The Value of Diverse Schools

Much research documents the impacts and benefits of diversity in education. A large portion of literature follows United States Supreme Court decisions and subsequent policies. When the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision declared separate schooling as inherently unequal, the law compelled schools to implement policy changes related to racial demographics in schools. As a result, researchers documented the racial and demographic makeup of schools and examined its impact on student performance. In particular, the Coleman Report authorized by Congress in 1966 was the first major study connecting socioeconomic status (SES) and student outcomes. Over time, scholars continue to revisit and re-analyze the report and its data, finding that race plays a larger role in outcomes than SES alone.

Recently, the 2016 Fisher v. University of Texas case on affirmative action and college admissions led to amicus briefs and research studies focused on the impacts of diversity on college campuses. As policymakers work to comply with laws related to educational access, researchers produce studies that examine the effects of policy changes.