Circles of Influence - An Analysis of Charter School Location and Racial Patterns at Varying Geographic Scales

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

This paper uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and dynamic mapping to analyze student enrollments in New Jersey charter schools. Findings indicate increased racial segregation consistent with prior research, with African-American enrollment shares higher in charter schools than in surrounding areas. The study extends the charter school literature by examining charter school supply and enrollment patterns across three geographic scales—school districts, census tracts, and block groups—showing segregation is most severe within charter schools’ immediate neighborhoods.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages29

Reading Time1 h 13 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Method and data approach

Findings across geographic scales

Implications for enrollment comparison

| education policy analysis archives
A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal
Arizona State University
| | --- | | Volume 19 Number 8 March 20th, 2011 ISSN 1068-2341 | Circles of Influence: An Analysis of Charter School Location and Racial Patterns at Varying Geographic Scales Charisse Gulosino University of Massachusetts Boston Chad d’Entremont Teachers College, Columbia University Citation: Gulosino, C., and d’Entremont, C. (2011) Circles of influence: An analysis of charter school location and racial patterns at varying geographic scales Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 19 (8) Retrieved [date], from [http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/842](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/842) Abstract: This paper uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and dynamic mapping to examine student enrollments in New Jersey charter schools. Consistent with previous research, we find evidence of increased racial segregation. Greater percentages of African-Americans attend charter schools than reside in surrounding areas. We add to the existing charter school literature by more fully considering the importance of charter school supply and examining student enrollments across three geographic scales: school districts, census tracts and block groups. We demonstrate that racial segregation is most severe within charter schools’ immediate neighborhoods (i.e. block groups), suggesting that analyses comparing charter schools to larger school districts or nearby public schools may misrepresent student sorting. This finding appears to result from the tendency of charter Submitted 04/01/2009 Revisions Received 10/13/2010 Accepted: 01/10/2011 Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 19 No. 8 2 schools in New Jersey to cluster just outside predominately African-American neighborhoods, encircling the residential locations of the students they are most likely to enroll. Keywords: GIS; mapping; charter schools; segregation; school enrollments; school choice. Círculos de influencia: Un análisis de la ubicación y de los patrones raciales de las escuelas charter a diferentes escalas geográficas Resumen: Este trabajo utiliza los Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG), cartografía y análisis de dinámicas de matriculación de estudiantes en las escuelas "charter" en Nueva Jersey. Como en investigaciones anteriores, encontramos evidencia de que la segregación racial se ha incrementado. Mayores porcentajes de estudiantes Afro-americanos asisten a las escuelas charter que residentes en áreas cercanas a esas escuelas. Añadimos a la literatura existente sobre las escuelas charter considerando principalmente la importancia de la oferta de las escuelas charter y examinando los estudiantes inscritos en tres escalas geográficas: los distritos escolares, censales y grupos de barrios. Hemos demostrado que la segregación racial es más grave en los barrios cercanos a las escuelas charter (es decir, grupos de barrios), lo que sugiere que las pruebas de comparación de las escuelas alos distritos escolares más grandes escuelas "charter" o pública de vecinos puede alterar laclasificación de estudiante. Este hallazgo parece ser el resultado de la tendencia de escuelas charter en Nueva Jersey, justo fuera del clúster de los barrios predominantemente afroamericana, con la participación la zona residencial de los estudiantes más probable más la DEA para inscribirse en una escuela charter. Palabras clave: SIG; cartografía; escuelas charter; segregación; matrícula escolar; elección de escuelas. Círculos de influência: Uma análise da localização e do padrão racial da escola charter em diferentes escalas geográficas Resumo: Este trabalho utiliza Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG) e mapeamento dinâmico para analisar matrículas de alunos em escolas charter de Nova Jersey. Como em pesquisas anteriores, encontramos evidências de que a segregação racial aumentou. Maiores percentagens de Afro-Americanos frequentam a

FAQs

What methods does the paper use to study New Jersey charter schools?

The paper applies Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and dynamic mapping to examine student enrollments in charter schools.

What does the paper find about racial segregation in charter schools?

It finds evidence of increased racial segregation, with African-Americans attending charter schools at higher percentages than they do in nearby surrounding areas.

Why does the paper emphasize using multiple geographic scales?

It shows segregation is most severe at charter schools’ immediate neighborhood level (block groups), so comparisons using larger units can misrepresent student sorting.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda