Report: Richmond housing, schools continue to be segregated

New study, co-authored by VCU SOE’s Siegel-Hawley, offers range of public policy solutions

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Dr. Genevieve Siegel-Hawley

Results of a study co-authored by Dr. Genevieve Siegel-Hawley of the VCU School of Education's Department of Educational Leadership found that as the Richmond area becomes more diverse, housing and schools continue to be segregated.

“In Virginia, the public education system remains very segregated and like much of the country, racial isolation in schools is intensifying,” the authors wrote. “The fact is, schools today are still separate and continue to be unequal.”

According to the report, students and their families from minority segregated communities face higher levels of poverty, higher unemployment, lower levels of educational attainment and worse health measures.

“Compounded, these differences have lasting influences on students’ educational attainment and future success,” the authors wrote.

The report, which offers a range of public policy solutions to achieve more equitable access to high opportunity schools and neighborhoods, was completed this summer after three years of work. In addition to Siegel-Hawley, co-authors were Brian Koziol of Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia; and John Moeser, Taylor Holden, and Tom Shields, all of the University of Richmond.

The full report is available here.