed by, or reflect the views or positions of, grantors, MDE and CEPI or any employee thereof.

Methodology

Data Source:  View help for Data Source MERI-Michigan Education Data Center (MEDC)

Related Publications

Download this project

Published Versions

V2 [2022-07-20]

V1 [2021-11-29]

Export Metadata

Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

Report a Problem

Found a serious problem with the data, such as disclosure risk or copyrighted content? Let us know.

This material is distributed exactly as received from the data depositor. As of April 2026, depositors are required to submit study materials in accessible formats. ICPSR has not reviewed, checked, or processed this material. For additional information about the study, please contact the investigator(s) directly. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR's Accessibility Center.