Abstract
This research addresses the critical need for a comprehensive understanding of the spatial dynamics between public schools and residential neighborhoods, both of which significantly influence children’s life outcomes. The study introduces innovative methodologies for examining the spatial relationships between school catchment areas and neighborhoods through geodemographic clustering and spatial congruence measures. By applying these methods to the largest 110 metropolitan areas in the United States, encompassing 24,507 elementary school catchments and 17,608 neighborhoods, the research provides novel insights into how these spatial interactions affect ethnoracial integration and educational diversity. The findings reveal the potential of targeted policy interventions that leverage these spatial relationships to promote equity and reduce segregation in educational settings, thereby offering a valuable framework for policymakers to improve access to opportunities across diverse communities.
Sergio Rey
Director and Professor
My research interests include geographic information science, spatial inequality dynamics, regional science, spatial econometrics, and spatial data science.
Elijah Knaap
Assistant Professor
My research interests include urban inequality, neighborhood dynamics, housing markets, spatial data science, regional science, and housing & land policy.
Ran Wei
Associate Professor
My research interests lie in the development and implementation of GIScience methods and techniques to address substantive social and environmental problems
Dylan Skrah
PhD Student
I am a student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Geography at SDSU. I study education landscapes using urban social science. I am interested in how dynamics of neighborhood change are affected by charter schools relative to traditional public schools. My research is predicated on, and critical of, applied economics in a public policy setting. Through my dissertation, I hope to provide a cogent answer to the question ‘What are schools for?’