Demographic Divide in U.S. Schools

Demographics on Schools and Students

Demographic data on the population, students enrolled in preschool through graduate school, teachers, and school administrators are collected and compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and other federal agencies. Data on the diversity of students are available for schools across the nation and can often be accessed on the school or school district's website.

On the basis of birthrates of different groups and immigration patterns, demographers can project the diversity of students that will be entering schools over time. The demographics of the student population are changing. Non-Hispanic Whites comprised 64% of the U.S. population in 2008, but will be less than 50% of the population by 2042. The ethnic and racial diversity of the student population is increasing at a more rapid rate. By 2030, White students will comprise the largest number of students, but will no longer be over half of the nation's students. White students are already less than half of the students in schools in the West where two of five students are Hispanic. In the South nearly one of four students is African American and one of five students is Hispanic. Schools in the Midwest have the largest proportion of White students with 71%. The majority of students in a growing number of school districts, especially in urban areas, are already students of color.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation (2010) reports that one in five U.S. children was living in poverty in 2009. The degree of poverty differs from state to state, ranging from 12% in Connecticut, Maryland, and Utah to 31% in Mississippi. The greatest poverty exists across the southern states from Arizona to West Virginia with the exception of Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. The percentage of students in a school who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL) indicates the concentration of students from low-income families. One of five school-age children has at least one foreign-born parent and speaks a language other than English at home. Thirteen percent of the 3- to 21-year-olds are provided services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The Demographic Divide in Schools

Researchers use demographic data to examine academic performance in schools, achievement on standardized tests, graduation rates, educational attainment, schools attended, use of technology in schools, participation of families in their children's education, and other areas related to academic success. They disaggregate the data for members of different demographic groups to determine how students are performing or the resources to which they have access. Advocates for equity use these data to fight for educational changes that will ensure that all children receive a high-quality education. Policymakers and school officials use these studies to develop policies and practices that can retain, reduce, or eventually eliminate the differences in achievement among groups.

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