School discipline disparities increase when neighborhood Black population changes.

Abstract

The racial landscape of US neighborhoods shifted tremendously over the past decade, raising questions about how these changes are reflected in local schools. This study combines school zone shapefiles with census and Civil Rights Database data to explore whether neighborhood racial change in Black populations predicts changes in Black-white school suspension disparities from 2010 to 2018. We find that racial disparities in suspensions increased, particularly in neighborhoods experiencing substantial shifts in Black populations. These increases were especially pronounced in suburban and rural areas with shifting Black populations and all predominantly White neighborhoods. Although school discipline reforms aimed to reduce racial disparities, they only declined in certain types of neighborhoods, most notably in urban areas. Our findings advance insights into processes of school and neighborhood change, school discipline, and racial stratification, with broad policy implications.