Making School Integration Work in New York City: A Long-Term Solution to the Enduring Problem of Segregation and Inequality

New York City has one of the most segregated public school systems in the country. This is a pressing problem because school segregation creates a divide in access to well-trained teachers, advanced classes, and resources. Yet, in some gentrifying New York City neighborhoods, there are promising signs of more racially and socioeconomically diverse schools. In this Essay, we draw on the findings from our new book, Making School Integration Work: Lessons from Morris, 1 to show how the legal remedy and unique student assignment policy the Morris School District in New Jersey adopted can be applied to the New York City context to achieve greater equity and integration.