Suburban school systems developed to educate young people whose families lived in suburban communities. These systems expanded substantially in the mid-20th century. As of 2009, the U.S. Department of Education reported that more elementary and secondary school students attended suburban schools (35%) than city (29%), rural (23%), or town schools (13%). Although suburban communities have surrounded major urban centers since the mid-1800s, they experienced their most substantial growth after World War II. In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 50% of U.S. residents lived in suburbs. This entry looks at the emergence, growth, and increasing racial, ethnic, and social class diversity of suburban schools in the United States.

Growth of Suburban Areas

Suburban communities expanded substantially during the post–World War II period when the federal government ...

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