Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation. Education Policy & PreK-12 Education

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Title: Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation. Education Policy & PreK-12 Education
Language: English
Authors: Zahava Stadler, Jordan Abbott, New America
Source: New America. 2025.
Availability: New America. 740 15th Street NW Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-986-2700; Fax: 202-986-3696; Web site: https://www.newamerica.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 65
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Skyline Foundation
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
American Institutes for Research (AIR)
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: School Districts, School District Reorganization, School District Wealth, Educational Finance, State School District Relationship, Elementary Secondary Education, Desegregation Methods, School Desegregation, School Funds, Student Diversity, Equal Education
Abstract: Students often attend school in segregated districts that are funded with very different amounts of property tax revenue. These conditions are the result of the fact that states place their school district borders along lines that entrench and worsen America's racial and economic divides. States can, and should, redraw school district boundaries to encompass more equal property tax capacities and more diverse student populations. Just as legislative gerrymandering can shift the balance of political power in a state without changing anything about the voters who live there, purposeful school-system redistricting can ensure that all kids get a fairer share of the state's property tax base, regardless of race, class, or neighborhood--all without changing anything about property values or where families live. In this new research report, New America's Education Funding Equity initiative draws on the machine-learning methods often used for legislative redistricting to simulate new school system boundaries. We present three potential redistricting approaches--a blank-slate model that draws entirely new school districts, one consisting of only county-based districts, and one that strategically merges existing districts--and measure their impact on tax-base fairness and segregation. The average state analyzed shows enormous potential gains: up to a 66.6 percent increase in the equality of per-pupil tax capacity between districts, a 47.6 percent reduction in racial segregation, and a 65.0 percent decrease in economic segregation. An accompanying interactive map and data tool allow users to compare the three models against states' existing school district boundaries and see how redrawing the boundary lines could give more diverse student populations fairer access to local school funding.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED676668
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation. Education Policy & PreK-12 Education
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zahava+Stadler%22">Zahava Stadler</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jordan+Abbott%22">Jordan Abbott</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22New+America%22">New America</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22New+America%22"><i>New America</i></searchLink>. 2025.
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  Data: New America. 740 15th Street NW Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-986-2700; Fax: 202-986-3696; Web site: https://www.newamerica.org
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  Data: N
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  Data: 65
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Skyline Foundation<br />Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation<br />American Institutes for Research (AIR)
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  Data: Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Districts%22">School Districts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+District+Reorganization%22">School District Reorganization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+District+Wealth%22">School District Wealth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Finance%22">Educational Finance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+School+District+Relationship%22">State School District Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Desegregation+Methods%22">Desegregation Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Desegregation%22">School Desegregation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Funds%22">School Funds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Diversity%22">Student Diversity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Students often attend school in segregated districts that are funded with very different amounts of property tax revenue. These conditions are the result of the fact that states place their school district borders along lines that entrench and worsen America's racial and economic divides. States can, and should, redraw school district boundaries to encompass more equal property tax capacities and more diverse student populations. Just as legislative gerrymandering can shift the balance of political power in a state without changing anything about the voters who live there, purposeful school-system redistricting can ensure that all kids get a fairer share of the state's property tax base, regardless of race, class, or neighborhood--all without changing anything about property values or where families live. In this new research report, New America's Education Funding Equity initiative draws on the machine-learning methods often used for legislative redistricting to simulate new school system boundaries. We present three potential redistricting approaches--a blank-slate model that draws entirely new school districts, one consisting of only county-based districts, and one that strategically merges existing districts--and measure their impact on tax-base fairness and segregation. The average state analyzed shows enormous potential gains: up to a 66.6 percent increase in the equality of per-pupil tax capacity between districts, a 47.6 percent reduction in racial segregation, and a 65.0 percent decrease in economic segregation. An accompanying interactive map and data tool allow users to compare the three models against states' existing school district boundaries and see how redrawing the boundary lines could give more diverse student populations fairer access to local school funding.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: ED676668
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED676668
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 65
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: School Districts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School District Reorganization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School District Wealth
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Finance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State School District Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Desegregation Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Desegregation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Funds
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Diversity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Equal Education
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation. Education Policy & PreK-12 Education
        Type: main
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            NameFull: New America
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            NameFull: Zahava Stadler
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            NameFull: Jordan Abbott
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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            – TitleFull: New America
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